Applying for Master's Programs in the U.S.

This post shares my experience applying for several master’s programs in the United States. This will be a long post, as it concludes my two-month application process. I hope you find it somewhat helpful.

這篇文章分享了我申請美國多所碩士項目的經驗。這將是一篇長文，總結了我這兩個月的申請過程。希望這對你有些幫助。

Start

I decided to apply for master’s programs in the U.S. quite late. It was already October, leaving only about two months before most application deadlines. At that point, I was starting almost from scratch, including selecting schools and programs.

我決定申請美國碩士項目的時間相當晚。當時已經是十月，距離大多數申請截止日期只剩大約兩個月的時間。那時，我幾乎是從零開始，包含選校與選擇項目。

It was a very stressful period. I had to complete everything within a short time: choosing target programs, preparing application documents, submitting materials through application portals, and, to make matters worse, preparing for final exams at the same time.

那是一段壓力非常大的時期。我必須在短時間內完成所有事情：選擇目標項目、準備申請文件、透過申請系統提交資料，更糟的是，同時還要準備期末考。

I did not use any application consultant or document refinement services. I completed all the applications by myself, so I am just sharing my personal experience from this process.

我沒有尋求任何留學代辦或文件潤稿服務。所有的申請我都是自己完成的，因此這只是分享我在這個過程中的個人經驗。

Here are the steps I followed, in order:

以下是我遵循的步驟，依序為：

1. Tests (I did not retake any exams for the application)
2. Selecting target schools
3. Writing application documents

1. 考試（我沒有為了這次申請重考任何測驗）
2. 選擇目標學校
3. 撰寫申請文件

Tests

TOEFL

I was quite lucky in this regard. Because I had already taken the TOEFL the year before for my exchange application, my score was still valid (within two years) and high enough to meet the minimum requirement for several programs.

在這方面我相當幸運。因為前一年為了申請交換學生，我已經考過托福，我的成績依然有效（在兩年內），且足以達到幾個項目的最低要求。

Although the score was not high enough for certain programs or to qualify for some teaching assistant (TA) positions, I personally think the TOEFL score is not the most important factor. Admissions committees mainly use it to confirm that applicants have sufficient English proficiency.

雖然這個分數對某些項目來說不夠高，也未能達到申請某些助教（TA）職位的標準，但我個人認為托福成績並不是最重要的因素。招生委員會主要用它來確認申請者具備足夠的英語能力。

Having a very high score alone will not necessarily increase your chances of admission. However, if you have the time and resources, I would recommend aiming for a score that meets the requirement for TA positions. This would allow you to apply for teaching assistant roles and earn some extra income during your studies.

單憑極高的分數並不一定能增加錄取機會。然而，如果你有時間和資源，我建議以達到助教職位要求的成績為目標。這將使你有機會在就讀期間申請助教職位，賺取一些額外收入。

GRE

It was fortunate that many schools had started to waive the GRE requirement. Since I did not take the GRE, this change gave me the opportunity to apply to more programs.

幸運的是，許多學校已經開始取消GRE的要求。因為我沒有考GRE，這項改變給了我申請更多項目的機會。

However, some programs still require it, so it is important to carefully check the requirements on each program’s website before applying.

然而，部分項目仍然要求提交GRE成績，因此在申請前仔細查看各項目網站上的規定非常重要。

Selecting Target Schools

This is probably the most important step in the entire process. Different schools have different requirements, so it is important to understand what each program expects before preparing your application materials.

這可能是整個過程中最重要的步驟。不同的學校有不同的要求，因此在準備申請材料前，了解每個項目的期望非常重要。

I would recommend choosing schools carefully. It takes time to understand each program, including whether it is thesis-based or course-based, the program duration, tuition, and whether it offers internship or co-op opportunities.

我建議謹慎選擇學校。了解每個項目需要時間，包括它是以論文為主（thesis-based）還是以修課為主（course-based）、項目時長、學費，以及是否提供實習或建教合作（co-op）機會。

Strategy

Of course, one strategy is to apply to many programs first and decide later after receiving offers. However, each application requires a fee, which can become expensive if you apply to many programs. In addition, some documents are program-specific, meaning you may need to write different versions of your materials for different programs, which also takes a lot of time.

當然，一種策略是先申請許多項目，等到收到錄取通知後再做決定。然而，每份申請都需要繳交申請費，如果申請許多項目，費用可能會變得很可觀。此外，有些文件是針對特定項目要求的，這意味著你可能需要為不同的項目撰寫不同版本的文件，這同樣相當耗時。

My main principle when selecting schools was simple: Would I actually attend this school if I received an offer?

我選擇學校的主要原則很簡單：如果我收到錄取通知，我真的會去就讀嗎？

Some people apply to many “safety schools,” but they might not actually want to attend them. I also considered tuition costs carefully. Some programs are extremely expensive, and I did not want to be in a situation where I was accepted but then had to worry about whether I could afford the tuition and living costs, and eventually decline the offer. That would feel quite regretful.

有些人會申請許多「保底學校」，但他們可能並不真的想去讀。我也仔細考慮了學費。有些項目的費用非常高昂，我不希望遇到那種被錄取了，卻還要擔心是否能負擔得起學費和生活費，最終不得不放棄機會的狀況。那樣會讓人感到相當遺憾。

Of course, everyone can have their own strategy when selecting schools. But one thing I would strongly recommend is starting this process as early as possible. Ideally, you can begin identifying target schools early in university and gradually prepare the skills and experiences that match their requirements.

當然，每個人在選校時都有自己的策略。但我強烈建議的一件事是：盡早開始這個過程。最理想的情況是，你可以在大學早期就開始確定目標學校，並逐步準備符合它們要求的技能和經驗。

My process

In my case, I started by listing all the top 30 programs in a Notion page and checking the requirements of each one. In some sense, it was lucky that my test scores were not perfect, because that automatically eliminated some programs from my list.

以我的情況來說，我首先在Notion頁面上列出了排名前30的所有項目，並查看它們的各項要求。從某種意義上來說，我的考試成績並不完美反而很幸運，因為這自動從我的名單中刪除了一些項目。

After that, I considered tuition costs and job opportunities. Many people pursue a master’s degree in the U.S. with the hope of working there afterward. Therefore, programs that provide co-op or internship opportunities are particularly attractive.

在那之後，我考慮了學費和就業機會。許多人在美國攻讀碩士學位，都希望能留在當地工作。因此，提供建教合作(co-op)或實習機會的項目就顯得特別有吸引力。

Finally, I chose four programs after considering all these factors:

綜合考慮這些因素後，我最終選擇了四個項目：

• University of California San Diego — CS75
• University of Texas at Austin — ECE
• University of Washington — CS PMP
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — MSCS / MCS

• 加州大學聖地牙哥分校 (UCSD) — CS75
• 德州大學奧斯汀分校 (UT Austin) — ECE
• 華盛頓大學 (UW) — CS PMP
• 伊利諾大學厄巴納-香檳分校 (UIUC) — MSCS / MCS

Preparing Application Documents

Before starting to write the documents, you should carefully identify what you need for each program. For example: CV, SOP, and the number of recommendation letters. Because there are so many details, I added these requirements into Notion to keep track of them. Most importantly, check the deadline of each program, and start the application process as early as possible. Some questions only appear in the application portal, and it may take a few days to get an application account. Try to log in to the portal and go through all the pages to identify exactly what you need to provide.

在開始撰寫文件之前，你應該仔細確認每個項目需要哪些資料。例如：履歷(CV)、讀書計畫(SOP)以及推薦信的數量。因為細節太多了，我把這些要求放進Notion中以便追蹤。最重要的是，確認每個項目的截止日期，並盡早開始申請流程。有些問題只會出現在申請系統中，而且可能需要花幾天時間才能註冊好申請帳號。所以，盡量先登入系統並瀏覽所有頁面，確認你需要提供哪些內容。

CV

I prepared a CV summarizing my academic background, projects, and relevant experiences. Since most programs evaluate applicants holistically, highlighting coursework, technical skills, and research or project experience can be helpful. This should not take too much time, because it is usually one to two pages and is not program-specific. If you are starting from scratch, I recommend using Overleaf (an online LaTeX compiler) so that you do not need to worry about formatting and alignment.

我準備了一份履歷，概述了我的學術背景、專案和相關經驗。由於大多數項目會全面評估申請者，因此強調修課紀錄、技術能力，以及研究或專案經驗會很有幫助。這通常不會花太多時間，因為它通常只有一到兩頁，而且不必針對特定項目客製化。如果你是從零開始，我推薦使用Overleaf（一個線上LaTeX編譯器），這樣你就不必擔心排版和對齊的問題了。

Statement of Purpose (SOP)

The Statement of Purpose took the most time to prepare. I needed to clearly explain my academic background, research interests, and why I wanted to apply to each program.

讀書計畫是花最多時間準備的文件。我需要清楚地說明我的學術背景、研究興趣，以及我為什麼想申請各個項目。

The first thing to do is to understand the structure and then identify what to include in the statement. It is not a matter of “the more, the better”; you have to select the projects or experiences that best describe you, match the program, and ultimately help you stand out among the applicants. This is not an easy process. I recommend looking at some examples first.

首先要了解它的結構，然後確定要在文章中包含哪些內容。絕非「寫得越多越好」；你必須挑選最能描述你、最符合該項目，並最終能幫助你在申請者中脫穎而出的專案或經驗。這不是一個簡單的過程。我建議你可以先看看一些範例。

With the help of AI, you can generate an SOP written in natural English based on the content you want to include.

藉助AI的幫助，你可以將你想包含的內容，生成一篇英文語意自然流暢的讀書計畫。

Recommendation Letters

I am very grateful to my professors for helping me with recommendation letters. I sent emails requesting their support in mid-November, and they kindly submitted the letters before the deadlines.

我非常感謝教授們幫我寫推薦信。我在十一月中旬發送了請求他們幫忙的電子郵件，而他們也都很熱心地在截止日期前提交了推薦信。

I asked three professors to help me: two of them were my specialized research advisors, and the other was the advisor for the CSIE Maker Space. The last professor told me that he could not provide a strong letter because I had not done any research with him.

我請了三位教授幫忙：其中兩位是我的專題研究指導教授，另一位是資工作品展示空間(Maker Space)的指導教授。最後一位教授有告訴我，因為我沒有跟著他做過研究，所以他無法提供一份強而有力的推薦信。

Some professors will ask you to write a draft for them to modify. I also found this difficult. Fortunately, I found a good resource where a writer shared her template with me. She actually asked the same professor as I did. I found it really helpful. Since the blog required a premium subscription, I paid the fee in order to view the content. It was really cost-effective. It included not only recommendation letters but also SOP examples and a review of her entire process.

有些教授會請你先自擬草稿讓他們修改。我也覺得這很困難。幸運的是，我找到了一個很好的資源，有位作者分享了她的模板，而且她剛好也是找了同一位教授。我覺得真的非常有幫助。由於那個部落格是付費訂閱制，所以我付費觀看了內容。這筆錢花得非常值得。裡面不僅有推薦信，還有讀書計畫(SOP)與她整個申請過程的心得。

Results

University of California San Diego (Accepted – Feb 12)

This was the first result I received, and it came as a complete surprise.

這是我收到的第一個結果，讓我感到非常驚喜。

One morning, after attending a tutorial seminar, I opened my Gmail and saw an email stating that my application status had been updated. I was not even nervous when opening it because I did not expect to hear back so soon.

某個早晨，在參加完一場輔導課後，我打開Gmail，看到一封信說我的申請狀態已經更新。點開時我甚至一點都不緊張，因為完全沒想到會這麼快收到回覆。

When I saw that I had been accepted, I was extremely happy. I had only applied to four programs, did not use an admissions consultant, and did not consider myself a particularly outstanding applicant. Because of that, I had even prepared myself for the possibility of being rejected by all the schools.

當我看到自己被錄取時，我非常高興。我只申請了四個項目，沒有找代辦，也不覺得自己是一個特別優秀的申請者。正因如此，我甚至已經做好了被所有學校拒絕的心理準備。

This program was also different from the others I applied to. The remaining programs usually do not release their decisions until April. Receiving this offer early relieved a lot of stress, since I no longer had to wait anxiously for months without any results.

這個項目的放榜時間也與其他項目不同。其餘的項目通常要到四月才會公佈結果。提早收到這份錄取通知減輕了我很多壓力，因為我不再需要焦慮地苦等幾個月。

Another advantage is that UCSD provides student housing. Admitted students can join the housing waitlist even before formally accepting the offer, which is very helpful.

另一個優點是UCSD提供學生宿舍。被錄取的學生甚至在正式接受Offer之前就可以加入宿舍候補名單，這非常方便。

In addition, UCSD offers many student activities, especially sports varsity teams. Since I enjoy sports a lot, this was also an important factor for me when considering the program.

此外，UCSD提供許多學生社團活動，特別是體育校隊。因為我非常喜歡運動，這也是我考慮這個項目時的一個重要因素。

Resources

Ranking

• Top CS Programs
• Open CS Application
• CS grad

Medium Blogs

• CMU MRSD
• CMU MSAII
• UT Austin MS ECE
• Cornell MEM
• Stanford MSME
• UW ECE PMP

costs

Here is the breakdown costs of applying four programs(in USD):

I just applied for four programs, and has already spent around 841 USD before I truely attend the school. It is really expensive to apply for master programs in the US, so choose the school carefully.

我只申請了四個項目，就已經花了將近 841 美元。申請美國碩士項目真的非常昂貴，所以要慎重選擇學校。