Should I upload and attach documents to my online
application? YES! If you can attach all
required documents, your application will be reviewed more
quickly. This includes unofficial transcripts and test
scores. If we have to wait for scores to be sent or
transcripts to come - or if they are mailed, they end up in
several different departments and then have to be attached to
your application - all of this takes time and
coordination. If you attach everything to your
application, you can see what we have and since everything is in
one place it will be sent for review. Instructions on
uploading documents: http://usfweb2.usf.edu/admissions/pdf/How_to_upload_grad_adm_docs.pdf
I missed the application deadline date, can I still
apply? If you can attach all required documents
(see below) to your online application soon after the deadline
date, we can try to process your application, but there are no
guarantees. We will try our best. Once you have
everything scanned and attached to your application, you can
email me at bwarner@usf.edu and I'll notify the Office of
Graduate Studies.
Online Application Question: If applying for a degree
in education, do you require Certification? If you
are apply to the MS MIS program, this is not part of the College
of Education, so you do not require certification.
Do I need to submit an essay/writing sample and a statement
of purpose? No, just a statement of purpose
document.
What if my
documents are received after the application deadline date?
We will make every effort to process your application if
documents are received close to the deadline date. If
they are not received in time, you can ask that your
application be transferred to the following semester.
Do you accept
applications for summer terms? We usually do not
accept applications for the summer term unless you are living
in the Tampa area. If this is the case, please contact
me (bwarner@usf.edu) to discuss this.
I sent my
application in a while ago and it's been referred to the
department, why is it taking so long? Please read
about the application process below. MANY people wait
until the last month or two to apply and some semesters we
receive over 800 applications that have to be prepared and
reviewed - most of these in the last 2 months. If you
are applying at this time, please expect a delay. Also,
if you are right below our preferred admission criteria, you
application may be put 'on hold' so we can give you the best
chance of being admitted.
How does the
admission process work? When you fill out your
online application it sits in the Office of Graduate Studies
until test scores and unofficial transcripts have been
received. It is reviewed and then sent to the College of
Business Graduate School. When the College of Business
receives it, they check to see if any documents have been
added to the online application and log it and review it. They
send an email as needed for missing documents. They then
send your application to our department. When we receive
your file, if anything is missing, we check your online
application one more time and if nothing has been added, we
review it as an incomplete application and make an admissions
recommendation. Your file then goes back to the College
of Business for review and then to the Office of Graduate
Studies for final review. The Office of Graduate Studies
notifies you with a decision. **Note: if you send
documents or attach them AFTER the application has left the
Office of Graduate Studies, your official status online will
not be updated.
How many letters
of recommendation do I need and who should they be from?
2 letters are sufficient and they can be from professors or
supervisors at work. Company or university letterhead is
recommended.
I entered
email addresses for letter of recommendation section
part of the online application, but my references have
not received an email. What can I do?
You can re-enter the reference information on the online
application, that will resend the emails, OR you can have the
references send their letters to admissions@grad.usf.edu.
Please be sure your full name and U number are on the letters.
Can I send paper
/ hard copies of letters of recommendation?
It's much better if you 1) use the online application system
to request letters or 2) scan and attach the letters to your
online application or 3) have them scanned and sent
directly to me (bwarner@usf.edu) and I'll have them added to
your application file.
If I have used
the online application to request letters of
recommendation, how can I check if the letters have been
sent? You can return to your online application
and check the status of your letters of recommendation.
Is work
experience required? Occasionally applicants are
admitted without work experience, if they have excelled in
other areas, but strong technical work experience (beyond
internships) is strongly preferred.
I am scheduled
to take the GRE/GMAT/TOEFL/etc. soon and my scores won't be
ready by the application deadline date. What can I
do? In this case, scan and attach your unofficial
scores to your online application as soon as you receive them
AND have them sent by the testing organization. We will
make every effort to process your application even if it is a
little past the deadline date.
Is there anyway
I can waive the GRE/GMAT requirement? If you have
10+ years of significant, strong, technical experience you can
send me an email (bwarner@usf.edu) with your
transcripts and resume attached requesting a waiver and I'll
bring it to the admission meeting and get back to you when a
waiver decision has been made. GRE/GMAT waivers are not often
granted.
My university's
credits and GPA are not similar to USF's. What should
I enter on the application? We are
used to this, just enter zeros for both and we will review
your transcripts.
I want to apply
to 2 programs at USF, do I need to send in two applications?
Yes, you would need to submit and pay for 2 separate
applications.
In the online
application, should I upload test score documents? If
so, where can I upload them? Do I need official scores
sent? Yes, please upload copies of test scores in
the unofficial transcripts area of the application AND have
your official scores sent to USF by the testing
organization. The Office of Graduate Studies is updating
the online application to have a separate area for unofficial
test scores and it should be rolled out soon.
What department
code should I use when I send the test results?Do not include a department score, just use the
institution code alone.
If my
application is incomplete, will it be reviewed for
admission? If your application is missing
unofficial transcripts or test scores, it will be held until
these are included. If your application is missing
letters of recommendation, it will be sent to us - as some
students do not supply these. In this case your
application will be considered without the letters of
recommendation. If you want them added to your file, you
can attach the to your online application as soon as you
receive them and we will check for them before we make an
admission recommendation. (see 'How does the admission
process work' above for more on this).
Can you hold my
application while I re-take the GRE/GMAT test? Yes,
just send an email requesting this and we will do our
best. Once you have your new unofficial scores,
upload the score results document and attach to your online
application AND email us to let us know that the scores have
been uploaded.
What should
the Statement of Purpose include? Do I
need that and an essay? The Statement of Purpose
will also meet the essay requirements. It should give us
some insights into your background, education, experience,
goals and why you want to attend our program. There is
not prescribed format or length.
I have questions
about I-20s, Visas, international student course
restrictions and more... where can I get them answered?
I am the academic advisor and don't keep up with all of the
latest international student policies, so please check with
USF's International Student Services at global.usf.edu/is.
What about CPT
and OPT? Here is some info from the assistant
directory at USF's International Services....Please review the information on our
website and pass the appropriate workshops for CPT and
OPT: http://global.usf.edu/is/cur-CPT.php
and http://global.usf.edu/is/cur-OPT.php.
Once you have passed these workshops, you may come to our
office to meet an advisor during Advisor-on-Duty (AOD)
Hours or contact us at http://global.usf.edu/is/contact.php.
Can
I apply for internships if I am an international student?
This is not an easy question to answer! The MS MIS
department does not restrict you, HOWEVER, you must check out
the links above on CPT and OPT and then confirm your
understanding with International Student Services, http://global.usf.edu/is/contact.php.Please this employment page http://global.usf.edu/is/cur-employment.php and please do not apply for positions until you
know whether you are eligible for that specific
position.
How do I apply
for the Analytics and Business Intelligence Certificate?
If you are not a
USF student but would like to apply to the Analytics and
Business Intelligence Certificate Program, please go to http://mis.usf.edu/miscertificate.php
Send
them
both to bwarner@usf.edu or drop them off in the MIS
Office (CIS2083) and ask someone there to put them in my
mailbox. Be sure your parts are filled out
completely and correctly or I'll have to send them back
:(
I
wait until I receive your fall transcripts to confirm
your grades (this happens in January).
I
send them all off for more signatures and processing.
The
Graduate
Certificate department will send your certificate (be
sure your address is correct on the completion form!)
Where can I get
information about the online MS MIS program or the online
graduate certificate program? The online program
information can be found at http://mis.usf.edu/
How do I apply
for graduation? All enrolled MS MIS students will
receive an email the first week or two of the semester with
graduation application instructions and due dates.
What classes can
I use as electives in the program? You can take 3
electives from our department (except for ISM6123 and ISM6217)
as long as they are 6000 level, 3 credit courses. For
your remaining 3 electives they can be from our department or
the Management department, as long as they are 6000 level, 3
credit courses. Other IT related graduate courses can be
used, but should be approved first (email me).
How do I
register for alternate calendar courses after the drop / add
period ends?
Go
to “4 – REGISTER FOR ALTERNATIVE CALENDAR CLASSES ONLY”
Click on the link.
In
the new window, click on “Click here to email your schedule”
link (note: once you click on the link, you may be required
to log into MyUSF before you can enter the course
registration information in the next window).
In
the next window, fill out the following information about
the course you would like to add: CRN, Department, Prefix
Number, Section, Semester, Credit hours.
Click
on “Submit Courses” button.
How do I drop an
alternative calendar class after the drop / add period
ends? Submit
a
drop / add form to the College of Business Graduate office
(first floor of the new section of the BSN building. The
form can be found at http://www.usf.edu/business/graduate/mba/current.aspx
Due to the high volume of email received,
we have created sites to answer most applicant / current
graduate student questions.Please
check these out before sending that email.
Office of Graduate
Studies – basic information about graduate programs at USF,
including information for newly admitted and current students:http://grad.usf.edu/