The U.S. educational system is very different from its Indian counterpart. U.S.A. has more than 3,300 accredited colleges and universities, which offer a wide range of graduate and undergraduate programs.

Universities are academic institutions that include one or more undergraduate colleges, as well as any number of graduate and professional schools, i.e. schools offering study for a single profession such as law.

Four year colleges are undergraduate institutions offering academic programs leading to a bachelor's degree. Community colleges or junior colleges are undergraduate institutions offering upto two years of academic instruction beyond secondary school at a relatively low cost. These offer certificate programs that last for a few months to a year as well as associate degrees.

At least 6-18 months in advance of your intended date of enrollment at a U.S. university. For example, if you wish to enroll in August/September 2010, you should start the process around April 2009.

US universities offer two main semester intakes:

Fall Semester (September/October):
This is the main intake and almost all programs are offered at this times. More financial aid is also available for this semester and as funds are allocated for the entire year during this time.

Spring Semester (January/February):
This is the mid-year intake. There is limited financial assistance available for this semester as most universities allocate funds to projects in the Fall semester.

Undergraduate programs (Bachelor degree) :
This is the first level of post-secondary education that begins after 12 years of primary and secondary schooling. It includes at least 4 years of education and earns a bachelor's degree (Most Indian graduation courses are of 3 years duration). There are also two-year programs which earn an Associate degree. A student who has an associate degree has to study further for a minimum of 2 years to earn a bachelor's degree.

Graduate Programs (Master's & Doctorate degree) :
This is the same as post-graduate education in India. It usually involves one year or more of education depending on the subject or course, and earns a master's or doctoral degree like MBA, MS or PhD. Admission to a graduate program usually requires a minimum of 16 years of formal education. That is, 12 years of primary and secondary schooling and further 4 years of college education.

Bachelors	Four Years
Masters	Two Years
Ph.D.	Three to Six Years

Each University in USA has different percentage requirement. Admission in both UG and PG programmes depend on the scores the student gets in SAT, GMAT & GRE tests.

• Academic excellence:
  World's finest post-secondary educational system with excellent programs in traditional disciplines as well as professional fields.
• Variety of options:
  There are over 3,600 institutions to choose from. Some colleges provide broad based education like liberal arts education, while others provide speciality programs. There are also vocational or technical schools.
• Cutting edge technology:
  U.S. universities are leaders in high quality education and are at the forefront of technology.
• Flexibility:
  The academic programs provide students with a variety of courses and options. Students have the freedom to design their majors and programs of study, switch fields and petition specific courses. Independent study is also available to suit individual needs.
• Global acceptability:
  American degrees are recognized and sought after by employers worldwide. The long-term career prospects of a student are enhanced as studying in the U.S. boosts and develops one's self-confidence, independent thinking and cross-cultural communication skills, thus enhancing ones career prospects.