How the admission decision is made?

[Stan Marsh]

I have been wondering how the admission decisions are made in different universities.
At cambridge, you only need to get approved by the supervisor you name and the head of the department. But at Harvard, it's the admission committee that makes the decision, and contacting a professor usually doesn't make a large difference.
So do you know how the admission decision is made in elsewhere? Maybe discussing this can help us in getting admitted.

 

[twofish-quant]

I have been wondering how the admission decisions are made in different universities.
At cambridge, you only need to get approved by the supervisor you name and the head of the department. But at Harvard, it's the admission committee that makes the decision, and contacting a professor usually doesn't make a large difference.
So do you know how the admission decision is made in elsewhere? Maybe discussing this can help us in getting admitted.

Undergraduate and graduate are different. In the US, undergraduate applications are reviewed by a admissions committee which represents the school. Graduate applications are reviewed by the department.

In East Asia, most schools post a threshold score, and undergraduate admissions are based on how well you do on the national entrance examination.

 

[Stan Marsh]

Undergraduate and graduate are different. In the US, undergraduate applications are reviewed by a admissions committee which represents the school. Graduate applications are reviewed by the department.

In East Asia, most schools post a threshold score, and undergraduate admissions are based on how well you do on the national entrance examination.

Thanks for reply, here I am talking about phd admissions. I am currently applying for phd positions in the EU and the US, so I started this post.
I guess what makes a difference is that if a professor's research and yours match well, will he have the chance to help you get admitted. This is a safe way to pass the tough admission process. But you have to have done some good research during undergraduate.

 

[fss]

I guess what makes a difference is that if a professor's research and yours match well, will he have the chance to help you get admitted. This is a safe way to pass the tough admission process. But you have to have done some good research during undergraduate.

Yes and no. Going to a particular institution to study with a professor in a given specialty can help the process along if he/she advocates for you, but if you have a weak application overall it won't help much- especially compared to a more qualified candidate who might just be looking for "general" admission.