International students have always been drawn to the USA by the high standard of American institutions and quality of education. Once again, US News Best Graduates Schools Ranking works as an indicator of the deep changes in the way international students make their choices for future careers.

If you are considering studying at a graduate school in the US, it is important to seek a school that best fits your needs and puts them in place to succeed once you graduate.

However, students need to be aware of the significant transformations being made at graduate programmes in the United States as a product of changes in public policy and how the government is shaping the future of their nation.

Compiled since 1983 by U.S. News & World Report, this University ranking table is widely regarded as one of the most influential of all college rankings in the United States. In the latest report, US News ranking focuses principally on four areas:

Business

Business schools need to prepare their graduates for a dynamic job market and for ad hoc professional careers. Graduates are aware that they need to perform in different fronts: academic preparation for entrepreneurism and roles in big companies. They also need to be innovative whilst keeping ethical approach to competitiveness

Many business schools are reshaping their curriculum around a global mode of business and management. The top Business Schools are Stanford University and Harvard University, while the top three part-time MBA schools are Northwestern University, the University of Chicago and the University of California-Berkeley.

Find more Business courses in the USA and MBA programmes

Education

One of the most traditional disciplines with high rates of employment after graduation, Education seems to have become a key area for development in recent years. Last September, for example, President Obama called for 10,000 more Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) teachers to be hired during the next two years and for 100,000 more in the next decade.

However, the major challenge that education graduates will have to face will be the reality of many urban areas, characterised by increasing levels of poverty and high drop-out rates. In this sense, urban residency programmes have been redesigned to offer intensive mentoring and in-class preparation. Vanderbilt University, Harvard University and the University of Texas-Austin are three of the top schools.

Browse more postgraduate related courses in Education.

Engineering

In a world of fast-changing industries and a public policy that encourages scientific research; engineering related courses will need the brightest and the best in the next five years to lead future technological developments.

Nowadays, one of the most popular subjects is nuclear engineering, for example, which is determinant in discussions in diverse fields such as climate change and medicine. In the other hand, it has been predicted that the demand for biomedical professionals will account for 72% in 2018. The top 3 Engineering Schools are Massachusetts Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as 'MIT'), Stanford University and University of California-Berkeley.

Browse more postgraduate courses in Engineering and Technology

Law

The current economic recession forces law schools to evaluate their prospects and prepare their graduates for the challenge of meeting clients’ expectations. Corporate clients expect from their lawyers more practical training. That’s why experience before graduating is a key factor for success.

This demand for first year hires who can actually practice rather than merely provide research and support as they acclimate to the legal world, has driven Law Schools to increasingly search for students with substantial work experience and a background on interdisciplinary subjects. The top 3 law schools in the country are Yale University, Harvard University and Stanford University, while the best part time law programmes in the US are at Georgetown University, Forham University and George Washington University.

Check our list of Law courses in USA

Medicine

The new challenges in medical research, treatment for fatal diseases and innovation in the pharmaceutical sector are revolutionising the outlook in the medical field. However, the United States has identified an increase need for professionals that can deliver primary care in the midst of ageing population.

Medical schools nationwide, therefore, are increasingly focused on primary care, given the nation's imminent shortage of family an internal physicians. Some of the best schools in this field are Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University (the best schools for primary care include Washington University in St. Louis and Duke University).

See more courses on Medicine and Health related subjects