All the Ivy League schools (Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, etc.) either require or recommend an interview before your application is approved. There are some other schools that require interviews and others that offer them as an option. Having said that I would personally recommend taking an interview. It is a valuable opportunity to demonstrate your interest in a school and seize the opportunity to present yourself in a positive light. I was preparing for my interviews with a few top Universities and iSchoolConnect helped me a great deal for the same. Check them out here - www.ischoolconnect.com

Hey Shruti, Your application process should ideally start a year prior. So start you process of exploring and applying right away! Tops by end of November. After you have your competitive exam scores in hand, the first step in the proceedings for Masters would be shortlisting universities and programs of your interest, checking their application submission deadlines and other requirements mentioned for the particular course. There is a step-by-step guide that tells you all about how to apply for masters abroad. You can read it here-https://ischoolconnect.com/blog/step-by-step-procedure-on-how-to-apply-for-ms-in-usa/