I have not had the pleasure of going through regular route like come on a student visa, graduating from US schools, green card etc and hence opening a thread to get couple of ideas.
Is it better to come here(USA) for undergrad or finish Bachelors in India and come for a masters.
What is the process? I have heard that you have to clear GRE(for technical ) and GMAT(for business programs). Then apply to schools and be accepted.
How do you go about getting scholarship? How much scholarship can one get? How much will the masters in engineering or MBA cost? of course it depends upon the school, just trying to get some ballpark idea.
Studying in USA
Studying in USA
Hi Jaggu - I have had the 'pleasure' of going through the F1->H1->... route, my few cents are: if one can afford to, doing a BS here is better than doing MS because the 2 years spent in grad school do not necessarily add any value. Back 'then' the direct H1 route was not as open as it was during the y2k period. Landing a job and getting ahead in the job do not depend on the degrees one has - that's my experience.
About 'process' - you can find all information you want from school websites. What you said is generally true, but not all schools require GRE GMAT.
Scholarships are not guaranteed any where - international students do not generally get any. What you can get are TA/RA positions in grad school - you need 'inside information' for that. Your 'seniors' are the best source of information for which school has good TA/RA positions.
Costs vary greatly from school to school - school websites give you breakdown of the costs between tuition and living expenses.
Hope this helps
About 'process' - you can find all information you want from school websites. What you said is generally true, but not all schools require GRE GMAT.
Scholarships are not guaranteed any where - international students do not generally get any. What you can get are TA/RA positions in grad school - you need 'inside information' for that. Your 'seniors' are the best source of information for which school has good TA/RA positions.
Costs vary greatly from school to school - school websites give you breakdown of the costs between tuition and living expenses.
Hope this helps
Studying in USA
***First I'd like to draw attention to the fact that my comment is about the curriculum and not the education system***
US curriculum makes a person, a well rounded personality. Scope is given to overall development during the initial 16 yrs of education i.e. undergrad studies.
Indian curriculum allows students to disassociate themselves completely from all but the subject that they are going to major in. This makes an US undergrad some much more better informed than his/her Indian counterpart.
IMO, highschool education in India followed by undergrad, graduate and post-grad studies in the US would be a nice combo.
US curriculum makes a person, a well rounded personality. Scope is given to overall development during the initial 16 yrs of education i.e. undergrad studies.
Indian curriculum allows students to disassociate themselves completely from all but the subject that they are going to major in. This makes an US undergrad some much more better informed than his/her Indian counterpart.
IMO, highschool education in India followed by undergrad, graduate and post-grad studies in the US would be a nice combo.
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Old-Spice2
- Posts: 1898
- Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:38 pm
Studying in USA
>>US curriculum makes a person, a well rounded personality. Scope is given to overall development during the initial 16 yrs of education i.e. undergrad studies.
I do not agree with this. Recently my kid's teacher in the middle school asked to write an essay on famous personalities. She picked Mother Teresa and was turned down. She had to then write about an "American". While studying in school in India, I remember writing essay about Brooker T Washington, Mark Twain etc. At least in this regard, India is more open than America.
Another interesting thing was the middle school curriculam in CA skips Indian Civilisation while studying about ancient world. The coverage is only about Egypt, Greeks and Romans. I dont know if this is done in purpose or just ignorance. Someone needs to tell these folks that America was discovered because Columbus was looking for a route to India. :)
>>>Indian curriculum allows students to disassociate themselves completely from all but the subject that they are going to major in. This makes an US undergrad some much more better informed than his/her Indian counterpart.
You get wider exposure to technology and other stuff in US which makes the students here more informed. Also it is common for students in US to go on exchange programs to other countries. Only a handful of affluent students can do this in India.
>>IMO, highschool education in India followed by undergrad, graduate and post-grad studies in the US would be a nice combo.
Agree on this. MIMM said in one of the thread earlier that undergrad in US is more of rock concerts, beach parties, sports and fun. May be someone who did undergrad here can comment.
I do not agree with this. Recently my kid's teacher in the middle school asked to write an essay on famous personalities. She picked Mother Teresa and was turned down. She had to then write about an "American". While studying in school in India, I remember writing essay about Brooker T Washington, Mark Twain etc. At least in this regard, India is more open than America.
Another interesting thing was the middle school curriculam in CA skips Indian Civilisation while studying about ancient world. The coverage is only about Egypt, Greeks and Romans. I dont know if this is done in purpose or just ignorance. Someone needs to tell these folks that America was discovered because Columbus was looking for a route to India. :)
>>>Indian curriculum allows students to disassociate themselves completely from all but the subject that they are going to major in. This makes an US undergrad some much more better informed than his/her Indian counterpart.
You get wider exposure to technology and other stuff in US which makes the students here more informed. Also it is common for students in US to go on exchange programs to other countries. Only a handful of affluent students can do this in India.
>>IMO, highschool education in India followed by undergrad, graduate and post-grad studies in the US would be a nice combo.
Agree on this. MIMM said in one of the thread earlier that undergrad in US is more of rock concerts, beach parties, sports and fun. May be someone who did undergrad here can comment.
Studying in USA
Another interesting thing was the middle school curriculam in CA skips Indian Civilisation while studying about ancient world. The coverage is only about Egypt, Greeks and Romans. I dont know if this is done in purpose or just ignorance.
I have observed this at multiple level and this may have to do with confused identity to no identity. For an average American whatever everybody does whether it is Pakistani, Sri lankan, Bangladeshi, middle easterner they consider that as an act by an Indian. If you take billions of people from these poor countries, you will find many bad/non progressive/non industrious things are done and that's why their mind set is very fixed in this regard.
For them India = Third world country and hence there is nothing to be learned from it.
I have read some books and audio cassettes where they repeat that meditation came from Buddhist tradition as if they are somehow ashamed of saying Hinduism or Indian tradition.
And of course our so called flexibility, quest and quick adapting anything that is foreign is also responsible.
I have observed this at multiple level and this may have to do with confused identity to no identity. For an average American whatever everybody does whether it is Pakistani, Sri lankan, Bangladeshi, middle easterner they consider that as an act by an Indian. If you take billions of people from these poor countries, you will find many bad/non progressive/non industrious things are done and that's why their mind set is very fixed in this regard.
For them India = Third world country and hence there is nothing to be learned from it.
I have read some books and audio cassettes where they repeat that meditation came from Buddhist tradition as if they are somehow ashamed of saying Hinduism or Indian tradition.
And of course our so called flexibility, quest and quick adapting anything that is foreign is also responsible.
Studying in USA
DosaiLvr;6952US curriculum makes a person, a well rounded personality. Scope is given to overall development during the initial 16 yrs of education i.e. undergrad studies.
...
***IMO, highschool education in India followed by undergrad, graduate and post-grad studies in the US would be a nice combo.***[/quote]
astrisks added
Perhaps I could have made my opinion more unambigious. I am of the opinion that undergrad, grad and post-grad studies in the US is better than in India. (not from the POV of solving a complex math problem, but from the POV of overall academic development and knowledge)
I also feel that kindergarten/elementary schooling in the US is better than in India (lot of the "new" schools in India are begining to mimic the US at this level)
Middle and High school education in India is better than in the US (for a number of reasons including academics as well as socio-cultural)
Pros/Cons in the Indian/US Undergrad programs --
After SSLC (10th std) in India, a kid who enrolls in PCMB, will become oblivious to Arts, History, Economics, Accounts and other subjects.
Not so in the US. Even if one enrolls in Engg, he/she is exposed to compulsory undergrad level courses in Arts, Humanities, Social/Political sciences etc.
Many kids enrolled in the US undergrad programs do not even pick a major until their sophomore (sometimes even in their junior year). They also have an option to double major of get a major in engg followed by a minor in arts etc.
Also bear in mind that a kid in India can get a bachelors degree in Commerce or Science after 15 yrs. of edu, while as it takes 16 yrs of (normal) edu in the US. That one extra year is perhaps used for non-core subjects, but the pay off (if utilized properly) is big.
>> Agree on this. MIMM said in one of the thread earlier that undergrad in US is more of rock concerts, beach parties, sports and fun. May be someone who did undergrad here can comment
Remember the stereotypical image we had about the "fast" life in US? :emsmile:
Studying in USA
Jaggudada;6973... I have observed this at multiple level and this may have to do with confused identity to no identity. For an average American whatever everybody does whether it is Pakistani, Sri lankan, Bangladeshi, middle easterner they consider that as an act by an Indian. If you take billions of people from these poor countries, you will find many bad/non progressive/non industrious things are done and that's why their mind set is very fixed in this regard.
For them India = Third world country and hence there is nothing to be learned from it.
[/quote]
I don't think it has anything to do w/ India or China or Asia...
The focus in the school level curriculum is on learning about "Western Civilization" and hence they trace the anglo-saxon history to the Romans, Greeks, Egypt and all the way back to the cradle of the western civilization - Mesopotamia (the banks of Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the present day Iraq)
I'm sure they would learn about Mohenjodaro/Harappa if they were studying the Indus Valley Civilizations?
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Desi_by_Nature
- Posts: 772
- Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:57 pm
Studying in USA
#1
For most folks an MS program a stepping stone into the US. From a professional/career point for view, it's probably not much beneficial. I mean armed with an MS you are underqualfied for a career in academics but probably a little more qualified than what the industry needs for most jobs. Perhaps if you go to a really good school, the brand name factor counts to some extent. But overall I guess it makes more sense if you come here for a more marketable degree like MBA, or stick around to do a PhD to build a career in academics if that's your game.
One thing though that I really enjoyed during my MS program was the whole experience of studying at a traditional U.S. university which I wouldn't trade for anything. Studying under the tutelage of some of the most acclaimed people in academics, nobel laureates, attending lectures in 18th century buildings covered in ivy with glorious histories, exceptional libraries and facilities - all that is an experience that cannot be expressed in words. Atleast for me it also gave me an opportunity to compare life in academia vs. industry.
For most folks an MS program a stepping stone into the US. From a professional/career point for view, it's probably not much beneficial. I mean armed with an MS you are underqualfied for a career in academics but probably a little more qualified than what the industry needs for most jobs. Perhaps if you go to a really good school, the brand name factor counts to some extent. But overall I guess it makes more sense if you come here for a more marketable degree like MBA, or stick around to do a PhD to build a career in academics if that's your game.
One thing though that I really enjoyed during my MS program was the whole experience of studying at a traditional U.S. university which I wouldn't trade for anything. Studying under the tutelage of some of the most acclaimed people in academics, nobel laureates, attending lectures in 18th century buildings covered in ivy with glorious histories, exceptional libraries and facilities - all that is an experience that cannot be expressed in words. Atleast for me it also gave me an opportunity to compare life in academia vs. industry.
Studying in USA
Old-Spice2;6964>>
I do not agree with this. Recently my kid's teacher in the middle school asked to write an essay on famous personalities. She picked Mother Teresa and was turned down. She had to then write about an "American"..[/quote]
Was that because "Mother Teresa" is considered a religious figure? I mean, no mixing of religion in public education system after all.
BTW, hi everyone, same Mel (mel) from msn.
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Old-Spice2
- Posts: 1898
- Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:38 pm
Studying in USA
Mel;8707Was that because "Mother Teresa" is considered a religious figure? I mean, no mixing of religion in public education system after all.
I dont think so. I guess the teacher herself is not aware about personalities outside US. She can't evaluate if she does not know about the person. Schools here dont think outside the box ..I mean outside the US.