A Straight Road To Study Abroad

Interested in going abroad? Here are the preliminary details on how to go about it.
CHECKLIST:
Begin your search for colleges and visit the nearest educational advising center and the library. Explore college sites on the web. Talk with family, friends, and acquaintances who may have studied in the US. Write to 10-15 schools for more information. Apply for a passport if you do not already have one. Start preparing for the TOEFL exam and other admissions tests (e.g., GRE, GMAT, or SAT). Register and take the TOEFL exam and other admissions tests in time. Don’t lose the opportunity. Go to the consultant and discuss the programs you would like to apply and the Universities. Go though college materials, web sites, applications and backtrack the deadlines to allow yourself enough time to complete them. Remember to allow for delays in the mail and don’t panic. Keep narrowing your list of schools. Write and send a draft of your application essays and statement of purpose to the university. Get comments on it from friends and the consultant. If you want to try improving your scores on the TOEFL and other exams, register and take the second set of tests. Ask your teachers/lecturers to write letters of recommendation for you. Complete your essays and application forms, including the financial aid application forms. Ask your schools/university for the certified copies of your academic transcripts. Respond promptly to any requests by the university for additional information. After that you will start hearing from colleges. Contact your consultant and the admissions office if you do not receive anything from them. Accept one school's offer, and notify them and the others of your choice. Ask the school to send you the I-20 or IAP-64 form. Make permanent housing arrangements if you will be staying on-campus, temporary housing
arrangements if you will be living off-campus. Prepare for your visa interview and apply for a visa. Attend a pre-departure orientation programs in your consultancy. Make travel arrangements. Plan to arrive at least 15 days prior to orientation.
Kriss Jagarlamudi, a former student of American education, who studied and lived in New Jersey, gives us the information; he’s worked in the offices of international admissions and financial aid. And later came to India and started an educational consultancy named First Counsel.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
Each school sets its own admission requirements. Because of the large number of
international students seeking a US education, the schools do not make exceptions to
their requirements. Most schools require a minimum of a high school diploma with solid
coursework in science, mathematics, English, and humanities. They will also require
academic entrance examinations such as the TOEFL, SAT, GRE, and GMAT. The higher
your scores on these exams and the better your grades, the better your chances of being
admitted. Generally you must have a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale to be
admitted, especially for graduate school. Some schools set very high standards for
admission. The better-known institutions are often among the most competitive. While every
international student would love to attend Harvard University or the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, not every student will be admitted. Certain fields of study are
also highly competitive. These include engineering, computer science, pre-medicine, pre-
law, architecture, and marine biology. To apply for a graduate or professional degree program, including medical school, law school, veterinary school, and dental school, you must first obtain an undergraduate bachelor's degree. Law students must also generally be licensed attorneys in their own countries before applying for admission to a US law school.

FINANCIALS:
Education abroad is extremely expensive. Financial aid is very limited and is limited to a smaller portion of the students. The student may be able to obtain similar education in
India at a much lower cost. So the student will have to balance the cost against the prestige and quality of a foreign education. With the large number and variety of colleges and universities in the US, you are certain to find one that matches your needs and interests, no matter what your criteria. College admission in the US is extremely competitive, especially among international students. If you do not have a strong academic background, sufficient financial resources, and proficiency in the English language, you will be at a disadvantage in the admissions process. ISLP is an alternative loan program for international students to study in US colleges and universities. The loans are funded by the Bank of Boston and Education Aid and guaranteed by TERI. Students may borrow up to the full cost of education, including tuition, fees, and room and board. Graduate students may borrow a maximum of $15,000 per year. The minimum loan amount is $2,000 per academic year. Students may take up to 25 years to repay the loan. There is a $50 minimum payment and some deferment provisions. The interest rate is the prime lending rate. A creditworthy US citizen or permanent resident must co-sign the loan. There is a 5% guarantee fee for undergraduate students and a 6% guarantee fee for graduate students.

VISAS:
“There are three types of student visas”, says, Kriss Jagarlamudi, the Chief Executive of First Counsel- Excellence in recruiting the highest caliber of students to the American & Canadian College & Universities.
“F-1 (Student Visa): The F-1 visa is for full-time students enrolled in an academic or
Language program. F-1 students may stay in the US for the full length of their academic
program plus 60 days. F-1 students must maintain a full-time course load and complete
their studies by the expiration date listed on the I-20 form.
J-1 (Exchange Visitor Visa). The J-1 visa is issued for students needing practical training that is not available in their home country to complete their academic program. The training must be directly related to the academic program. The J-1 visa obligates the student to return to their home country for a minimum of two years after the end of their studies in the US before being eligible to apply for an immigrant (permanent residence) visa.
M-1 (Vocational Student Visa). The M-1 visa is issued for students attending non-academic trade and vocational schools. The M-1 visa is valid for at most one year. Recipients of an M-1 visa may not change fields of study. Switching from an M-1 visa to a F-1 visa is not permitted.
Of these, the F-1 and the J-1 are the most common for international students.
F-1 Visa applicants who receive their I-20 from a U.S. university or academic program often have to do an interview with a consular officer before they receive their visa.
During the few minutes of the interview, an F-1 Visa applicant must explain how he/she will pay for school costs and living expenses. He/she also has to prove that he/she will not become an immigrant, but is going to return to the home country after studying in the U.S. If the applicant cannot prove this, the consular officer is required to refuse the visa”, says Kriss.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to show his: -
Strong ties to your home country
The intent to return home after completion of the course of study
Access to financial assets that are necessary to support the course of study
Consular officers decide in a very short time if you are qualified to receive a visa.
Most cases are decided after a brief interview and review of whatever evidence you
present. An officer might also ask you other questions, as well.

Other tips that will be helpful during a Student Visa interview:
Anticipate that the interview will be conducted in English and not in your native language. Practice English conversation with a native speaker before the interview. Consular officers are under considerable time pressure to conduct a quick and efficient interview, so, keep your answers to the officer's questions short and to the point. Be polite. Do not argue with the consular officer. If you are denied a student visa, ask the officer for a list of documents you could bring in order to overcome the refusal. Try to get the reason for the denial in writing.
Make it clear to the officer that you expect to return to your home country as soon as you
complete your studies.
The exhaustive particulars will have many an aspiring student packing his bag and baggage and getting set to go. What will be his life there? Here is a brief shared by a student who has been there for quite sometime now.
“Life out here is fun, but I miss India very much. Along with my studies and work, I make time for myself to work out”, says Siddharth Daga, studying Bachelors of Business Administration in Arizona University. “I am also working to manage my normal expenses. The tuition out here is expensive on average it turns out to be Rs.6 lakhs per year. Every university makes money by admitting international students. Each cost is more expensive than the west. Tuition for instate students is much cheaper, on average they pay Rs.2 lakhs”, he puts in. “If an International student want to work they can only work on campus, as off-campus work is illegal. They can only work for 20 hours a week during their enrollment in a college, otherwise during holidays they can work for 40 hours a week. Minimum the student can earn is $5.15 per hour and maximum depends on how much they are willing to pay. Approximately a student earns $500 per month”, says Siddharth. “ Well life here is hard for Indian students who come from a land where they get used to live with loved ones and surrounded by people who care. India is our home land, so you can understand how it feels!” he puts in sadly. “Life in US is hard. We got to earn and pay. Finding a job out here isn’t easy here as it’s a competitive world and it’s the survival of the fittest. The best ones get the cake. Everyone will have to stand for him or herself. It becomes impossible to make true friends, but it’s no doubt that Indians can survive here because they have got the killer instance and are hardworking. Any day Indians outcome the Americans as Hard work Rewards”, says Siddharth cheerfully.
ShriPuja Siddamsetty