How to Make the Most of Your Studying Abroad Experience in the USA

• Career Goals

Most students, after reaching a certain age, have some clarity about their career goals. If a student is interested in engineering, they should apply to colleges based in the USA that offer well-structured engineering courses. Somebody who wants to make a career in filmmaking should list colleges that specialize in offering film and media courses.

• Objective

Indian students should have some idea about why they want to study abroad. While some students choose to study in the US to sharpen their English proficiency, some believe studying abroad would improve their career prospects. An Indian student should go abroad to study only after being clear about the objective behind it.

• Program Analysis

Before taking up a course or program offered by a particular college or university in the US, an international student should analyze it. These days, many educational institutions offer several new-age or niche programs that international students find exciting. While every program will take a student somewhere, they need to analyze it thoroughly and determine whether it would work for them.

• Location

Certain locations in the United States tend to be more expensive than other areas. While choosing a college or university, the international student should check where it is based. They should research the living expenses in the city or town where the university is based. Apart from checking out the accommodation cost, they must also check travel expenses and the amount of money they will have to pay for food.

• Cost

One of the most important things an international student needs to consider before taking a course or program is its cost. The cost involved in doing a course in mechanical engineering at a US-based university would be much higher than doing the same course at a university in India. Before signing up for a course, the student should be confident that they can pay for it.

Essential Steps for a Smooth Transition: Pre-Departure Essentials

Before leaving for the US and starting their educational journey in their dream college, international students should prepare a checklist and mention everything they need to carry. By doing things planned and organized, they will save themselves from a lot of potential trouble or hassle.

• Letter of Acceptance

If an Indian student arrives in the US, goes to college confidently, and realizes they have forgotten to bring their letter of acceptance, they will get into a lot of trouble. They would either have to go back to India and get it with them or request a friend or relative to get it while flying to the US. A letter of acceptance serves as proof or a declaration that the student has been admitted into the college.

• Passport 

Without a valid passport, an Indian student cannot even think about flying to the US. While applying to different colleges and universities in the US, the student should check whether their passport is valid for the next six months. Along with a passport, an international student must also have a valid visa.

• Marksheets

While packing their bags, international students must ensure they carry their original mark sheets. They should also have attested copies of their mark sheets. Some other documents they need to carry with them are letters of recommendation, language proficiency examination results, and degree certificates.

• Form I-20 Proof

An important thing an international student needs to carry while traveling to the US to study is proof or declaration of Form I-20. The student gets an online receipt after making the payment for Form I-20. This serves as their certificate of eligibility to study in a US-based university. This form has to be approved by the Designated School Official or DSO.

Adapting to American Education System: An Overview

An individual who has studied in India all their lives wouldn’t have much of an idea about the American Education System before they go and study at an American university. Since the two countries' education systems are quite different, students might have to make a bit of adjustment initially. They could also speak to Indian students studying abroad about this.

• Grading

The grading system in colleges and universities in America is differently designed from that in educational institutions based in India. Grades in American universities are given according to the letter system that ranges from A to F. While F stands for 0.0, A signifies 4.0. The cumulative grade of a student is seen as a grade-point average.

• Assignments

After joining an American university, an Indian student should expect to be given assignments regularly. The regular homework given by American universities includes both writing and reading assignments. Apart from examinations, universities conduct quizzes at regular intervals to check how well the students have absorbed their education.