Why Study in the U.S.?

Why should you study in the U.S.? Why do thousands of international students opt to study in the U.S. over other countries? Why is the U.S. most popular destination for Indian students? Does the U.S. still welcome international students? What are your U.S. study options? Need answers to these questions? Read no.... 

The U.S. hosts more international students each year than any other country in the world, a number fast approaching 800,000. In fact, international students comprise approximately 4% of the total undergraduate U.S. university and college population, and 10% for U.S. graduate school. These
international students coming from every corner of the world choose to study in the U.S. because they believe that a U.S. education would afford them the best preparation for their future career. They leave homes, families and friends to pursue their dream of higher education in the U.S. In fact, international students who study in the U.S. contribute more than $13 billion to the U.S. economy each year!

The U.S. offers international students some of the most exciting, rewarding and comprehensive array of study options. International students who choose to study in the U.S. have almost unlimited study choices. Furthermore, international students who successfully complete their U.S. study are highly sought-after by employers worldwide. While the reasons for which international students choose to study in the U.S. vary from student to student, there are some general advantages of studying in the U.S., as mentioned below.

1. World class learning institutions

U.S. universities are known worldwide for the quality of their facilities, resources, and faculty. Most American colleges and universities offer top-notch education programs with highly qualified teaching staff. Many of the professors at these universities are leading authorities in their field. Some of them are Nobel laureates!

The research at many of these universities is cutting-edge and often published in journals worldwide. Be it computer science, bio-sciences, arts, commerce, accounting, management, engineering, medicine or any other field of human endeavour, the U.S. universities undoubtedly offer the best resources to excel in what you want to do. The funding available at the institutions in the U.S. is unparalleled anywhere in the world. 

Schools such as Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Cornell, Yale, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Princeton, Purdue, UC Berkeley, University of Pennsylvania, John Hopkins, Northwestern, Duke, Dartmouth, CalTech, Georgia Tech etc. are all world famous. 

2. Endless study choices

One of the best things about studying in the U.S. is the vast array of academic options available to the students. Since the U.S. is such a large country with vast resources, almost every field of study is available in the country. One can study everything from Russian History to Nuclear Physics. That is why even students from many advanced EU nations choose to obtain their training in the U.S. If you can perceive it, you will most probably find some place in America to study it!

The United States has more institutions of higher learning than any other country in the world. The U.S. education system features many types of institutions, academic and social environments, entry requirements, degree programs, and subjects in which you can specialize.

3. Worldwide recognition

A degree or a certificate from a college or university is not worth much if it is not recognized by employers, other institutions or field authorities. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to ensure than the degree you are aspiring to earn is recognized in the place you plan to use it in. Fortunately, majority of the colleges and universities in the U.S. are given professional accreditation by almost all governing bodies in all parts of the world. The universities have to earn their accreditation by meeting certain criteria, helping ensure a quality education, as well as a degree or certificate that is recognized. There are thousands of U.S. schools that offer credentials recognized in almost every corner of the world.

4. Supporting industries, training & research

Because of the vast wealth of resources available in the U.S., the opportunities for practical training related to your field of study unparalleled. Most college and universities have established affiliations with employers and researchers in different fields of study, thereby creating an avenue for students to obtain hands-on and invaluable experience even while they are studying. Many programs even require that students obtain practical training before they graduate. In many cases, these opportunities are not available anywhere else in the world.

5. Global focus

In the last few decades because of globalization and opening up of many economies in the world, American colleges and universities have started focusing on the global aspects of each subject, better preparing students with a worldwide view of their field. No longer can students merely focus on certain geographic areas when obtaining their academic training. Most U.S. learning institutions have recognized this and offer a more comprehensive and global curriculum to meet these new trends.

6. Flexibility

Since the U.S. university system utilizes credit and unit system and often accommodates working students, most schools offer academic programs that are flexible in nature. This means that, very often, one can choose when to attend classes, how many classes to enroll in each semester or quarter, what electives or optional classes to take etc.

U.S. universities offer flexibility not only in choice of courses, but more importantly there is also the option for students to move from one institution to another. Completing the first two years of a degree at one institution, usually a community college, and then moving to another, is quite common.

The freedom you get to choose your own courses at your own pace is in complete contrast to the rigid educational curriculum followed in other parts of the world, including India. You could mix Biology with Computer Science, Arts with Medicine, Accountancy with Chemistry and nobody would ask you a thing! The universities in the U.S. basically let you decide what you want to study, when you want to study and how you want to study to complete your degree. They also give you full freedom to take control of your research endeavours. In all the American education system is very conforming to each student's needs.

7. Technology

Regardless of what degree a student chooses to pursue in the university, he or she will have to use computers and other technologies in order to succeed. Many universities incorporate the latest technology into their curriculum, encouraging students to obtain proficiency before they go out into the workplace. Specialized technology, such as the newest medical equipment in medical schools, allows each student to maximize their true potential and gain experience that is marketable in the real world.

8. Value

A U.S. degree offers excellent value for money. A wide range of tuition, fees and living costs, plus a liberal financial help from universities make study in the United States affordable for thousands of international students each year.

The "well paid" internships available in the U.S. are hard to find anywhere else. For example a computer science graduate student with the right aptitude could find a chance to work at Google Labs, Microsoft Research, Intel Labs even before  they complete their degree.

9. People and culture

America is a melting pot of people from all over the world. One will find most Americans to be very hospitable, friendly, polite, kind, generous and accepting of foreigners. Of course, there are a few exceptions, as in any country, but these are not the norm. In general, the people are funny, gregarious, innovative, and eager to learn. These are traits that many international students adopt and take home with them.

10. The Campus experience

The American classrooms are a lot more fun than just the academics. Students have an absolutely informal equation with your professors. They treat you as peers and not as students. You could walk into a classroom with a burger in one hand and a coke in another, and the professor would not find it objectionable. In fact, they themselves sometimes come to the class in their shorts and t-shirts. So culturally, studying in the U.S. will be a totally different experience as compared to your home country.

It has been said that the friends and experience obtained during campus life are worth as much as the education itself. Many make friends that last a lifetime.

Besides all these reasons, going to another country to study is an experience in itself. You get to meet people from all parts of the globe that in turn gives you a truly global outlook. The lessons learned by co-existing and living with other students from all over the world are priceless. You evolve into an individual who is at equal easy working in Bangalore or Boston, Delhi or Denver, Mumbai or Miami or for that matter Lucknow or London. Once you go out of your country and study for two years in an American university, the geographic boundaries cease to exist for you. You could deal with Americans, Britons, Germans, Chinese, French, Spanish, Japanese with equal ease.

Benefits of Graduate Education (MS/PhD/MBA) in the U.S. 

Beyond the general benefits of a graduate degree- intellectual stimulation, personal enrichment - there are several excellent reasons for pursuing a graduate program:

• Increased earnings are related to degree attainment: in the U.S. someone with a graduate degree earns, on the average, 33% more than someone with only a bachelor's degree.
• Graduate school may be necessary to obtain the specific skills, knowledge, or credentials for a particular job or profession.
• A graduate degree can provide greater mobility within your area of interest and the flexibility to change careers, or may simply be necessary to keep up with advances in your current field.

Whatever your reason for deciding to apply for graduate school, you will want to find the program that is right for you and do everything you can to make sure that your graduate experience is successful.