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Why USA
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The land of dreams
and opportunities, the U.S. offers high-quality
educational options for students from around the
globe. Be it for the quality of education or the
career prospects after graduation, the U.S. has
monopolized the attention of most all study
abroad aspirants. Let's take a closer look at
the world's most preferred country for higher
education.
Top 10 Reasons to study in the United States
U.S. colleges and universities
are attractive to international students for
many reasons. The surveys say that almost
600,000 international students are currently
pursuing their higher education degrees in the
U.S. Following are the top ten reasons why
Indian students choose U.S. colleges and
universities: | |
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1. Excellent Academics
It is believed that world's finest higher education is
available in the U.S., especially in the field
of technology. U.S. degrees are accepted across
the world and are considered to be among the
most prestigious.
2. High Quality
Research
If research is your passion, the U.S. is the right
choice. There are numerous research
opportunities in every field that allow students
to gain practical experience during their
studies. In addition, due to funding from the
U.S. government and public and private
corporations, students who work as research
assistants often receive a waiver of tuition
fees and are provided with a stipend to help
with their living expenses.
3. Flexibility
in Course Curriculum Offerings
In addition to their major field of study and courses,
students often have the option to take courses
(called "electives") in other subject areas,
based on their interests. In addition, the
selection of course offerings at most colleges
and universities is very large and diverse.
Sometimes students may even be able to
"cross-register" or take courses at other nearby
universities as part of their degree program.
4. Financial
Assistance
In some situations, financial assistance is provided to
international students. Most of the universities
financially support international students
either in the form of providing teaching or
research assistantships. These assistantships
are based on academic merit, rather than
financial need. Awarded students will receive
stipends, and/or either partial or full tuition
waivers. In some cases, a student's education
could turn out to be completely free if the
student exhibits exceptional skills in his or
her field of study. Students also have the
opportunity to receive grants, loans, and
scholarships from various organizations
5. On-Campus
Work Opportunities
Most colleges and universities allow international
students to work on their campus as part-time
employees. Students who are on F-1 student visas
can work on-campus up to 20 hours a week during
the academic year, and up to 40 hours a week in
the summer or vacation periods. The students are
usually paid an hourly rate (usually from US$
8.00-US$15.00 an hour), and their earnings help
to cover their living expenses. Students are
placed in jobs based on their financial need and
personal skills and experience. For example, an
English major may be placed at the university
library, while someone who has a lifeguard
certification may be placed at the campus
Aquatic Center.
6. Internships
Students are allowed to work as interns in their
respective academic fields outside of the campus
during summer vacation. There are internship
programs during the academic year as well.
Internships are a valuable part of education as
they help students gain practical experience
while taking classes. Most universities also
offer academic credit for internship experience.
7. Job Opportunities
/ Professional Training
Once students complete their degrees, they are
authorized to work full-time for one year in a
related field in order to gain practical
experience. (As of 2008, students in certain
fields can extend this to 17 months.) This
program is called the Optional Practical
Training (OPT) program. Many talented students
are hired as a permanent employee after they
complete their OPT period by securing
sponsorship from their employers for an H-1
visa. The H-1B visa is a temporary work permit
for foreign nationals to work in specialty
occupations like Software, Engineering,
Teaching, Accounting, or Marketing. Students may
continue their work without leaving the U.S.
after the status change approval.
8.
International Student Affairs Offices
Most all U.S. colleges and universities have an
international student affairs office with
advisors who provide extraordinary support to
international students to help them navigate the
sometimes confusing university and immigration
bureaucracy and to get the most out of their
educational experience. In addition to
immigration and academic advising, these offices
also often host events and workshops to help
international students meet other students and
get involved in campus life.
9. Cultural
Exchange
Apart from what is taught in the classroom,
international students also get to interact with
and learn from other students from many
different countries and diverse religions,
cultures, economic and ethnic backgrounds. This
experience can be eye-opening for many
international students and helps them to become
true global citizens.
10. Value
The success of any student will be directly
proportional to the amount of dedication and
hard work he or she exercises. Undoubtedly, the
U.S. offers a very high quality of education.
The variety of skills and cross-cultural
environment can make the learning experience in
U.S. universities a rich and unique one. With
such diverse academic and cultural backgrounds,
international students are better prepared for
working with absolute ease anywhere in the
world.
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