Study in the US

Choosing the right university/school

Most international students apply to ten or more universities. In many cases they receive multiple admission offers. Choosing that school where you will finally pursue your international education after receiving acceptance letters from several schools is a challenging task.

To begin with, no school is right or wrong. The criteria for choosing a school change from student to student. Many undergraduate students prefer a university/school that has a good number of international students on its roll. Others who want to pursue a masters program in future may put greater emphasis on good quality education and a degree recognized by industry and graduate schools. Other factors that influence a student’s decision are the cost of education and the location of the schools. Students from a tropical climate are unlikely to prefer schools in New England where the climate is very cold. A student may also want to choose a school where he/she has a friend or a family member living in close proximity.

The main factors that should influence your decision are the quality of academics and cost of study. If you have to choose between an institution that offers very high quality of education but requires a slightly higher fee and an institution that offers high scholarships, you should opt for the one where the quality of education is high. Other factors that need to be considered are the number of international students on campus. If there are too many international students it will be pretty difficult to get campus jobs. A student who has no intention of pursuing further studies should choose an institution where the quality of academics is very good. This is because a degree from an institution of repute is more acceptable in the professional arena.

Students who aspire to pursue PhD programs should choose a university that offers an integrated master’s-PhD program, over another that merely offers admission to a master’s program. If you choose a masters-cum-PhD program, you will be accepted as a doctoral candidate and benefit from full tuition waiver and a handsome research assistantship.

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