Tuesday, 10 December 2013

WANT TO STUDY IN USA?



WHY STUDY IN USA ?

USA, the country which has experimented with democracy for more than 200 years is strong economically as well as culturally today with the base being the immigrants.

Global Edge:
The United States has more institutions of higher education than any other country, but despite the numbers it is the quality of education provided by these academic bodies which is acknowledged worldwide. The teaching forces of these institutions are leading authorities in their respective fields. The quality of the research program along with the resources available and the faculty ensures that the institutions have high standards.



Choice:
More than 4000 institutions offer undergraduates, post graduates, masters and doctorate degrees.One can specialize in any desire areas of focus. The USA education system has variety of academic & social environments which allow the student to build up in all aspects.



Financial Assistance
The education definitely falls in the category of value for your money. USA education is the best investment for the future. A wide spectrum of tuition fees accommodation options & financial help from the institutions in the form of scholarships, fee waivers, aid etc makes USA education affordable.



Technology & Research:
USA is known for its latest technologies and advancement in technical fields which gives the student a very good chance to make his/her future in these fields. USA has always been a hub of inventions. Students therefore have first hand knowledge about cutting edge technologies coupled with excellent research opportunities.



Flexibility:
The USA education system is flexible in terms of choice of courses within a college or university. During the course of study, a student can transfer from one course/stream to another or one institution to another. This aspect of the USA education system makes it distinct from other countries.



Affordable:
International students from all over the world choose to study in the USA because an American education is the best preparation for their future. It becomes all the more within your means with financial aid, scholarships and assistantships on hand. At the same time students are allowed to work 20hr/wk during their course and 40hr/wk during vacation which helps them to earn and learn.



Top Ranking Institution:
Amongst the top ranking colleges world-wide, majority of them are in USA. These colleges and universities rank high in world rakings because of their infrastructure, technological Advancement and top quality of education provided by them.



Professional Approach:
The best approach of the USA education system, is that it allows one to learn and earn. This not only gives one, a thorough knowledge of the subjects, but also teaches one to have a practical & professional approach. It gives better growth prospects worldwide.
STUDY IN TOP UNIVERSITIES IN USA



Education Chart

USA has the world’s most flexible education system, students can study their area of interest as specialization. As the education system of USA is not centralized each institute can determine its program and admission standards. Lateral movement in the education system is possible any time.



Types of Institution


Public Universities in USA:
State-affiliated institutions financially supported by public taxes, usually large in size. All levels of degrees with different fields of study are offered. Public colleges and universities are relatively easy on the pocket for residents of a state where the schools are located. Foreign students pay "out-of-state" tuition, which is higher. There are many notable public universities across the country just a few examples: Pennsylvania State University, Ohio State University, University of California, Kansas State University, University of Texas



Private Universities in USA:
Private Institutions run without the control of the Government entity. Tuition fees of these institutions are on the higher but the international as well the domestic students pay the same amount of fees. The notable private institutions are Long Island University, George Washington University, New York University, Carnegie Mellon University.



Technical Institutes in USA:
These are schools emphasizing principally on engineering and science they are known for their research and graduate programs. Most International students who attend these schools are of graduate level. Undergraduates admitted to these schools usually have incredibly strong backgrounds in math and sciences, as witnessed by grades and standardized test scores (e.g. SAT or GRE). M.I.T. (the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Cal Poly (California Polytechnic Institute), Georgia Tech (Georgia Institute of Technology), NYIT New York Institute of Technology) and W.P.I. (Worcester Polytechnic Institute) are a few of the noted schools.


The Ivy League:
These schools are the oldest and most famous in the country members of the Ivy League are: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania. They are in the Northeastern part of the USA. Ivy League colleges stress undergraduate liberal arts education, but they also have noted graduate and professional schools. Tuitions at these private schools is among the highest in the country, and admission is generally highly competitive.



Small Liberal Arts Colleges:
Generally have the focus on undergraduate study of the traditional arts and science disciplines: humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Strictly liberal arts colleges are often quite old and mostly private schools. They are highly-rated institutions as they stress on small classes, individual attention to the students, and closer relationships between the faculties and students. Many of them also generally have rigid admission standards. Among these schools are: Amherst, Marist, Swarthmore, Manhattan, Smith, Mount Holyoke.


Community Colleges in USA:
More over known as County Colleges or City colleges. Community colleges provide higher education and lower level tertiary education, granting certificates, diplomas and Associates Degree. Some notable community colleges are Ohlone College, De Anza College & Bellevue Community College.




Grading System in USA
The GPA system is followed throughout the United States to judge student's performance. It is graded on the scale of 0 to 4. Following is the evaluation of GPA
Grade Points

Grade Points

Equivalent


>4

>A

High Achievement


>3

>B

Satisfactory


>2

>C

Minimum Passing


>1

>D

Failure




Types of degree


Associate Degree to Study in USA:
It is an academic degree awarded by the community colleges, junior colleges, business colleges and some bachelor's degree upon completion of a course of study Usually for two years (60 Credits). In the USA , an associate degree is equivalent to the first two years of a four year college or university Bachelors degree. It is The lowest in hierarchy of post secondary academic degrees offered in USA.



Bachelors Degree to Study in USA:
Commonly known as Undergraduate degree in India. The duration of the bachelors course is 4 years. Students who have completed a part of their undergraduate degree and want to go to the USA, can apply as a transfer Student. There are two types of bachelors degree: B.A or B.S. Some universities in the USA Offer either of the degrees in all fields and at times both the degrees in some field. Students need to appear for SAT & TOEFL/IELTS exams for admission.



Masters Degree to Study in USA:
The duration of master’s courses may range from a year to two depending on the university & your area of specialization. The binding requisite for Masters is the 16 year of education Criteria. Students with Bachelors in engineering are qualified whereas the students with B.Com, B.Sc, and B.A need to complete at least one year of Masters, post graduate diploma is also accepted by some specific institutions for specific programs. Exams required are GMAT for management related subjects / GRE for arts, science or any other subjects and TOEFL/ IELTS exams for admission.



Doctorate to Study in USA:
Commonly known as PhD. Duration of the same may range from 3 years to 5 years. Students can take admission for a PhD only after completion of their master's degree. PhD students need to submit a research proposal as well have to appear for GRE/GMAT & TOEFL/IELTS exams for admissions.


STUDY IN TOP UNIVERSITIES IN USA




Tuition Fees to Study in USA
USA (PUBLIC)
TUITION FEES TUITION FEES IN Rs.
UG 8000 - 15000 US $

Rs. 4,00,000 - Rs. 7,50,000 / Year
PG 10000 - 20000 US $ Rs. 5,00,000 - Rs. 10,00,000 / Year
USA (PRIVATE)
TUITION FEES TUITION FEES IN Rs.


UG

10000 - 20000 US $ Rs. 5,00,000 - Rs. 10,00,000/ Year
PG 15000 - 25000 US $ Rs. 7,50,000 - Rs. 12,50,000 / Year




Living Expenses to Study in USA
When calculating the cost of education living expenses play a critical role. On an average, a student spends Approx $10000 – 12000/year. But the expenses also depend on the place where a student stays i.e. if a student stays in metropolitan city like New York, San Francisco, Manhattan, etc the expenses could go up to $15000 in comparison to a student studying in a suburban area where the expenses around $8000 to $10000 / year.


Accomodation
Most of the educational institutions in USA will assist you in finding accommodation while studying in USA. Accommodation are of two types i.e. a student can stay on campus (Halls of Residence/Students hostel) or Off Campus (Home stay, Apartments/Flats). Staying Off Campus is much more cheaper than staying On Campus but it is always advisable that the student should stay on campus for the first six months.


Health Insurance

Insurance Policy for international students is a mandatory, as students have to stay abroad for a long period of time. Insurance costs generally between $500-$1000/year. It is advisable to take insurance from an Indian Insurance Company but make sure that it covers medical expenses, personal accident, dental, treatment ,study interruption, passport loss etc. Insurance is basically cashless so a student does not need to pay money at the time of hospitalization.



Scholarships to Study in Top University in USA

Scholarships & financial aids - fee waivers are awarded to international students on the criteria of merit & need of it. Candidate with strong academics, good performance on standardized exams & extra curricular achievements would be eligible for scholarship awards & financial assistance. To benefit from these opportunities, one has to make sure to send all the required documents by particular deadlines. In addition to this, the presentation of the application package is also important because one is judged by the image one projects.

There are various types of Scholarships:

Fellowship-Scholarship: This is usually offered on the student’s ability, competence & performance.

Graduate Assistantship: Generally it may involve a teaching or research assistantship. Students receive aid, in the form of cash stipend or a tuition fee waiver or reduced tuition fee.

Sports Scholarship: Though seldom offered to international students, athletic or sports scholarships are available in a wide range to outstanding and talented athletes.

The other factor that can enhance the probability of getting the scholarship is the credit evaluation. The evaluation converts the Indian grades in the GPA system.


India is the world’s seventh-largest country stretching from the high mountains of the Himalayas to the tropical greenery of Kerala, and from the sacred Ganges to the sands of the Thar desert. Its more than one billion inhabitants are divided into two thousand ethnic groups and speak over 200 different languages.

Conform its size and population, India has an almost endless variety of cultures, landscapes, monuments and places to explore. From the ancient ruins, fascinating religious structures, exotic cities and diverse landscape there is an endless collection oftourist attractions in India that will never cease to awe and fascinate the visitor.

Kerala backwaters


The Kerala backwaters are a chain of lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast in the Kerala state. The Kerala backwaters are home to many unique species of aquatic life including crabs, frogs and mudskippers, water birds and animals such as otters and turtles. Today, houseboat tourism is the most popular tourist activity in the backwaters, with several large Kettuvallams (traditional rice boats, now converted into floating hotels)ply the waterways.

Lake Palace


The Lake Palace in Lake Pichola in the city of Udaipur was built as a royal summer palace in the 18th century. Today it is a luxury 5 Star hotel, operating under the “Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces”. The Lake Palace hotel operates a boat which transports guests to the hotel from a jetty at the City Palace on the east bank of Lake Pichola. The palace became famous in 1983 when it was featured in the James Bond film Octopussy, as the home of titular character.

Virupaksha Temple


The Virupaksha Temple in the city of Hampi started out as a small shrine and grew into a large complex under the Vijayanagara rulers. It is believed that this temple has been functioning uninterruptedly ever since the small shrine was built in the 7th century AD which makes it one of the oldest functioning Hindu temples in India.

Palolem


Palolem is the most southerly of Goa’s developed beaches and also one of the most beautiful. It is a natural bay surrounded by lofty headlands on either sides, resulting in a calm, idyllic sea with a gently sloping bed. For those who believe a beach cannot be paradise without a decent selection of cheap restaurants and good hotels, a dose of nightlife and plenty of like-minded people Palolem is the place to be.

Kanha National Park


Kanha National Park is among the most beautiful wildlife reserves in Asia and one of best places to catch a glimpse of a tiger in India. The lush sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines of Kanha provided inspiration to Rudyard Kipling for his famous novel “Jungle Book” and make this one of the top attractions in India.

Harmandir Sahib
flickr/Gurumustuk Singh

The Harmandir Sahib, better known as the Golden Temple is the main tourist attraction in Amritsar, and the most important religious place to the Sikhs. Construction of the temple was begun by Guru Ram Dast in the 16th century. In the 19th century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh the upper floors of the temple were covered with gold. It’s a stunning temple, and always full of thousands of pilgrims from all over India, excited to be at a place that they usually only see on television.

Jaisalmer


Located in Rajasthan’s remote westernmost corner close to the border with Pakistan, Jaisalmer is the quintessential desert town. The yellow sandstone walls of the “Golden City” rise from the Thar desert like a scene from the Arabian Nights while the Jaisalmer Fort crowns the city. Uncontrolled commercialism has dampened the romantic vision of Jaisalmer, but even with all the touts and tour buses, it remains one of the most popular tourist attractions in India.

Ajanta Caves


The Ajanta Caves are rock-cut cave monuments dating from the 2th century BC. The magnificent Ajanta caves were abandoned around 650 AD and forgotten until 1819, when a British hunting party stumbled upon them. Their isolation contributed to the fine state of preservation in which some of their paintings remain to this day. The well preserved murals depict everything from battlefields to sailing ships, city streets and teeming animal-filled forests to snow-capped mountains. The city of Aurangabad is the gateway to the Ajanta Caves as well as the equally spectacular Ellora Caves.

Varanasi
flickr/dirk huijssoon

Situated on the banks of the River Ganges, Varanasi is sacred to Hindus, Buddhists and Jains and also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. In many ways Varanasi epitomizes the very best and worst aspects of India, and it can be a little overwhelming. The scene of pilgrims doing their devotions in the River Ganges at sunrise set against the backdrop of the centuries old temples is probably one of the most impressive sights in the world.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal in Agra is an immense mausoleum of white marble, built between 1632 and 1653 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife. Called “a teardrop on the cheek of eternity” it is one of the masterpieces of Mughal architecture, and one of the great tourist attractions in India. Besides the white domed marble mausoleum the Taj Mahal includes several other beautiful buildings, reflecting pools, and extensive ornamental gardens with flowering trees and bushes.