Getting admission to a foreign university is not just clearing Class 12 examinations. It has much more to it. In addition to his academics, he had to prepare for GRE and TOEFL. He found it difficult to cope and focus on both parts. However, he managed to allot six hours every day to this. He relied extensively on self-study through various online courses as he lacked financial backing. He also relied on videos on YouTube.
This article includes the experience of an Indian national studying at Oregon State University in the United States. He had completed his BTech degree in computer science with a specialization in software engineering from IIIT Dharwad. He then decided to pursue a Master’s degree from the United States at Oregon State University. He had a childhood dream of studying abroad. He opted for a Master’s degree program at Oregon State University in Computer Science due to its curriculum, faculty, college facilities and alumni.
The Great Decision
Getting admission to a foreign university is not just clearing Class 12 examinations. It has much more to it. In addition to his academics, he had to prepare for GRE and TOEFL. He found it difficult to cope and focus on both parts. However, he managed to allot six hours every day to this. He relied extensively on self-study through various online courses as he lacked financial backing. He also relied on videos on YouTube.
He had that the United States is a better place to study being from a middle-class family. Moreover, the United States houses some of the biggest tech companies. He started researching the best universities in the US keeping this in mind. He also researched ways of getting scholarships or loans. He had applied for a study abroad loan from the UK-based Prodigy Finance. This company does not charge any collateral from students.
He also started to research universities in the least affordable states. That is where he stumbled on Oregon State University which is located on the West Coast with a strong CSE faculty. It is one of the most recognized universities. The visa process was difficult due to the Covid pandemic. However, fortunately, at the end of March, offices began to open and he was able to obtain a visa.
IIIT and Oregon State University – A comparison
He was overjoyed and decided to join when he received his acceptance letter from Oregon State University. However, the university could not provide him with dining services and accommodation. He found the first day on campus to be exciting as he found walking from one end of the campus to the other to be similar to crossing a town on foot.
The main difference lies in the theory and practical ratio of the curriculum in the academic sphere. The focus is on practical learning at Oregon. However, in India, the weightage is mostly assigned to midterms and final exams. Students are assessed on the basis of weekly homework and quizzes in Oregon. Most courses in Oregon do not have a final exam. Even if a final exam is conducted, the weightage is very low.
He worked with University Housing and dining services in order to make ends meet in the US. He also got funded as a graduate teaching assistant due to his academic score for the second term. Moreover, his tuition fees were waived by 90 per cent. He also received an amount of $1800 as a fixed monthly stipend.
Exploring the cultural dynamics
When it comes to street fashion, India and the US are poles apart. People tend to express themselves through their clothing in the city he lives in. This was truly a point of attraction. Moreover, people in the US prefer walking over taking public transportation. His initial days in the US were made difficult due to the food, grocery shopping and financial management.
Managing expenses became difficult as he did not have a job when he first moved here. However, he was slowly able to manage his rent and other expenses after he started working with the University Housing and Dining Services. Moreover, he is planning to pay off his loans early for which he is still saving money.
Advice to students
Studying abroad introduces you to new people and cultures and it is not just about academics. Moreover, it makes you independent. As you stay miles away from your family, you learn to take care of household chores and manage finances. Above all, you learn to effectively believe in yourself.
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