College, tough decision. Where should you go to college? What do you want to do? What is your PASSION? These are the most terrifying questions, ones that you will not be able to avoid. Okay, let’s lighten up. It’s okay if you don’t know what you want to do or where you want to go. Life is all about figuring things out. And not everyone has a single passion or a sole purpose. So if you’re one of those people who really does not know what they want to study, then going abroad might be a pretty good option.
Studying abroad is not just about your degree, it also says something about you. It is challenging to leave home and live so far away, especially if it’s somewhere your language isn’t spoken widely. So making the decision and following through shows courage, it builds character. And this, in addition to your degree, is highly impactful.
Going Abroad
It is difficult to make a sufficiently comprehensive judgment on the best places to study outside India. This is because there are far too many distinct criteria to take into consideration, and they vary based on individual preferences.
Weather is one such variable factor that jumps out at me immediately. So I’ve stuck to one place, America.
Bear in mind that this post is not a final ranking on schools in any given criteria. The information below is taken from multiple different sources and ranking sites. So, I always recommend doing your own research separately as well.
Having said that, there are a few reasons why America has some undeniably good educational opportunities. Below, I have talked about this and listed a few schools as well. Always remember that all places have their downsides. Expense is a major downside to education in the U.S.
In addition to the quality of your education, I think it is important to also consider where you think you would be most comfortable. Perhaps look into what kind of extracurricular activities the school has that interest you. Maybe a team of some sorts that you might want to join, professional or otherwise.
You must leave room for some fun! Your college experience is called an “experience” because it encompasses so many different things. Growth, friendship, academia, professional relationships, romantic relationships…So while you focus on your studies, don’t forget about all the other great things that make college worth your time, effort, and money.
America
The rate of international students choosing to study in America rises every year, making it one of the most popular destinations for higher education.
There certainly is a tremendous opportunity here. America has thousands of universities and colleges. So no matter what your interests are, you are likely to find something that suits you. This variety includes the size and location of your school.
American universities are known to have some of the best intellectual minds in the world on their faculty. Graduating from a college here would mean that your verbal, written, and oral English language skills are highly advanced. It would also mean international recognition that you got a degree from one of the best higher education systems.
With an excellent variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programs, and some great liberal arts schools, you might see why America is appealing. It can be VERY expensive though. So let’s start with that.
Major Downside:
Getting an education in America is super expensive for international students, and tuition is only increasing. So this is something you ought to bear in mind. When you are applying, look for scholarship options. Also, look for how much aid your school tends to give out. Typically, most colleges set aside a decent amount of financial aid for undergraduate students.
Why Choose America?
Interdisciplinary/Flexible
You will find that, overall, U.S. universities have a huge variety of courses to choose from. Although you do have to follow a structure and complete certain courses, there is room for exploring. Even when you do have to fulfil certain requirements, you will have a number of cool classes to chose from. The flexibility aspect is especially true for liberal arts colleges. Typically, liberal arts schools are smaller too. So you can develop professional relationships with your professors.
For example, when I had to fulfil my math credit I chose a class called, Math in Contemporary Society. I really enjoyed this class because everything taught was real-world application based. So it was super practical.
When you’re pursuing an advanced degree, some schools will allow you to tailor your major. Some even allow this for undergraduate degrees. Through this option, you can weave your interests into your academic goals and craft a degree that you love.
Here are some of the best liberal arts colleges in America:
1. Amherst College, Massachusetts
2. Williams College, Massachusetts
3. Pomona College, California
4. Wellesley College, Massachusetts
5. Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
6. Wesleyan University, Connecticut
Good Support
American colleges offer good support for international students to make their transition easier, especially for undergraduates. There are various workshops, orientations, training, and even practice English language courses.
I remember, all I had to do was show up for orientation and they literally walked me through everything. I had help with how to sign up for classes, how to use my room key, where to find international support and aid, where everything was located…you get the idea. In retrospect, this was so helpful. Also, international orientation gives you the chance to meet all the other kids who feel just as lost and far away from home as you might.
Research, Teaching and Training Opportunities
Many graduate and undergraduate programs offer teaching and research opportunities to help fund your education. This is especially true for graduate students. So, through such options, students can become teaching assistants to undergraduates and/or research assistants on special projects that explore different aspects in your field of study.
International students are actually some of the most valued researchers and teachers in American universities. This is a great practical way to enhance your future career. You may also gain valuable insight into your field that you may not have otherwise.
Diversity
Almost all colleges in America take cultural diversity very seriously. Their admissions quotas keep a certain percentage of acceptances just for international students.
You are therefore given the opportunity to learn in an intercultural environment. Looks like a great way to broaden your horizons. Also, you never know what you might learn!
Sometimes you’ll find that your class is filled with students from all over the world. Students with different nationalities, religions, ethnicities, backgrounds, and so forth. Venezuela, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Bhutan…These are just a few examples of the friends I made in college from different countries.
You may not know this now, but a culturally diverse environment really builds your character. You may find yourself more tolerant and openminded, a global citizen perhaps. This is one of those important factors that supplement your degree, giving your personality another dimension.
Some of the most diverse colleges in America Include:
1. University of Massachusetts, Massachusetts
2. Amherst College, Massachusetts
3. Rutgers University, Newark
4. Andrews University, Michigan
5. Stanford University, California
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)
Another bonus is that STEM majors can apply for a two-year work permit after graduation. If you’re not a STEM major, your work permit is one year long. For both types, after your time is up, you can apply to stay longer. But this is the research you can do on your own. As an undergraduate, your college will help you with the whole process. So don’t worry about it too much right now.
Here are some of the best schools for STEM majors:
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Massachusetts
2. California Institute of Technology (Caltech), California
3. Harvard University, Massachusetts
4. Johns Hopkins University, Maryland
5. Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
Unique Degrees
There are some really cool degrees out there for you to get. So if you’re not into typical majors, no worries. There are plenty of unusual majors you can choose from. Also, this means you really don’t have to know exactly what you want to do beforehand.
Here are some examples of unique degrees:
1. Bagpiping, Carnegie Mellon University
2. Bakery Science, Kansas State University
3. Adventure Education, Plymouth State University
4. MS in Foresight, University of Houston
Campus Life
So as I mentioned before, it’s pretty important to like the place if you’re going to live there. In light of this, I thought I should mention a few schools that have been ranked high for campus life. I got this information from Business Insider, so you can check out the link for more information.
The ranks were assessed based on factors like quality, diversity, party scene, student retention, athletics, and safety. Well, looks like a decently well-rounded assessment. As it turns out, the larger schools ranked highest on this list.
Nonetheless, check them out:
1. University of Texas at Austin
2. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
3. University of Wisconsin, Madison
4. University of Georgia, Athens
5. Yale University, Connecticut
6. University of Southern California
If you guys want more information on how this campus life ranking system works, check out Niche.
Infrastructure/Facilities/Technology/Sport Facilities
No surprise, America has some really well-funded schools. So they also have some awesome stuff, with the latest most cutting-edge technology you could find.
Experiential learning
The educational system in America is integrative and application-based. As such, almost all colleges offer various different opportunities to grow outside the classroom. For instance, students are allowed to work on campus for up to 20 hours/week during the school year, and more during holidays. While international students are not allowed to work off-campus, most schools have a wide variety of well-paid on-campus jobs. You could take up a tutoring position, or become a Teaching Assistant. It’s a great way to gain practical experience.
Plus, you don’t just have to get a job! You could also look into clubs and organizations! When I was doing research for my undergraduate education, one of the schools I was looking at had a student organization called, The South Asia Committee. Immediately I took notice of this as a potential plus. I actually did end up going to that school and joining the Committee. It was awesome, both in terms of experience and fun!
Top 20 Schools in America For Higher Education
Again, these rankings may vary. But overall, these 20 schools are really good.
1. Stanford University, California
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Massachusetts
3.California Institute of Technology (Caltech), California
4. Harvard University, Massachusetts
5. Princeton University, New Jersey
6. Yale University, Connecticut
7. University of Chicago, Illinois
8. Johns Hopkins University, Maryland
9. University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania
10. University of California, Berkeley
11. Columbia University, New York
12. University of California, LA
13. Duke University, North Carolina
14. Cornell University, New York
15 .North Western University, Illinois
16. Carnegie Mellon, Pennsylvania
17. New York University, New York
18. University of Washington, Seattle
19. University of California, San Diego
20. Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
I hope this was helpful guys. Just keep an open mind to all options and I’m sure you’ll find what you are looking for. Thanks a ton for reading. Don’t forget that there are a ton of other countries you could look at as well. For instance, Canada and The United Kingdom are both great options. Also, they’re probably a whole lot cheaper!
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Tags: Best Places to Study Outside India, the best country to study abroad for Indian students 2019, best countries to study and work, the cheapest country to study abroad for Indian students
