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ShareMumbai: In the academic year 2008-09, 103,260 students from India were studying in the United States (up 9.2% from the previous year), about 15.1% were undergraduate students, 68.8% graduate, 1.7% other and 14.4% OPT (Optional Practical Training). The graph for Indian students enrolling in American universities for graduate studies continues point upward.So why does the USA continue to be popular education destination?
The reason is simple, withapproximately 3,000 accredited educational institutions anddiverse study programmes, US campuses offer unparalleled opportunities for creativity, flexibility, and cultural exchange. With a student population from almost every country in the world for instance, Turkey, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia, Germany, Brazil, Nigeria, Mexico, Colombia, France and even UK, students themselves contribute substantially to their host campuses.
The Open Doors report released annually by the Institute of International Education (IIE) along with the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, states that there has been an increase of 8% in the total student numbers in 2008-2009. Despite common perception that the global economic slowdown might dissuade students, India remains the leading place of origin for the eighth consecutive year, increasing by 9% to 103,260 with China in the second place with 21% for a total of 98,510.
To review the Fall 2009 intake, IIE has conducted an online survey to assess whether international enrolments have increased or decreased. Of the campuses who took the survey, 50% responded with a continuing increase, while 26 reported almost same levels as for the previous year's Fall intake while, 24% reported declines.
The report also mentions top 10 host universities in the State. For the eighth year in a row, University of Southern California led 7,482 international students. New York University ranked second with 6,761. Other campuses in the top 10 included: Columbia University (6,685), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (6,570), Purdue University (6,136), University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (5,790), University of Texas - Austin (5,703), University of California - Los Angeles (5,590), Boston University (5,037), and Michigan State University (4,757).
Pre-departure preparations
With US, most students are extremely aware about the application procedures, however, what is required is to gear up for the culture and the country. Though you are eagerly waiting to get away from home it is advisable that you are prepared for your stay in a foreign land. So here is a checklist of must haves in your luggage:
Clothes:Students usually dress casually. There are few occasions when formal clothing (suit, tie, leather shoes etc.) is required. They are typically needed when you are close to graduating and are giving job interviews. Since washing clothes is usually a weekend event you will need sufficient undergarments and socks. Ensure that your clothes do not run colour and do not need to be hand-pressed frequently. Most parts of the country experience extreme winters so pack up sweaters and atleast one a heavy jacket for your first winter. You can buy your jackets in US as most Indian jackets are not sufficient for the cold. Apart from this, you might want to carry traditional apparel for special cultural occasions.
Footwear: Most of the time students use sneakers, however one pair on arriving is sufficient as you can buy them at reasonable prices here. Formal leather shoes are expensive in the US, so do get a pair from India. For traditional wear chappals/sandals, Hawai slippers are all useful.
Utensils and spices: A pressure cooker with spare gaskets and valves is useful. Some utensils unique to Indian cooking like cooking tongs, rolling pin, are helpful. Everything that you need for Indian cooking is typically available at the local Indian grocery stores. You can get a comprehensive list of Indian grocery stores in the United States at www.nriol.com/yellowpages/. You can however carry small quantities of dhania powder, masala powder, haldi, laung (cloves), elaichi (cardamom), dalchini (cinnamon), raiee (mustard seeds), jeera (cumin seed), hing (asafoetida), pickles, papads, and other ethnic specialities.
Medicines and medical insurance: Commonly used medicine for headache, fever, coughs and colds such as Disprin/Crocin etc are useful. Eye drops, ear drops, bandage rolls, band-aid, cotton are also useful. A spare pair of spectacles is very important. These are to get you started however these items are not very expensive so there is no need to get multiple sets. The cost of medical expenses in the US is exorbitant. Many universities are affiliated with different insurance companies that offer insurance plans at competitive rates. It would be best to find out about the insurance plans popular in your university. All students are well advised to get adequate medical insurance in the US. However do try to get a complete medical check-up and bring your medical records along.
Money: Typically rental apartments require you to pay an initial deposit equal to one month's rent along with the regular month's rent. You will also have other initial expenses to settle down. This will usually add up to at least $1000 or more. Do not carry large amounts of cash, traveller's cheques/ personal drafts are recommended and are easy to use till you get a bank account opened.
Keep some money with you during the flight from India. You might need change to make phone calls and $1 bills for trolleys at some airports.
American higher education continues to be highly valued throughout the world. Students believe that doing a course there involves a great deal of active engagement from themselves; and in turn inculcates valuable skills to collaborate across political and cultural borders.
