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Choose The Right University For An MS
Ever experienced second thoughts regarding pursuing your masters in the US? Do the endless options available give you jitters? Then you’re just at the right place because, in this article, we will try to put all your apprehensions and confusions to the table and plan out a systematized approach to deciding the right university for you to pursue your Masters in the US. Choose The Right University For An MS
With an aim of securing a well-paid, respectable job and hence, a promising future, a lot of students plan to pursue their MS in US, owing to the enormous opportunities offered and meritorious reputation that the universities there hold. However, studying in the US comes with its pros and cons.
Let’s look at what the perceived barriers are:
- Unaffordable cities
- Home ties like family obligations
- Unfamiliarity with foreign language (culture shocks)
Now, let’s look at what the pros of studying Masters in the US are:
- Immense exposure
- Practical nature of education provided
- Overflowing opportunities
- Commendable placement offers
- Individuality and self-sustainability skills
Evidently, the pros seem to outweigh the limitations.
The United States has a total of 4500 universities and amongst these, 1700 universities are the ones that offer a Masters degree. For someone who does not reside in the United States, it becomes a task to choose a university that will prove to be a good choice and will guide towards a good future. To make the task simpler, let us look step by step, and study the correct way of going about the process of choosing the right university for Masters in the US.
1) PASSION
Even though it might sound clichéd to focus on what your passion is, having a substantial grip on your area of interest becomes extremely detrimental and it functions as a prerequisite to choosing the right university. Most students after completing their under graduation in a particular subject, tend to change their academic discipline while applying for their masters. Rightly, choosing your passion comes before choosing the right university for Masters in the US.
2) TOP RANKED UNIVERSITIES
After you’re absolutely certain about your area of study, the next step is to indulge in thorough research about the top-ranked universities in the US for Masters. Even though this seems like an easy task, it should not mean taking the information provided by any source, at face value. Delving deeper into the authenticity of the source, looking closely at the reviews of the colleges, making permutations and combinations of merits offered at various universities, is the way to go.
Certain sites that can be helpful are:
These sites provide information on:
- Student finance
- Updated university rankings
- Locations of the universities
- Courses offered in respective universities
3) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
It’s important to know if you fit the criteria that are set by the university for their admission process. In-depth knowledge of the fee structure is something that’s essential to know. Most US colleges require students to sit for entrance examinations like SAT, GRE, MCAT, etc.in order to take admission. Proper understanding of the tuition fee becomes a must since if a student is unable to cover the cost, there are universities that offer scholarship programs and financial aid.
4) LOCALITY
Keeping in mind the enormous demographic and large geographical area, it becomes difficult for a person from another country to have knowledge about the safety of college campuses, which depends on the locality in which the college is situated. Before settling down to deciding, extending your research to something as minute as the character of the locality becomes important; as the line goes, “better safe than sorry”.
5) CURRICULUM OFFERED
Even though it might seem like the job is done after you’re settled with the best-ranked university, there is a high possibility of their curriculum not being in line with your expectations or goals. In order to gain deeper information into the course, thorough research is what is required. For example, searching for the course prospectus, knowing about various academic programs, get in touch with alumni of the university (through LinkedIn), being updated with the social media handles, and tracking information about the quality of education are some ways of knowing what you’re opting for.
Also Read: How To Become A Teacher In UAE?
6) FACILITIES PROVIDED
Choosing the right university also means knowing about all the plus points that your finalized university has. For example, the presence of accommodation services, extracurricular activities, financial assistance, health care facilities, etc. Only some colleges provide socialized healthcare facilities, so keep a look at that area while choosing your dream college.
Conclusion
These are some significant points to keep in mind while looking for the right universities for Masters in the US. Moving from their home country to a distant country for higher education makes students nervous. However, if you make sure that you’re in tandem with your ambitions and reasons to go to a certain university, research on the above-mentioned topics is going to be a cakewalk.
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