Profile of Savitre Bachoo - Download (MP3)
Profile of Savitre Bachoo - Listen (MP3)
Savitre Bachoo chose Delaware State University and there is more than one reason why she did. “I viewed all the other schools that were also interested in me because of soccer and basically at Delaware State the atmosphere here on campus is awesome. For me personally I don’t like a big, big campus and I mean compared to some of the other schools that I know the campus is really not that small, but at the same time it is in walking distance to everything around so that is what I like about the campus,” she says.
“Also the teachers are really great here. If you are one of those people that you really need help or something like that, there’s always ways to get help here like there is always tutoring places you can go to with no hassle or anything like that, but there is a lot of great opportunities on campus that students can really take advantage of and compared to some of the other schools that I have heard of through some of my friends going there right now, I think that right now Delaware State has a lot of focus on the students and they have my major here and the campus is great so I really didn’t mind coming here.”
Going to college and playing soccer here is important for Savitre, but she says she also is mindful of having a job once she finishes. “Well, I am originally from Toronto, Canada and the reason why I decided to the United States was because I am on a soccer scholarship right now, but my whole goal in the future is I am a Nursing major and in terms of working in Canada as oppose to the United States, nurses make a lot more here,” she says.
“So basically coming to school here is one step in the door to trying to make a living for myself here.”
While studying to receive a nursing degree, Savitre says much is expected from her being a soccer athlete on scholarship. “There is always high expectations here expected of the athletes because they don’t want to set the attitude to other people on campus that athletes get away with everything so basically athletes always have to be better than the regular student,” she says. “We have to prove ourselves academically, but physically especially with our sport and since this university is trying to strive to achieve a lot with their sports we always are training and with our training we are always studying and there is always mandatory study hall so as an athlete here I mean a lot of people assume that athletes get away with a lot but no, as for me especially I have to work twice as hard just to stay on top of my schoolwork and excel in that as well as my sport.”
Savitre is nineteen years old and in her second year at Delaware State. She says for her, studying in the United States is a great learning experience. “I think it is not so much how important, but I think it is more of how great it is as a learning experience because in the United States as well as Canada too I can see that there is a lot more opportunities around you as long as you take advantage of it here, anywhere really, but with this is for me I think that there is a lot of things going on that you can always get yourself involved,” she says.
“There is always experience all around you if you take the opportunities and with that it also helps you get into many job fields that you want. I think especially in America there are always opportunities for its citizens. It could be the littlest opportunities that you think that means nothing, but in the end it could turn into something big so that is what I really like. The fact that there is always an open door as long as you take advantage of it.”
Savitre's advice to other international students is… “By people coming to the United States from different countries people think that they won’t appreciate your culture or where you are from especially if you are different than the average person here, but really coming here is not the way sometimes people portray it,” she says.
“People are welcoming here and people appreciate the fact that you are an individual and there is a lot of opportunities here and I just think it is a great advantage from studying away usually where I’m usually from.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Indian Student Enjoys Football and Engineering at Auburn University
Profile of Anan Narayanan - Download mp3 - Download (MP3)
Profile of Anan Narayanan - Download mp3 - Listen (MP3)
Anan Narayanan education started back home way before he decided to come to the United States to study.
"I am from India. My native place is a small village in India called Palakad in Kerala, but I grew up and spent most of my life in Chennai, which is a metropolitan city. One of the biggest cities in the south," he says.
“I did my schooling there and I did my undergrad studies in Engineering Electronics and Instrumentation from Shanmugha College of Engineering which is in Cumberland and after my undergrad in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering I looked at my options for higher education and Auburn seemed to be very promising," Anan says. "The kind of infrastructure and the kind of research program that the university has and I decided to join Auburn. It’s been two years since I have been doing a graduate program at Auburn and it seems to be awesome so far.”The 24-year-old is working on a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. He says education has always been a part of his life due to his upbringing.
“Education is very important to me because I come from a background where I am a Hindu by religion and in India education is also an object of worship,“ he says. “We have a goddess for education and even as a child there was a tremendous amount of importance that was given to educational background and I believe that growth is not possible without education not just material growth, even spiritual growth is not possible without education,“ he says. “The kind of rich tradition the country I come from, science and education, science and religion go hand-in-hand. To me it occurs that science and religion are two different things, but there are different ways of speaking about the same thing."
“In a religious front a spiritual front and current and materialistic, I think education is very very important aspect of my life," he continues. "I owe much of it to the spirit I got from my family, from my upbringing, from my school I think that is the reason why I invest so much interest and importance on education.”Besides his research, Anan enjoys several campus activities at Auburn.
“I love Auburn football. I’m a fanatic about Auburn football. I come from a country where cricket is a religion. I mean it is the most important sport. I have not really recognized any sport other than cricket back in India but after I came I started loving football. I mean Auburn football is something that is very close to my heart,” he says. “Other things that I am involved in at Auburn is that I use to be the president of India Student Association. India Student Association is one of the largest and most dynamic international student groups at Auburn. It’s an honor of great pride to be associated and to lead an organization of around 250 members,“ he says.”
“Currently, I am serving as the president of the International Student organization. We have over 1,000 international students on campus and our office serves as a liaison for all international students their concerns, the common problems that international students share in a foreign country and it is a way of helping each other out and making our stay in America more pleasurable,” he says. “There are the two organizations that are very close to my heart and I have spent most of my time working on and these are things apart from my research that takes up most of my time that I have been involved in doing things like that.”Anan has a way to go before he completes his doctorate degree, however he does have an idea what he will do once he finishes.
“It depends on a lot of factors. The way your research goes, the kind of experimental research that you get, how lucky you are and I am guessing that I will get done in another two years,” he says. “So it’s five, five-and-a-half years and I think that I will go back home, but not immediately. I will work for a couple of years getting some international exposure, get a global perspective of business, management, research and academia and then go back to India and serve my country that is where my clients are. A couple of years I would give myself before I go back home for good.”Anan shares his thoughts with other international students about being in the United States.
“America is a fantastic place. It is a land of opportunities. It is a very immigrant-friendly country,” he says. “To all internationals I would ask that they share the kind of wonderful experience that I have shared in this country and not lose a moment and I would like to wish them the very best.”
Profile of Anan Narayanan - Download mp3 - Listen (MP3)
Anan Narayanan education started back home way before he decided to come to the United States to study.
"I am from India. My native place is a small village in India called Palakad in Kerala, but I grew up and spent most of my life in Chennai, which is a metropolitan city. One of the biggest cities in the south," he says.
“I did my schooling there and I did my undergrad studies in Engineering Electronics and Instrumentation from Shanmugha College of Engineering which is in Cumberland and after my undergrad in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering I looked at my options for higher education and Auburn seemed to be very promising," Anan says. "The kind of infrastructure and the kind of research program that the university has and I decided to join Auburn. It’s been two years since I have been doing a graduate program at Auburn and it seems to be awesome so far.”The 24-year-old is working on a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. He says education has always been a part of his life due to his upbringing.
“Education is very important to me because I come from a background where I am a Hindu by religion and in India education is also an object of worship,“ he says. “We have a goddess for education and even as a child there was a tremendous amount of importance that was given to educational background and I believe that growth is not possible without education not just material growth, even spiritual growth is not possible without education,“ he says. “The kind of rich tradition the country I come from, science and education, science and religion go hand-in-hand. To me it occurs that science and religion are two different things, but there are different ways of speaking about the same thing."
“In a religious front a spiritual front and current and materialistic, I think education is very very important aspect of my life," he continues. "I owe much of it to the spirit I got from my family, from my upbringing, from my school I think that is the reason why I invest so much interest and importance on education.”Besides his research, Anan enjoys several campus activities at Auburn.
“I love Auburn football. I’m a fanatic about Auburn football. I come from a country where cricket is a religion. I mean it is the most important sport. I have not really recognized any sport other than cricket back in India but after I came I started loving football. I mean Auburn football is something that is very close to my heart,” he says. “Other things that I am involved in at Auburn is that I use to be the president of India Student Association. India Student Association is one of the largest and most dynamic international student groups at Auburn. It’s an honor of great pride to be associated and to lead an organization of around 250 members,“ he says.”
“Currently, I am serving as the president of the International Student organization. We have over 1,000 international students on campus and our office serves as a liaison for all international students their concerns, the common problems that international students share in a foreign country and it is a way of helping each other out and making our stay in America more pleasurable,” he says. “There are the two organizations that are very close to my heart and I have spent most of my time working on and these are things apart from my research that takes up most of my time that I have been involved in doing things like that.”Anan has a way to go before he completes his doctorate degree, however he does have an idea what he will do once he finishes.
“It depends on a lot of factors. The way your research goes, the kind of experimental research that you get, how lucky you are and I am guessing that I will get done in another two years,” he says. “So it’s five, five-and-a-half years and I think that I will go back home, but not immediately. I will work for a couple of years getting some international exposure, get a global perspective of business, management, research and academia and then go back to India and serve my country that is where my clients are. A couple of years I would give myself before I go back home for good.”Anan shares his thoughts with other international students about being in the United States.
“America is a fantastic place. It is a land of opportunities. It is a very immigrant-friendly country,” he says. “To all internationals I would ask that they share the kind of wonderful experience that I have shared in this country and not lose a moment and I would like to wish them the very best.”
Monday, November 24, 2008
Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Becomes a Heavenly Thing for Ladi Recac
Profile of Ladi Recac - Download mp3
Listen to Profile of Ladi Recac
Profile of Ladi Recac - Download Real Audio
Listen to Profile of Ladi Recac
Ladi RecacLadi Recac is busy working on his advance degree at Hampton University. “I am in the PhD program. I am trying to get a PhD so I have been in this graduate program for three years now almost. I am working on my dissertation right now so that really depends how fast I can proceed with my research and that is hard to predict,” he says. “ I don’t know myself how long I am going to be here really.”
Being at Hampton University isn't new for Ladi. When he left his country, he initially chose the university for his undergraduate studies too. “ I’m originally from Czech Republic which is at the eastern border of Germany, Europe and I came to the United States eight years ago and I came as an undergrad to Hampton University,” he says.
“I studies Computer Science and I initially came on a tennis scholarship, I play Tennis and I came to play on Hampton’s Tennis team so I go my undergrad [degree] this way and during my years as an undergrad I was a student worker in the Atmospheric Sciences Department and that is how I got to graduate college,” he says.
“Here, when I finished my undergraduate degree, I liked what I was doing during my undergraduate years here so that is the story basically.”
During his years as an undergraduate, Ladi became interested in his major Atmospheric Science. The 27-year old says a lot goes into the complex subject. “Atmospheric Science as the title says we study atmospheres not only on earth, but planetary atmosphere as well, but that depends on what your concentration is. You can study planetary atmosphere in general or the earth’s atmosphere,” he says.
“Its already a complex topic and it is further divided into say dynamics about the motions of the atmosphere winds and waves and stuff and also you can also concentrate on Chemistry. What chemical processes is happening in the atmosphere at different levels for example so we study the atmosphere as a whole and as a scientist you can concentrate on whatever you like, but at the end of the day you need to know everything because it is all coupled,” he says. “It is just one atmosphere, it doesn’t have separate parts.
Although a lot is involved when it comes to learning, Ladi says he enjoys being in the program and getting hands on experience. “I do very much actually. The program here is great because we cooperate with NASA and we have access to a lot of data from various instruments, from satellites and there is some great faculty here,” he says.
“Also I’ve taken all of my classes actually so I sample basically everything and from my experience I can’t complain. On the contrary, it’s been a great studying experience plus the hands on practice with the research that we are doing during the studies as you take classes you also do research on your own or whoever is your advisor assigns, you learn a lot in a very short time.”
When Ladi graduates, he says he would like to teach or work with a team of scientists who also are interested in Atmospheric Science matters. “I would like to get either a teaching position or even better if I could get a job as a scientist either in government or a private company that are contractors to the government,” he says.
“The government being NASA here and I would like that very much if I could join some team of scientists and just work on problems and atmospheric sciences,” he says. There are just way to many. It is a vast field and considering that if we take all the solar systems, all the planets and the atmosphere there is just much we do not know yet about those things as well as atmosphere on earth.”
Listen to Profile of Ladi Recac
Profile of Ladi Recac - Download Real Audio
Listen to Profile of Ladi Recac
Ladi RecacLadi Recac is busy working on his advance degree at Hampton University. “I am in the PhD program. I am trying to get a PhD so I have been in this graduate program for three years now almost. I am working on my dissertation right now so that really depends how fast I can proceed with my research and that is hard to predict,” he says. “ I don’t know myself how long I am going to be here really.”
Being at Hampton University isn't new for Ladi. When he left his country, he initially chose the university for his undergraduate studies too. “ I’m originally from Czech Republic which is at the eastern border of Germany, Europe and I came to the United States eight years ago and I came as an undergrad to Hampton University,” he says.
“I studies Computer Science and I initially came on a tennis scholarship, I play Tennis and I came to play on Hampton’s Tennis team so I go my undergrad [degree] this way and during my years as an undergrad I was a student worker in the Atmospheric Sciences Department and that is how I got to graduate college,” he says.
“Here, when I finished my undergraduate degree, I liked what I was doing during my undergraduate years here so that is the story basically.”
During his years as an undergraduate, Ladi became interested in his major Atmospheric Science. The 27-year old says a lot goes into the complex subject. “Atmospheric Science as the title says we study atmospheres not only on earth, but planetary atmosphere as well, but that depends on what your concentration is. You can study planetary atmosphere in general or the earth’s atmosphere,” he says.
“Its already a complex topic and it is further divided into say dynamics about the motions of the atmosphere winds and waves and stuff and also you can also concentrate on Chemistry. What chemical processes is happening in the atmosphere at different levels for example so we study the atmosphere as a whole and as a scientist you can concentrate on whatever you like, but at the end of the day you need to know everything because it is all coupled,” he says. “It is just one atmosphere, it doesn’t have separate parts.
Although a lot is involved when it comes to learning, Ladi says he enjoys being in the program and getting hands on experience. “I do very much actually. The program here is great because we cooperate with NASA and we have access to a lot of data from various instruments, from satellites and there is some great faculty here,” he says.
“Also I’ve taken all of my classes actually so I sample basically everything and from my experience I can’t complain. On the contrary, it’s been a great studying experience plus the hands on practice with the research that we are doing during the studies as you take classes you also do research on your own or whoever is your advisor assigns, you learn a lot in a very short time.”
When Ladi graduates, he says he would like to teach or work with a team of scientists who also are interested in Atmospheric Science matters. “I would like to get either a teaching position or even better if I could get a job as a scientist either in government or a private company that are contractors to the government,” he says.
“The government being NASA here and I would like that very much if I could join some team of scientists and just work on problems and atmospheric sciences,” he says. There are just way to many. It is a vast field and considering that if we take all the solar systems, all the planets and the atmosphere there is just much we do not know yet about those things as well as atmosphere on earth.”
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Rowing on the Potomac River as a Student at Georgetown University
I moved back to the Washington, DC area when I joined the State Department last fall. Four years had passed since I lived there. As I walked across the Key Bridge from Rosslyn to Georgetown, instead of focusing on the road, my eyes would be drawn to the Potomac River. I love the Potomac--I love the sun glistening off the water, the boathouse next to Tony & Joe's, the trees that line the banks of the river, and the story about the Three Sisters (rocky islands in the Potomac west of the Key Bridge).The Potomac has a special place in my heart because I spent a great part of my freshman year on the water. I can't recall what inspired me to try out to be one of the crew members on Georgetown University’s rowing team (especially considering the fact that I can't really swim), but the point is, I tried out for the team and amazingly, survived three cuts, and made the Freshmen Women's Light Weight Crew team.
Crew was a bitter-sweet experience. It was bitter because I hated waking up at 5am every morning Monday through Friday and at 6:30am on Saturdays. It was also bitter because it was mentally and physically challenging--it stretched me to my limits. It was sweet because I loved being on a team and the camaraderie among the team members. I loved wearing our team uniform and screaming "Hoya Saxa" on top of my lungs. Crew is perhaps the epitome of team sport since rowing out of sync would compromise the efforts of the other members of the team, and as cliché as it sounds, the boat is only as strong as its weakest link. Needless to say, the coach pushed us to our limits. I thought about quitting numerous times, but I am glad that I stuck with it (at least until the end of my freshman year). Rowing taught me self-discipline and team work. It also taught me that I am physically stronger than I realized.
Ultimately, I had to make a choice at the end of my freshman year about staying on the team or focus on my other extracurricular commitments in the student government and other student groups. I gave up crew. I sometimes wish I was tougher and made a commitment to the sport, but I also realize that I couldn't balance crew, academics, and my other extracurricular interests.
My experience illustrates the wide range of opportunities available on college campuses across the United States. Educational experiences in the United States encompass more than lessons learned in the classroom, it also involve lessons learned outside of the classroom, whether it's from playing sports, performing community service with a volunteer organization, or interning at a law firm. Despite the fact that schools vary in size, location, and funding, there will always be a lot of opportunities for students to explore. Sometimes, tough choices will have to be made…but the point is that it is up to you to shape your own U.S. educational experience and to participate in activities that enrich your understanding of American society and culture.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Ten Tips for International Students Wanting to Pursue Graduate Study in the United States
The following article was written especially by Dr. Martin for students in celebration of 2008 International Education Week. 
Hello from someone who has spent 28 years in the field of graduate admissions, financial aid and student affairs. It has been my privilege to work with thousands of prospective students, applicants, and enrolled students while serving at Columbia University, The University of Chicago and Northwestern University. My travels have taken me to 61 countries on every continent, largely for the purpose of speaking with students/advisors about the graduate educational process in the United States.
Here are some tips about pursuing graduate study in the United States. This is by no means an exhaustive list. Rather, it contains the input most often provided by me in working with international students over the years. For more information, and to learn about my book, Road Map for Graduate Study: feel free to visit my website: http://www.gradschoolroadmap.com/.
Tip 1: Allow a few years to adequately prepare – take your time
This is very important. You will be faced with many different activities – preparing for the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, etc., researching various educational institutions and programs, preparing your applications, determining how you will fund your studies and much more. All of this takes time.
Tip 2: The importance of learning to speak/write in English
Obviously, your ability to communicate in English, both verbally and in writing, is crucial. As with any skill, learning English takes time. In addition, some individuals have a greater level of ease in learning other languages. Take the time you need to learn the language. If you find that you are struggling, and application deadlines are approaching, wait a year.
Tip 3: Look beyond the top ten
In my experience, one the biggest mistakes prospective students (in the USA and abroad) make is determining, before doing any substantive research, where they want to apply/attend. Often these decisions are based on the ranking/prestige of an institution, and the student’s or his/her family’s belief that the most important thing is “getting in to the top school.” This is truly a myth. For one thing, rankings fluctuate. Secondly, no two rankings are the same. Thirdly, there are hundreds – yes, hundreds – of outstanding graduate programs in the USA that are overlooked every year because they are not in the “top ten.” In the end your success is not dependant on where you attended, but on who you are and the skill set you bring to your employer.
Tip 4: How you are treated as a inquirer/applicant is extremely telling
This is huge! If you are welcomed, thanked, appreciated and helped as an inquirer or applicant, it speaks volumes about how you will be treated as a student. And conversely, if you are ignored, demeaned, belittled and confused by those with whom you communicate, believe me, nothing will change once you are enrolled. Having a successful graduate school experience is about FIT – you and the institution you are attending complimenting each other.
Tip 5: Follow directions in the application process
Please do this! Resist the temptation to prepare essays that are longer than requested, to include more recommendation letters than asked, to leave a question unanswered, to apply a few days after the deadline, or send information that is for one admissions committee to another one. Any one of these does not provide a good first impression and in cases where the application process is very selective, can result in what might have been an admission decision ending up as a letter of denial.
Tip 6: Do not obsess about academic performance before or after enrolling
In the end, your success in life is not correlated to your grades. While doing well academically is certainly something for which every graduate student should strive, obsessing about having a perfect record can greatly lessen your chances of having a rewarding, fulfilling and fruitful graduate school experience. Do your very best, but if you get a few B’s, it is not the end of the world.
Tip 7: Do not take your standardized test over and over again
Many graduate school applicants are not the best test takers. This can be disconcerting, due to the misguided perception that one’s test score and make or break an application. There are a few institutions where this is the case, but most admit applicants with varying test scores. As Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business I often admitted applicants with GMAT scores below 600, sometimes even below 500. And by all means I was not alone. Many admissions committees realize that test scores are by no means the only predictor of academic success – they are just one part of the application. . .If you take your respective standardized test and do not do as well as you hoped, by all means take it a second time, maybe a third. But do not keep taking the test! It looks worse for you as an applicant.
Tip 8: While there are financial resources available to you, they are not limitless
During my years working with financial aid, it seemed that many international students had a perception that institutions in the United States are extremely wealthy, and have unlimited financial resources to help students fund their education. This is not true. Yes, there are scholarships, fellowships and assistantships available, but there are most always not nearly enough of them to help every student. In nearly every instance graduate students will need to have quite a bit of their own funding available. This is why planning well ahead is so important.
Tip 9: If at all possible, relocate to your new institution/home early
Moving to a new home is a chore even if you are doing so in the same city, county, province or country. Moving to a new country is a major undertaking. There will be huge adjustments. Added to the responsibilities of a graduate program, the adjustments are compounded. If you are able to relocate even one month before your studies begin (two to three months is ideal), you give yourself time to gradually settle in and be more relaxed.
Tip 10: YOU CAN DO THIS!!
Yes, you can do this. Many have done it before you, and you will pave the way for others who follow you. There will be ups and downs, but with your ability to focus on the end result – completion of your degree program and the doors it will open for you – and practice Persistence and Determination, there is virtually unlimited opportunity for you. Your dreams and goals are out there, waiting for you to grab hold of and achieve them. The possibilities are endless. And you will be successful, one day at a time.
Hello from someone who has spent 28 years in the field of graduate admissions, financial aid and student affairs. It has been my privilege to work with thousands of prospective students, applicants, and enrolled students while serving at Columbia University, The University of Chicago and Northwestern University. My travels have taken me to 61 countries on every continent, largely for the purpose of speaking with students/advisors about the graduate educational process in the United States.
Here are some tips about pursuing graduate study in the United States. This is by no means an exhaustive list. Rather, it contains the input most often provided by me in working with international students over the years. For more information, and to learn about my book, Road Map for Graduate Study: feel free to visit my website: http://www.gradschoolroadmap.com/.
Tip 1: Allow a few years to adequately prepare – take your time
This is very important. You will be faced with many different activities – preparing for the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, etc., researching various educational institutions and programs, preparing your applications, determining how you will fund your studies and much more. All of this takes time.
Tip 2: The importance of learning to speak/write in English
Obviously, your ability to communicate in English, both verbally and in writing, is crucial. As with any skill, learning English takes time. In addition, some individuals have a greater level of ease in learning other languages. Take the time you need to learn the language. If you find that you are struggling, and application deadlines are approaching, wait a year.
Tip 3: Look beyond the top ten
In my experience, one the biggest mistakes prospective students (in the USA and abroad) make is determining, before doing any substantive research, where they want to apply/attend. Often these decisions are based on the ranking/prestige of an institution, and the student’s or his/her family’s belief that the most important thing is “getting in to the top school.” This is truly a myth. For one thing, rankings fluctuate. Secondly, no two rankings are the same. Thirdly, there are hundreds – yes, hundreds – of outstanding graduate programs in the USA that are overlooked every year because they are not in the “top ten.” In the end your success is not dependant on where you attended, but on who you are and the skill set you bring to your employer.
Tip 4: How you are treated as a inquirer/applicant is extremely telling
This is huge! If you are welcomed, thanked, appreciated and helped as an inquirer or applicant, it speaks volumes about how you will be treated as a student. And conversely, if you are ignored, demeaned, belittled and confused by those with whom you communicate, believe me, nothing will change once you are enrolled. Having a successful graduate school experience is about FIT – you and the institution you are attending complimenting each other.
Tip 5: Follow directions in the application process
Please do this! Resist the temptation to prepare essays that are longer than requested, to include more recommendation letters than asked, to leave a question unanswered, to apply a few days after the deadline, or send information that is for one admissions committee to another one. Any one of these does not provide a good first impression and in cases where the application process is very selective, can result in what might have been an admission decision ending up as a letter of denial.
Tip 6: Do not obsess about academic performance before or after enrolling
In the end, your success in life is not correlated to your grades. While doing well academically is certainly something for which every graduate student should strive, obsessing about having a perfect record can greatly lessen your chances of having a rewarding, fulfilling and fruitful graduate school experience. Do your very best, but if you get a few B’s, it is not the end of the world.
Tip 7: Do not take your standardized test over and over again
Many graduate school applicants are not the best test takers. This can be disconcerting, due to the misguided perception that one’s test score and make or break an application. There are a few institutions where this is the case, but most admit applicants with varying test scores. As Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business I often admitted applicants with GMAT scores below 600, sometimes even below 500. And by all means I was not alone. Many admissions committees realize that test scores are by no means the only predictor of academic success – they are just one part of the application. . .If you take your respective standardized test and do not do as well as you hoped, by all means take it a second time, maybe a third. But do not keep taking the test! It looks worse for you as an applicant.
Tip 8: While there are financial resources available to you, they are not limitless
During my years working with financial aid, it seemed that many international students had a perception that institutions in the United States are extremely wealthy, and have unlimited financial resources to help students fund their education. This is not true. Yes, there are scholarships, fellowships and assistantships available, but there are most always not nearly enough of them to help every student. In nearly every instance graduate students will need to have quite a bit of their own funding available. This is why planning well ahead is so important.
Tip 9: If at all possible, relocate to your new institution/home early
Moving to a new home is a chore even if you are doing so in the same city, county, province or country. Moving to a new country is a major undertaking. There will be huge adjustments. Added to the responsibilities of a graduate program, the adjustments are compounded. If you are able to relocate even one month before your studies begin (two to three months is ideal), you give yourself time to gradually settle in and be more relaxed.
Tip 10: YOU CAN DO THIS!!
Yes, you can do this. Many have done it before you, and you will pave the way for others who follow you. There will be ups and downs, but with your ability to focus on the end result – completion of your degree program and the doors it will open for you – and practice Persistence and Determination, there is virtually unlimited opportunity for you. Your dreams and goals are out there, waiting for you to grab hold of and achieve them. The possibilities are endless. And you will be successful, one day at a time.
International Education Week 2008
International Education Week (IEW), November 17 -21, 2008, is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education. Education and culture are among America’s greatest assets. It is a hallmark of America’s diverse and welcoming democratic society.
IEW offers an opportunity for America to celebrate international educational exchange and its positive impact on our nation and the world. According to the lastest Open Doors 2008 annual report, the total number of international students at colleges and universities in the United States reached a record of 623,805 in the 2007/2008 academic year.
As part of AIT’s IEW week programs to celebrate IEW, we have asked AIT’s officers to share their unique college experiences with Taiwan students. For information about related programs, please check list of events at: http://www.educationusa.org.tw/
View from the Other Side of the College Application Process
During my senior year at Georgetown University, I had the unique privilege to serve as a student representative on the School of Foreign Service's Freshmen Admissions Committee. I served on the Admissions Committee for the Class of 2007 along with professors and admissions officer in order to provide the student perspective in evaluating the applications and to help select a diverse class of students who would be able to contribute to the Georgetown community. I took a deep breath as I looked at the files piled in front of me. Each dark brown file was at least an inch thick. I reached for a folder and reviewed the first application.
For the first time, I realized that assessing an application was as difficult as putting together an application. How do I differentiate two candidates with similar GPA and SAT scores? How do you quantify a student council presidency versus captain of varsity basketball? How do you evaluate a student's achievements in relation to the opportunities and resources available to that particular student?
College admissions, to be perfectly honest, are somewhat subjective and relative. While SATs and GPAs provide a rough rubric for evaluation, the most important elements of the package--from my experience--are the recommendation letters and essays. Well-written recommendation letters shed light on the applicant and explain to the admissions committee how others see the applicant and the applicant's impact on his/her existing community. Personal essays, on the other hand, provide applicants with the stage to showcase themselves. Essays may reveal attitudes, beliefs, and/or personal traits that help admissions committee understand the applicant as an individual.
While each school will have its own set of priorities, colleges tend to prefer students who are well-rounded and multifaceted, and who can contribute to the diversity of the campus. As the admissions season progressed and the files piled up, it was easy to get lost in the files. Oftentimes, applicant "y" sounded exactly like applicant "x", and applicant "x" sounded exactly like another applicant whose file I reviewed earlier. One word of advice…essays should not only detail what you have accomplished--essays should paint a picture of who you are.
IEW offers an opportunity for America to celebrate international educational exchange and its positive impact on our nation and the world. According to the lastest Open Doors 2008 annual report, the total number of international students at colleges and universities in the United States reached a record of 623,805 in the 2007/2008 academic year.
As part of AIT’s IEW week programs to celebrate IEW, we have asked AIT’s officers to share their unique college experiences with Taiwan students. For information about related programs, please check list of events at: http://www.educationusa.org.tw/
View from the Other Side of the College Application Process
During my senior year at Georgetown University, I had the unique privilege to serve as a student representative on the School of Foreign Service's Freshmen Admissions Committee. I served on the Admissions Committee for the Class of 2007 along with professors and admissions officer in order to provide the student perspective in evaluating the applications and to help select a diverse class of students who would be able to contribute to the Georgetown community. I took a deep breath as I looked at the files piled in front of me. Each dark brown file was at least an inch thick. I reached for a folder and reviewed the first application.
For the first time, I realized that assessing an application was as difficult as putting together an application. How do I differentiate two candidates with similar GPA and SAT scores? How do you quantify a student council presidency versus captain of varsity basketball? How do you evaluate a student's achievements in relation to the opportunities and resources available to that particular student?
College admissions, to be perfectly honest, are somewhat subjective and relative. While SATs and GPAs provide a rough rubric for evaluation, the most important elements of the package--from my experience--are the recommendation letters and essays. Well-written recommendation letters shed light on the applicant and explain to the admissions committee how others see the applicant and the applicant's impact on his/her existing community. Personal essays, on the other hand, provide applicants with the stage to showcase themselves. Essays may reveal attitudes, beliefs, and/or personal traits that help admissions committee understand the applicant as an individual.
While each school will have its own set of priorities, colleges tend to prefer students who are well-rounded and multifaceted, and who can contribute to the diversity of the campus. As the admissions season progressed and the files piled up, it was easy to get lost in the files. Oftentimes, applicant "y" sounded exactly like applicant "x", and applicant "x" sounded exactly like another applicant whose file I reviewed earlier. One word of advice…essays should not only detail what you have accomplished--essays should paint a picture of who you are.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Dakota State University gives Japanese Student More Than Just an Education
Profile of Yusuke Kojima - Download (MP3)
Profile of Yusuke Kojima - Listen (MP3)
With a bit of encouragement from his father Yusuke Kojima decided to study in the United States. “I’m from Japan and when I decided to come down here my father offered me that if I wanted to go down to the U-S or not, but first I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and my father really wanted me to go down to the U-S because there might be better opportunities for jobs and my future if I come down here and get educated in the U-S, so that is the reason why I came down here.”
Yusuke is attending Dakota State University, but that wasn't his first introduction to an American college was in Louisville. “Right now I’m currently at Dakota State University in South Dakota and I use to go to the University of Louisville. I was there taking an ESL course, English As A Second Language and I wasn’t taking any other course there, just English.”
Dakota State University not only offers Yusuke the field of work he wants to pursue one day, but it also affords him the opportunity to enjoy one of his hobbies. “Well, my current advisor daughter was attending the University of Louisville taking a Japanese class which is where my advisor was at that time and she actually told me about South Dakota University and my hobby is skiing and she told me that if I came here I could ski down here, so I was kind of interested,” he says.
“Then I found out that South Dakota University has much more there like smaller class sizes and it is a small university so it may be a good place to go as I found out so that is the reason I came down here. [Also] I wasn’t sure what I was going to do at that time and later on I found out that they have web graphic design major so that is another reason to be here.”
Adjusting to American culture and language is a challenge sometimes for Yusuke, but academically he says he is doing fine. “The language barrier is a primary problem for me. The class itself is really nice because we have small classrooms and everyone is helpful to me, but sometimes there are words that I still cannot get like some of the U-S culture, but classes are going really good and the relationship with the faculty is nice,” he says.
“The thing is we have only twenty people in the class at most so the relationship with the faculty is really close and they can understand me well and I can understand them well so that really helps me in class.”
When it comes to the international population at Dakota State University, Yusuke says it is a small community of students. “There’s not many international students at the university probably me and another Japanese [student] is currently there. There are a few, but not many people are involved with an international club,” he says. “I’m actually the president of the international club and since it is a small university me and one other member is in the club.”
Yusuke has another year before he graduates. He says he will go back home to Japan. “Well after I graduate, I am currently thinking about going back to Japan and look for a job as a graphic designer and I am still not sure I if will work here in the States, but my plan is going back to Japan and work as a graphic designer.”
Advice Yusuke has for other international students..... “People who are just thinking about coming down here or they are not sure about it, they are scared or worried, then I say just come here and you will be fine. I know what people worry about like coming here and the language and people might be harmful to them or something, but I say everyone is nice and people usually try to understand me and understand other people so I say come here and you will be fine, just down think to hard and have fun!
Profile of Yusuke Kojima - Listen (MP3)
With a bit of encouragement from his father Yusuke Kojima decided to study in the United States. “I’m from Japan and when I decided to come down here my father offered me that if I wanted to go down to the U-S or not, but first I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and my father really wanted me to go down to the U-S because there might be better opportunities for jobs and my future if I come down here and get educated in the U-S, so that is the reason why I came down here.”
Yusuke is attending Dakota State University, but that wasn't his first introduction to an American college was in Louisville. “Right now I’m currently at Dakota State University in South Dakota and I use to go to the University of Louisville. I was there taking an ESL course, English As A Second Language and I wasn’t taking any other course there, just English.”
Dakota State University not only offers Yusuke the field of work he wants to pursue one day, but it also affords him the opportunity to enjoy one of his hobbies. “Well, my current advisor daughter was attending the University of Louisville taking a Japanese class which is where my advisor was at that time and she actually told me about South Dakota University and my hobby is skiing and she told me that if I came here I could ski down here, so I was kind of interested,” he says.
“Then I found out that South Dakota University has much more there like smaller class sizes and it is a small university so it may be a good place to go as I found out so that is the reason I came down here. [Also] I wasn’t sure what I was going to do at that time and later on I found out that they have web graphic design major so that is another reason to be here.”
Adjusting to American culture and language is a challenge sometimes for Yusuke, but academically he says he is doing fine. “The language barrier is a primary problem for me. The class itself is really nice because we have small classrooms and everyone is helpful to me, but sometimes there are words that I still cannot get like some of the U-S culture, but classes are going really good and the relationship with the faculty is nice,” he says.
“The thing is we have only twenty people in the class at most so the relationship with the faculty is really close and they can understand me well and I can understand them well so that really helps me in class.”
When it comes to the international population at Dakota State University, Yusuke says it is a small community of students. “There’s not many international students at the university probably me and another Japanese [student] is currently there. There are a few, but not many people are involved with an international club,” he says. “I’m actually the president of the international club and since it is a small university me and one other member is in the club.”
Yusuke has another year before he graduates. He says he will go back home to Japan. “Well after I graduate, I am currently thinking about going back to Japan and look for a job as a graphic designer and I am still not sure I if will work here in the States, but my plan is going back to Japan and work as a graphic designer.”
Advice Yusuke has for other international students..... “People who are just thinking about coming down here or they are not sure about it, they are scared or worried, then I say just come here and you will be fine. I know what people worry about like coming here and the language and people might be harmful to them or something, but I say everyone is nice and people usually try to understand me and understand other people so I say come here and you will be fine, just down think to hard and have fun!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)