CMR Bangalore's graduate heads to UPenn for Biotechnology

The number of Indian students who opt for higher studies in the US, increase with every passing year. There are a wide array of courses and facilities in most of the universities in the US, which makes it an attractive destination for graduate and post-graduate studies.

Careerindia had a chat with Harsimran Kaur, one such student, who has recently gained admission to the prestigious University of Pennsylvania. She shared a lot of things about the different specialisations available for courses and what made her choose the UPenn as her university for higher studies.

Let us look at what Harsimran had to share..

Give us a brief idea about your background.
I'm 21 years old and I'm from Bangalore, Karnataka. I did my BE in Biotechnology from CMR Institute of Technology which is affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University. I passed my Bachelor's with an aggregate of 87% and was always the topper at college level. I have also held University ranks in all semesters.

Tell us something about your university and what is the reason for choosing it for your higher education.
University of Pennsylvania is a prestigious Ivy League university in Philadelphia. It is ranked amongst the top 20 universities in the world. The esteemed faculty includes many Nobel laureates and many faculty members, who are also currently a part of ground-breaking research in all fields.

There are many reasons why I chose the University of Pennsylvania over other distinguished universities such as John Hopkins University. It has a very high ranking, along with world-class teaching faculty and research opportunities. The course structure is very flexible and students can tailor the curriculum according to their dreams and aspirations. The course offers a unique mix of both biotechnological skills and business understanding, which was just what I was looking for.

What course are you planning to pursue in University of Pennsylvania?
I'm going to be pursuing Professional Science Masters in Biotechnology. Biotechnology has always been my passion. I plan to specialize in Biopharmaceuticals.

If there were any specific motivational factors in selecting Biopharmaceuticals as your specialization, could you please share it with us?
The idea of saving people from diseases, taking inspiration from nature and our own body's immune system has always been interesting to me. University of Pennsylvania offers a wide range of subjects that appealed to me such as Vaccines and Immune Therapeutics, and Engineering Biotechnology.

What really makes this degree at University of Pennsylvania special is that it also offers students management courses that are relevant to their stream. Moreover, I have always loved taking up leadership positions. At college, I was the placement coordinator and also the class representative. These roles gave me confidence and convinced me that I would love working at a managerial position.

This course therefore offered me a perfect concoction of my two passions - Biotechnology and Management, and this is the main reason that I took up this program.

How was your overall experience during the admission process from India to US?
When I first decided to pursue my masters abroad, I was very confused and didn't know much about my options. However, Beyond Boundaries Education Consulting, headed by Ms Binita Parekh, made this ride a smooth one. Ms. Binita gave me personal attention and opened up a world of opportunities for me. Everything from choosing universities according to my profile to simplifying the visa process was explained well and broken down into simple steps.

What are your future plans after the program?
After I finish my masters, I'm planning to take up an administrative job at a pharmaceutical or immune therapeutics company. In the later future, I see myself heading a company which provides life saving drugs to people around the world at nominal rates.

We at Careerindia wish Harsimran a successful academic journey and a bright career ahead.