5 mistakes Indian students make while choosing a University abroad

By Harjiv Singh (founder & Ceo, Salwan Media Ventures; Convener, One Globe Forum)

More than ever before, Indians are going abroad for higher studies. To take just one indicator, while the number of international students taking the GRE exam grew 11% in 2014-15, that rate for Indian students was 20%. Income is rising, and so are young people's aspirations. And with so many students wanting to study abroad, many of them being the first in their family to do so, there is a growing need for reliable information and competent guidance.

 

Just being able to afford to study abroad is no reason to enroll in a course. It is true that information about higher studies abroad is available more easily today than it was, say, 20 years ago. However, fake information is also more easily available, and sometimes it is hard to tell it apart from the real one.

Thus, unfortunately, we sometimes see stories of innocent students getting deported because they were bound either for a fraudulent university, or enrolled in a genuine university based on fudged applications that did not reflect their actual abilities. Here are some common basic mistakes that lead to such tragedies.

1. Not doing your own research

It seems daunting to identify a school and program when there are literally thousands of options. Use a good college search engine. Read up about accreditation. If the country you want to study in offers student services in your city, use them as much as possible.

Check out the Facebook pages of programs you are interested in. Ask questions. Remember, basic research skills are crucial to your success as an international student, so you may as well practice!

When you have done your homework, you will have identified a few programs that you are excited about. Not only that, your own fraud alert will go off when you see something that looks too good to be true!

2. Believing money is a shortcut to everything

Many people start calculating how much they can pay or borrow, even before they have identified a course that they are excited about. Just being able to afford to study abroad is no reason to enroll in a course. The important thing is to first find something you really want to do, and then work on your budget.

3. To think that you would breeze through your course once you are in

In India, we tend to cram before exams, and take it easy through the rest of the year. Exams are important, but this approach will not get you very far in a system that places a high value on individual participation, lab and library research, original and independent writing, frequent assignments, and continuous assessment.

Be prepared to work hard throughout the term. And for this reason, choose to study what you are excited about - signing up for something you don't really care about is a guarantee of misery. Expensive misery.

5 mistakes of Indian students towards study abroad

4. Relying excessively on rankings and reputation

Rankings give an idea of the overall quality of the institution, but not of a particular program or specialization. This is especially true at the post-graduate level, where you should look to work with faculty members whose academic interests align with yours.

You should be quick to find out if there are enough experienced and tenured faculty members, and relevant course offerings in your specialization to see you through a master's or PhD.

5. Not knowing who you are and what you want

At both undergraduate and graduate levels, it is important to be honest with yourself, and the school you are applying to, about why you fit into their program. For example, as an aspiring undergrad, you may not even be sure what you want to major in, but you should be able to articulate your strengths, weaknesses and interests, and your application, especially the personal essay, must come off as authentic.

Young Indians are in an unprecedented and exciting situation, with access to the best of global education and the opportunities of economic growth at home. The rewards of studying abroad are better than ever.

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