According to the Open Door's 2018 report, in 2017-18, there were 19.8 million students studying in the US universities. Of these, roughly 5.5% or 1.094 million were international students. Of these 891,330 were studying at universities and 203,462 were on optional practical training (OPT). Of these total students, 196,271 or 17.9% were Indian students, second only to China who had a 33.2% share of the total international student population.
Are you an Indian student or parent of the Indian student wanting to study in the US? Then, the first step is to select the right college major, then win admission and financial aid in the best US colleges or universities, and do it all at the lowest out of pocket cost for you.
Many Indian students seek advice from “expert” educational consultants. Unfortunately, many of these educational consultants have never studied or been to the US! So here are the five selection questions to ask your Study Abroad or Study in USA education consultants before appointing them:
1. Have you been to the US before?
2. Have you studied in the US before?
3. Have you secured financial aid from US colleges?
4. Have you had a successful career in the US?
5. Are you getting sales commissions from US colleges?
You want your education consultant to be independent and free of any bias for any university, experienced, knowledgeable, with a proven track record for securing admission and financial aid, and most importantly do it affordably for you.
You don’t want to ever select a study in the USA, study abroad, education consultant who does not have the correct or up to date information about US studies, admissions, financial aid, scholarships and career development in the US. There are three types of education consultants available today for Indian students and parents for going to the US for higher studies:
1. The "Free" Study Abroad Educational Consultants ($$$$$):
Such educational consultants typically represent “lower tier" US universities and colleges and get paid high sales commission for helping such universities find international students like you. The Indian students (you) pay full price for studying at such institutions in the US. While you may not be paying the consultant directly, you may be paying tens of thousands of dollars more over the entire program than if you had negotiated directly with the college! Our advice, don’t use such educational consultants who work for universities on a sales commission basis. If a consultant is free to you — he/she is making money from the university and you are paying for it!
2. The Fee-Based Study Abroad Educational Consultants ($$$):
Such education consultants offer educational services in return for fees. These fees can range from $1,000 to as high as $12,000, annually. Some of these are worth in gold, especially if they can help get you into a top tier (top 25 US national university) or help you secure full financial aid and scholarships worth tens of thousands of dollars or maybe both. Don’t pay for such educational consultants the high fees if they are helping you secure third tier college admissions and offering you no help to secure financial aid or very low-cost loans. You are much better off with the self-paced consulting programs listed below!
3. Self-Paced, Educational Consulting Directly from the US ($):
These are the new, innovative, comprehensive, affordable, self-paced, digital programs for international students and their parents for US college admissions, financial aid, and career growth planning and strategy. They offer step-by-step, self-paced programs, directly from the US with complete guidance for US college admissions and financial aid for international students. They typically cost a very affordable, around $100-$300 per year and provide the most updated information via internet connected computers. These provide the best price/performance for students and parents on a budget. They also offer typically a free preview (red button above) for their programs.
Most Indian students are coming to the US for the master's degree program. But that has started to change recently. One of the questions we get asked often by Indian parents is, should I send my son or daughter to study in the US for a bachelors degree.
The simple answer is - YES. Over 40% of the 1 million plus international students studying in the US are studying in the undergraduate degree here, which means they are studying in associates and bachelors degree in the US and they most probably got here after their 12th grade in their home country or after their senior year in high school.
Now here is the important point, if you want to get to the US after the 12th grade, you want to start planning with your family from the 9th grade or from your freshman high school year. You need a couple of years to prepare well and get into the best colleges.
The Big Questions for Indian Parents:
The Indian students and parents wanting their children to study in the USA after 12th grade need to address the following questions first:
A) Is the Indian student mature enough to come and stay in the US alone at age 18? If not they need to make sure that there is adult supervision available locally and also some family (relatives) support in case of an emergency.
B) Make sure that there is enough funding available for the Indian student for all the four years either through personal funds or student loan or via some form of financial aid. More information is available in the program link below on this topic.
C) Make sure to select the right education consultant to get you through the entire process. We recommend the self-study counseling programs like the ones available digitally. These are affordable, directly delivered from the US and are regularly updated.
Based on our observation, the average Indian students seem to be making the following repeated mistakes while applying for the US colleges. Avoiding them will improve the chances of securing admission and financial aid in the "best-fit" US colleges:
1. Not Planning to Apply to US Colleges Early: Typical Indian students start their US college application planning process 9-12 months before their US college starts. Ideally, they should look at a window of 36-48 months earlier. Learn why by joining the program. The program gives the entire application timeline for Indian students.
2. Not Selecting the Right Education Consultant: In an effort to save some small upfront money, many Indian parents select "free" educational consultants who peddle the US universities which give the consultant the best commissions. The result is the student and their parent ultimately pays much more money in aggregate for their US studies. Ideally, do your own research based on guidance given by independent self-study digital guidance programs like the one below.
3. Not Selecting the Right Major: Most Indian students select majors based on their Indian college major and experience. They forget that the US has hundreds of very specialized majors and selecting the right one can make the difference between becoming successful in the US versus failing to come to the US or wasting your money studying in the US. How to select the right major is explained in the program in detail.
4. Not Selecting the Best Fit US Colleges: Selecting the best fit colleges requires the student and their family working together and researching for the colleges to apply. Only you know your needs! Spend some time and effort using the resources and the process listed in the program below and you will be most happy with your selection.
5. Not Reducing Out of Pocket Cost: Most Indian students and their parents have no idea how to reduce their overall out of pocket cost while securing a high-quality university with the most ideal major for future career development. If you don't get the formula right, not only will you pay much more in the US but your future career will be hampered. Look for the program below to guide you on this part.
6. Not Developing a High-Quality College Application: Submitting a high-quality college application can mean the difference between not getting admission and getting admission with full financial aid. Planning early, utilizing the guidance given in the below self-study program and applying systematically for admission and financial aid can give you the leg up in being successful in the US and also saving a lot of money for your parents. Do it now. Indian students, join the self-study program and learn how to build a successful career in the US!
The US is the #1 destination for study abroad. More than one million international students study here. In fact, more international students study in the US than Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK combined!
Not all US educational institutions are created equal. What US university or college to study and what degree to pursue can make the difference between building a winning career and wasting your money in the US. Understand what questions to ask your educational consultant so you benefit the most.
Developing a winning application strategy is required for securing admission to a great college and full financial aid. We will ask you the tough questions and provide you the timeline to succeed in the US. Here are the 24 topics we cover in the Study in USA program for Indian students.
Learn how to differentiate from the other student competition and win!
Learn how to plan and execute the study abroad process early and systematically.
Get introduced to sophisticated tech tools to make you stand out in the crowd.
Learn how to brand you the student, early and often so you shine in competition.
Learn how to find the best college fit for you and not depend on consultants.
Find the US government international student centers around the world.
Explore the low, out of pocket cost community college strategy.
Learn how to reach out to faculty to improve admission / financial aid chances.
Learn the tips and tricks to minimize the cost of education in the US.
Understand what needs to happen for winning financial aid and scholarships.
Complete application timeline strategy for students and parents to follow.
Learn how to build a winning application for admission and financial aid.
13. Transcripts and GPAs
Understand transcripts and GPA's and how to position yourself for success.
Learn how to develop a winning statement of purpose for your success.
Learn how to prepare for standardized tests and rank high.
Master the art of securing exceptional recommendation letters from teachers.
Learn to develop impactful, must-read college essays for admissions and aid.
Understand F1 and J1 student visas and how to interview and secure a visa.
Understand what you need to do to prepare for the USA from the home country.
Understand when the US government allows you to work part-time in the US.
Understand the difference between on and off campus housing and its impact.
Understand how to perform well in the US academic settings from day one.
Understand how you can integrate and enjoy in the US campus culture.
Learn how you can make the best out of your college experience to succeed in the US.
