Engineering in US: Study in the realm of realizing dreams!

America is often referred to as the realm of realizing dreams. With vibrant cities and sprawling and picturesque nature, the United States has a lot for a student aspiring to pursue his studies in this dream nation! Pursuing engineering in US is the simplest pathway to a bright and sparkling future! Engineering is the application of scientific knowledge to model improved products. This aids in enhancing the efficiency and comfort of human by the application of techniques which won't harm the natural environment.

Once you decide to opt for an engineering course, you shall be flooded with the options of universities and countries offering the course. America undoubtedly is one of the most apt places to pursue this course. In the United States alone, there are 346 universities approved by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the national organization that guarantees standard expertise among engineering colleges. Various best engineering schools in the world can be found in the United States. This is the chief reason why the United States places high on the list of students when deciding on a country to pursue the course.

There are numerous factors that must be considered by an Indian student planning to practice the course in America. Therefore, to help them out in their decision we enumerate below the factors which form the chief concern for students.

• Eligibility Criteria

• GRE/ GMAT score is required for almost all top universities. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) has been developed to test the verbal, analytical and mathematical skills of the candidates. It is a standardized test and the format of the exam is common for all. The difficulty level is same for all students.
• In order to sit for the GMAT, the Indian students need to hold a valid passport. There is no age bar for taking the test. Moreover, the test does not demand any kind of qualification restrictions and the GMAT score remains valid for a span of 5 years.
• Scholastic Aptitude Test or SAT, as is popularly known, is a verbal and quantitative reasoning test conducted for college admission in United States of America. SAT is required for seeking admission in undergraduate courses of many US universities. A candidate cannot take the SAT exam more than twice. SAT is held 6-7 times in a year in months of October, November, December, January, March, May and June. You will need to check the dates with the governing body.
• The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is administered jointly by the British Council, the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (known popularly as the Cambridge ESOL) and IELTS Australia. The test evaluates various skills in English including:

1. Reading
2. Writing
3. Listening
4. Speaking skills

About 5,000 government agencies, educational institutions and professional organisations around the world accept IELTS scores as proof of English proficiency of the candidates. The scores of this test range from band 1 to 9. While the band 1 score indicates a non user, band 9 signifies proficiency over the English language.

• TOEFL is an English language test that is also a main requisite for admission to engineering course in US universities. Chiefly, the exam is conducted in two formats:

• Paper Based Test or PBT
• Internet Based Test or iBT

Scores of the test are mailed to the candidates after 15 days of taking the test. They are also available online. iBT TOEFL test is evaluated on the scale of 0 to 120 points and a 90 plus score is considered good. Although the score is valid for 2 years, but colleges and universities usually prefer only the latest score.

• Tuition Fees, living cost and expenses

US Universities fall under two major categories: public (state supported), and private (independent) institutions. International students' tuition expenses at state schools are based on nonresident costs, which are still usually less expensive than those of private universities. It's important to note that the cost of a program in a US school does not necessarily affect its quality. A brief idea can be had from the following table:

The tuition fee is different for different universities and varies widely with courses. It can vary from as low as Rs. 2,50,000 a year for state universities to as much as Rs. 15,00,000 per annum for some private universities. For more specific details, please contact the universities.

Living Expenses

When calculating the cost of education, living expenses play a critical role. On an average, a student spends approx Rs. 5,00,000 - per year. But the expenses also depend on the place where a student stays i.e. if a student stays in metropolitan city like New York, San Francisco, Manhattan, etc the expenses could go up to $15000 in comparison to a student studying in a suburban area where the expenses around Rs. 4,50,000 to Rs. 5,00,0000 per year.

Accommodation

Most of the educational institutions in USA will assist you in finding accommodation while studying in USA. Accommodations are of two types i.e. a student can stay on campus (Halls of Residence/Students hostel) or Off Campus (Home stay, Apartments/Flats). Staying Off Campus is much more cheaper than staying On Campus but it is always advisable that the student should stay on campus for the first six months.

• The must have personal traits include....

Those who are fond of facing challenges, this line is meant for you! Engineering wannabes are expected to remain geared up for facing endless challenging problems. What is more striking here is that ‘real world' engineering problems are totally different from the ones taught in school. Those problems usually had only one correct answer. It is important for the learners to have an open mind and an intricate knowledge of the subject. The problems on engineering are generally open-ended. There is no single answer that can be regarded as the correct one! There are no answers available at the end of the book and no teachers to guide you about the right answers. On the other hand, you are responsible for finding the most apt answer, and your job does not end here!! You are also expected to convince others that your answer is most appropriate. In fact, engineering is just problem solving and so in order to be a successful engineer you must enjoy problem solving and also excel in it.

• Fellowships and Scholarships

Quite a few fellowships and scholarships have been introduced to aid further study in the engineering domain. Usually they are meant for people pursuing their careers in the engineering domain. Apprentices interested in carrying on their engineering studies must contact the universities in which they are interested and enquire about the university fellowships and scholarships. Some universities may offer various aids like:

• Teaching assistantships
• Research assistantships
• Administrative assistantships

There are various organizations offering funding to engineering students. For more information students must contact them to know regarding the eligibility criteria for obtaining funds as it may differ from one institute to another.

• Visa Regulations

Although the United States has always welcomed international students, the events of 9/11 led to a total review national security, which had the effect of discouraging many legitimate would-be students.

A student can enter US only after contacting US Embassy or Consulate for a student visa. One can apply for a visa only after collecting the requisite I-20 or IAP-66. F-1 or Student Visa is the most general visa for those aspiring to pursue studies in the States. It is for people who want to study at an accredited U.S. college or university or to study English at a university or intensive English language institute. It is basically meant for full-time students and the F-1 students may stay in the US for the full length of their academic program plus 60 days. F-1 students must maintain a full-time course load and complete their studies by the expiration date listed on the I-20 form.

Placement Opportunities

Careers in engineering span the alphabet. The largest traditional academic fields of study include civil, chemical, electrical, industrial and mechanical engineering. There are also more specialized engineering fields from aerospace to nuclear to biomedical engineering. In fact, no other career field offers young men and women such a wide choice of options. The career opportunities are also extremely flexible to the individuals' interests and requirements. For example some of the career options are listed below:

• For those who are imaginative and creative, must opt for Design Engineering
• Those interested in laboratories and experiments should try out Test Engineering
• Development Engineering is apt for those who are into organizing and accelerating projects.
• If you are persuasive and like working with people, consider a career in Sales or Field Service Engineering
• If you enjoy your science and mathematics classes, then these are most strongly resembled by the work of Analytical Engineers

• Accreditations

In the United States, most undergraduate engineering programs are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) to ensure similar course requirements and standards among universities. The ABET web site lists 276 accredited mechanical engineering programs as of June 19, 2006. Currently more than 300 colleges and universities offer ABET accredited engineering programs as graduate schools. Future employers in industry and federal government all attach a great weight to the ABET Accreditation. It is important to note that ABET accredits disciplines, not schools. Therefore, within an emerging school, some fields may be accredited may be accredited whilst others are not.

Gear up aspirants! You'll surely find that the United States offers the best prospects for a top engineering education and a rewarding future!!

Source: Latika Leekha (Shiksha Team)