Studying Abroad: The Possible Hurdles and How To Face Them

By Arun Jagannathan

One of the major decisions of your adult life is undoubtedly your choice of a Master’s program and where to do it. For most people, a master’s is the last leg of their academic journey and that makes it the most important aspect of their resume. It is important that you choose a program that is in line with your skill-set and paves a path to a career that you find exciting and rewarding.

However, like all big decisions in life, applying for a master’s program has its share of hurdles that you need to overcome. Let’s discuss them in detail.

Glitches in your undergrads

Unless you are gifted with exemplary resolve and sincerity, chances are that you have made a few ‘slip-ups’ in your undergrads. These would include dangerous dips in your grades in a specific year or worse - a few backlogs. Although bad grades can be improved in the ensuing years, backlogs are like muscle sprains that keep coming back to remind you of that one bad day in the field. Even if you are able to clear up your backlogs and pass out of college within the stipulated 3/4 years, your college transcripts will forever bear the burden of those backlogs.

After working for a few years in the industry, you come around to selecting the master’s program you wish to pursue. It is then that the thought of those backlogs and how they affect your otherwise commendable profile comes back to haunt you.

You need to understand the problem here, and not drown in depression. Backlogs do look bad on your profile. The admission committee of a world-class institute will be skeptical about your abilities and wholeheartedness when they see a pothole in your academic profile. While it is not possible to hide such mishaps, you could present them in a better light to make an overall impression that wins their confidence.

One possible savior is your overall CGPA!

If in spite of that one backlog you ended up with an exceptional CGPA, the ad com will no longer be doubtful of your capabilities and could pass off your backlog as an accident.

The second place where you can make up for lost ground is your GRE/IELTS  score. It is a major contributing factor to your profile. A high enough score suggests that you are capable enough to keep up with the curriculum of a challenging master’s program. It also gives a good vantage point from where you can attempt to justify your previous academic mishaps.

Last, but not least, the admission committee will pay close attention to your work profile. A good work profile helps you put across your expertise in implementing your knowledge in the real world. Recommendations from your peers also help a lot here. Additionally, any summer internships or weekend courses that you take will also make your profile more competitive.

Your overall profile includes your backlogs, accept that!

When writing your SOP and other application essays it is advisable to declare your backlogs and let the admission committee know of the shortcomings which you think led to them. You can then go on to mention how you have overcome those shortcomings in the following years and learned from them.

If your application is accepted it is quite likely that you will be asked about your backlogs during the interview. Mentioning your backlogs in the essays will make you appear straightforward and honest.

Master’s in India v/s Master’s in the US

So, you have made up your mind about what you would like to pursue for your master’s and have come across some great institutions in India and abroad that offer that very program. Now it’s time to decide!

Say hello to the next great dilemma of the master’s program aspirant - A master’s in India or a master’s abroad?

There is no ‘two-word’ answer for this since a lot depends on the aspirant’s outlook and future plans. This is because higher education in India is very different from higher education in the US.

Higher education in India (MTech or Ph.D.) is considered to be a course that will lead you to academics, wherein you can apply for the post of professor/lecturer at other educational institutes. There are very few who are able to get into research work. This is because there is very little state-funded research in India (66 billion USD in 2014), as compared to the US which is the global leader in R&D (473 billion USD in 2014).

Even the scope of privately funded research is much lesser in India. Now, if you take into account the population of the country and the number of people competing for a research position you will soon realize that getting a research fellowship is quite a battle in our country.

Higher education in the US, however, comes with a hefty price tag, ranging anywhere between 35 times to 50 times the amount you would spend in India for a similar master’s course. The ROI of such an investment is something that needs to be considered in this regard. The quality of education and international exposure will have a significant impact on your career and open up doors in ways a master’s in India simply cannot. After completing your master’s in the US you have the option of getting a job in a highly specified field, taking up research for an organization, or getting into academics.

Having said that, India still has some of the most outstanding minds teaching in our universities.

If knowledge is what you seek, you will get it no matter where you choose to study. Over the past few centuries, Indians have helped the world reach greater heights in all possible avenues.

As an Indian, you should remember the world belongs to you and you can shape your world the way you want to. As long as you are ready to work for your dreams and no dream is too big.

About The Author

Arun Jagannathan is the CEO of  Crack Verbal.