Navigating your Educational Journey from India to USA!
As per recent reports, the United States issued around 1.25 lakh student visas to Indian students in the year 2022. Moreover, India is expected to surpass China for the number of US visas issued by the end of 2023. These statistics would only rise in the upcoming years and if you’re one among them, you’ve landed on the right page!
Hello there! I’m Meghna Manoj Nair from Kerala, India. My motto in life is to nourish and strengthen my passion for programming, creativity, analytical skills, research, teaching and public speaking, in order to bring about the best in me while contributing to the society. As a fresh Computer Science (CS) undergraduate student from Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Chennai, I have been accepted to some of my dream universities in the United States of America (USA). I’ll be flying out from India by mid August to pursue my passion of CS further by taking up a Masters in CS at New York University (Tandon School of Engineering) in the USA this year (2023). This blog is a detailed journey of my experience throughout the process — starting from choosing the universities I’d like to apply to, facing rejections and acceptances with optimism, and tackling through the visa application process all the way to finally landing in USA and beginning a new phase of life.
PS: All information mentioned in this blog is as per the guidelines and policies during my time of application (2022–2023).
State of Mind — Skeptic😶
I decided that I would like to further extend my education by opting for a Masters’ degree in my third year of under-graduation (around March, 2022). This was definitely not an easy choice. I was extremely skeptical and kept going back and forth between placements and higher studies. Considering that I wish to enter the field of education as a professor, I felt it was ideal for me to definitely go for post graduation. Next up — should I continue in India or the USA? I talked this out with my parents and came to a collective decision that the exposure, experience, and opportunities I would get from a Masters’ degree in the USA is way beyond that of an M.Tech degree in India. Finally, a solid decision was made — Meghna is going to the USA to pursue her post graduation in CS! (However, I still wrote my GATE exam and a few other entrance exams in India to be on the safe side). Now what?
Study Abroad Agency Guide 101 :)
This was the most confusing phase for me. Where do I start? How do I look for universities and choose a few? Should I register myself with some study abroad agency and let them take the responsibility while I take a backseat or should I do it myself? Which agency is reliable? The inside of me was screaming and that’s when my mom came across this website — United States India Educational Foundation (USIEF). We did a thorough research of what this organization is all about and contacted the USIEF Chennai office to know more about the services they offer. I must say, I hit a jackpot by deciding to proceed forward with USIEF. This organization is an initiative by the US Embassy to help students across India in pursuing their educational journey in the US. Once you register with them through their website and complete the payment, you will be assigned an advisor who will guide you throughout the process of selecting universities, proof-reading your Statement of Purpose, application submission, visa application, etc. The best part is that they provide all required resources and conduct numerous workshops/webinars that are extremely insightful. However, I’d like to mention that you cannot expect them to submit all university applications and other procedures for you while you keep in the background. Your advisor will guide you through each and every step and give you the correct information regarding any relevant queries that you have but ultimately, you need to take the front foot in following along with them and complete your application related chores. I have had a very seamless and smooth experience with my amazing advisor (Mrs. Shanthi Mohan) from USIEF Chennai and I owe her big time for all the opportunities, support, and encouragement she has given me so far. Now let’s dig in to the next and the crucial phase!
An Exhaustive University List — Ivies to State🎓
First and foremost, you need to decide which universities you’d like to apply to. This is a tricky process and you need to keep aside at least 10 days for this as it involves a lot of research and scrounging through websites to get apt information. I’d suggest that you start with the process by March if you’re looking for a fall in-take. Initially, like most others, I had gone through “QS Ranking” of universities in the USA and had shortlisted around 10 to 15 universities which were ranked within the top 50. That’s when my advisor told me that I should not rely completely on any ranking system and should rather focus on parameters like the courses offered, research interests of mine that align with the research centers and domains of the corresponding professors, facilities and student life, etc. It’s also essential to make a practical list. If you decide to apply to 10 universities, you should split them into different categories — tier 1 (dream/ambitious universities — 3 choices), tier 2 (target/likely to get in universities — 4 choices), and tier 3 (safe/guaranteed universities —3 choices). While making this exhaustive list, you need to self introspect and identify your potential, strengths, and weaknesses and decide on the universities accordingly. What may be an “ambitious university” for me may be a “likely to get in” university for you or vice-versa. Here’s a list of the universities I had applied to!
It is also advisable to create an excel sheet and document all details you can find about the universities you have chosen. For example, for each university, you can note down its respective tuition fee, the application requirements, research areas and professors that interest you (if you’re planning for post graduation), and so on. Believe it or not, this excel sheet would come in real handy during the time of application submission. Here’s a quick snap of the excel sheet I curated!
Once you’re done finalizing the universities, you are pretty much sorted and can now focus on the prepping for the application process.
Let the Preparations Begin — Time to Hustle!
This phase can get exhausting and you’re likely to drain out on creativity but hey! Not to worry, it’ll all be worth it at the end and your hard work will definitely pay off. Once you’ve narrowed down on the universities you wish to apply to, it’s time to pull up your sock and get the requirements for each university sorted and ticked off. Generally, these are the main requirements you will need to prep for (likely to vary from one university to another):
- Statement of Purpose
- Letters of Recommendation
- Transcripts / Marksheets
- Resume / CV
- IELTS / TOEFL / any other English proficiency test score
- GRE
- Application Fee (ranges from 80$–200$ per university)
Statement of Purpose (SoP)
This is one of the most significant components of your application record. Some universities give a detailed outline of what exactly they are looking for in your SoP while others just give generic instructions. You need to keep in mine one thing before starting your SoP. Just put yourself in the shoes of the admissions officer of the university you’ll be applying to. They’ll be going through thousands of SoP’s every day. You need to focus on not just reflecting yourself and creating the best first impression of yours through this SoP, but also on how distinctive and catchy you can make it. First of all, list down the main pointers and gather your thoughts. Create a mind map of how you’d like to structure your thoughts and get writing. Do not hurry with this process because it takes time and you should focus on the quality of your work.
My SoP began with a brief introduction about myself, how I ventured into the field of CS, and mycurrent student status. Next, I mentioned two major projects that I had developed during my undergraduate years and explained the technicalities of the same in a detailed yet concise and crisp manner. Following this, I wrote about the internships and part time work opportunities I had taken up to substantiate my expertise and interest in CS along with my intended areas of research and innovation. I also gave a glimpse of my major achievements over the years and the last paragraph was dedicated to describing why I wish to pursue a Masters in CS at the respective university. I also mentioned the names of one or two professors from the university along with the research work of theirs that had inspired me the most. This indicates that you’ve done a good research about the university and are keenly interested in joining the university.
In my opinion, it is ideal to have an SoP within the word limit of 1000–1500 words. Try not to exceed two or two and a half pages. Once you’re done making the first draft of your SoP, get it proof-read by a senior, a close family member, or your advisor from the study abroad agency (if any) and make changes accordingly. Make sure that your SoP is cohesive and has a smooth flow and transitions well throughout. Customize this first draft of your SoP as per the requirements and word limits of the different universities you’ll be applying to.
Letters of Recommendation (LoR)
Majority of the universities require 2 to 3 LoR’s. If you have any prior work experience and are in touch with your team lead or manager, you can get one LoR from them and the remaining two from your professors. In my case, I had two professors and my team lead from my part time work write me my LoR’s. You need to approach your recommenders regarding the LoR’s way in advance as it takes time for them to write your recommendation and get it in the letter head. I had approached my professors during April or May and had given them a heads up regarding my plans for pursuing a Masters and if they’ll be willing to send in a recommendation for me. It is also essential to note that you approach professors whom you have worked with closely (on a research project, course based project, or your mentor) and can mention about your strengths and qualities in your LoR.
Transcripts/Marksheets
It is important to keep a hard/soft copy of your transcripts or marksheets for all undergraduate semesters you have completed so far. All US universities will ask you to upload these during the application process.
Resume / CV
One of the other major documents you need to prepare for application is your resume. Keep it short and crisp and try not to exceed 1 or 2 pages. My resume consisted of a one-liner objective, personal details and information, educational institutes and corresponding marks, a concise list of 3 or 4 projects, my achievements, work experiences, and a list of the research papers I had published. I hadn’t used any online template and had made mine on my own. Try to highlight (bold or underline) important points in your resume so that it’s easier for the person reviewing your resume to get a quick gist of you by going through the highlighted points.
Test Scores — GRE, IELTS, TOEFL, etc.
Test scores play a critical role in your application process and different universities tend to have varying requirements and cut-offs. During my application year (2022–2023), many private universities had waived off GRE, most of the public universities mandatorily required GRE, and few universities had GRE scores optional. In my opinion, it is better to write GRE. There are three sections in this exam — quantitative, verbal, analytical writing. The quantitative section (total: 170 marks) is fairly simple and can be cracked with a good amount of practice. The analytical section (total: 6 marks) is similar and can be solved by reading sample essays and articles. The verbal section (total: 170 marks) is where everybody loses out on. You need to have an exhaustive vocabulary to score well in this section. To learn for GRE, I had enrolled in Magoosh and it was quite helpful. There are loads of practice questions available along with pre-recorded videos for different topics under each of the three sections.
For English proficiency test scores, again, go through the admission requirements of the different universities you’re applying to and narrow down on which English test you’d like to write. Most of the universities accept IELTS/TOEFL. I had given both my exams and it went well for me. I had done a 10 day online crash-course at a local institute in my hometown (Trivandrum, Kerala) through which I got to solve many questions and get feedback on the same. One thing you need to keep in mind is that for any test you take (GRE, IELTS, TOEFL, etc.), please do schedule your exam at least a month or two ahead. Do not wait for the last minute to book your test as there are high chances that you may not find free slots.
Turning in Applications — Precision and Accuracy🧐
Once you’re done with the previous phase of preparing all the required components for your university applications, it’s time to fill up those forms and get them going! I was almost done with my document preparation phase by July end (this includes completing and receiving my scores for GRE, IELTS, and TOEFL). Some universities open admission applications by August while majority of the others commence in September. The specific dates vary from one university to the other and this is when the excel sheet comes in real handy. Have a column in your University Details excel sheet that is dedicated to the timeline of the respective university's application — start date and deadline. Keep a regular track of this column so that you don’t miss out on the application deadline for the universities. Furthermore, nearly all universities would have a priority deadline and I’d suggest that you try to submit your application within this deadline as it increases your chance of getting an admit.
Filling up application forms for many universities can be monotonous and as dry as dust. This often leads you to becoming restless and filling up details carelessly which isn’t advisable. In order to avoid this, I used to fill up applications one after the other — one step at a time. Only once I finished the application form for one university would I proceed to the next one. This technique was quite fruitful for me; I was able to narrow down, scrutinize, and customize my application to each university. Please be careful while filling up the forms and don’t forget to save the application consistently — you don’t want to loose out all your efforts to a mere technical/system glitch. Once you fill up the entire application for a particular university, revise through it again before you hit that submit button!
Watch out and buckle up 🚩— You’re almost there!
Once you’ve ticked off all the universities in your application list, it’s time to take a breather and pat yourself on the back 🙌 You’ve done an amazing job, no matter what. If you’ve submitted applications to universities before the priority deadline, you’re likely to receive your decision between end of January or second week of February. All other decisions are usually out between March-April. Keep a close eye on your inbox — I still remember those days when I used to refresh my inbox at least 5 times as soon as I woke up😂 Meanwhile, attend webinars and online sessions conducted by the universities you’ve applied to. You can also try getting in touch with a few professors and seniors of these universities and build connections. It may be a little difficult to accept your first rejection but stay positive and believe in yourself. Keep an open mind, expect the unexpected, and welcome decisions with a smile! Once you’ve received all decisions, it’s time to make your choice. I considered parameters such as university credentials, scholarship (if any), location, climate, and accessibility while making my choice and decided to go ahead with NYU. Follow the emails and instructions of the university you’ve decided on and get ready for some extensive documentation procedures.
Legal formalities and Visa Procedures📄
Hurraaahh! You’re in the last phase of this journey before you leap into a new venture in life. Once you’ve finalized your university, go ahead and pay the tuition deposit and follow the steps mentioned by your university to get an I20 Form. This form proves that you are legally enrolled in a program of study in the United States and has a SEVIS ID that’s required at the time of visa application. To receive an I20, your university may ask you to submit financial documents like a bank letter/certificate, loan sanction letter, net-worth certificate, etc. that indicates how you plan to fund your studies. You can always go ahead and get an I20 from more than one university, in case you aren’t sure of which one you’d like to attend ultimately, as backup, or are waiting for decisions from some other university. Once you have an I20, the next step is the visa application process. You will have to fill out the DS160 application with all your personal details and university related information. Be careful while filling in the details — you do not want to make a mistake as it’s best to avoid silly and careless miss-ups. The DS160 application requires you to fill in the SEVIS ID in the lsat section of the application. So before submitting your DS160, finalize your university and enter the SEVIS ID from the I20 of the university you have finalized. On submitting the application, you’ll get a confirmation page which you need to save for further procedures. Next up is payment of the SEVIS fee of USD 350 through this website. Keep a copy of the SEVIS Fee Payment confirmation for further procedures. You can then proceed to the US TravelDocs website, select India, and follow the steps to set up an account to book your visa interview slot. Once you set up an account, you’ll need to pay USD 160. Then you get to choose a time slot and date for your biometrics (where they take your picture) and your interview on two separate days as per the availability of slots opening up on the website. If you login for more than a few (two to three) times a day, you may get blocked from the site for the next 72 hours. Getting a visa interview slot may be a little tedious but you’ll definitely get a slot sooner or later — nothing to worry about! Don’t forget to keep a copy of the visa Interview appointment confirmation letter. Join the different F1 visa WhatsApp groups created by students to get updates on the bulk opening of interview slots.
Once you book your slot, it’s time to get your documents ready for the interview. I had taken the following documents with me for my interview:
• Visa Interview Appointment confirmation letter
• Your current passport and most recently expired passport
• Print out of the DS-160 confirmation page
• SEVIS Fee Receipt
• I20 of of your finalized university
• Appointment letter and scholarship confirmation (if any) from finalized university
• Fund availability letter or bank certificate
• Bank Statement for the last 6 months
• Asset statements and Income Tax Returns (Father + Mother)
• GRE/IELTS/TOEFL Test Scores
•Transcripts/Marksheets
Please note that the visa interview officer would mostly ask only for your DS160 Confirmation, SEVIS Fee Receipt, I20, and passport. The other documents are carried in case they ask you to show any proof of funding, academic track record, etc. You can consolidate this documents in a folder and carry them with you to the interview. The visa interview would hardly last for 2–3 minutes and you do not have to panic or get tense about the same. Listen to the questions asked carefully and answer on point and try not beat around the bush. Just stay calm and speak with a clearheaded mind. I was asked the following questions:
- Which Masters’ program am I going to pursue?
- Which program did I do for my undergrads and what’s my CGPA?
- What’s my fathers’ annual income and job?
- Do I have any work experience?
If they’ve approved your visa, they’ll keep the passport and you’ll get it shipped to you or you can come and collect it (depending on what you chose while filling out the visa interview application online) within the next 5–10 days.
Brace for Takeoff ✈️
Next up is accommodation hunting! If you’re an undergraduate student, you’re likely to have accommodation set up for you within the campus by your university. On the contrary, Masters’ students usually look for off-campus housing. There are plenty of sites to look for apartments that are available for rent (I used these to look for places in NYC — StreetEasy, Apartments.com, Zillow, etc.) You can also join Facebook pages that post updates on the same and even connect with seniors to find leads. Simultaneously, book your flight tickets and get shopping — you do not want to leave it to the last minute until prices shoot up. And then, you’re good to go👍
After a journey filled with challenges and growth, you should be thrilled to stand at the precipice of a new chapter — embarking on a master’s program. The path you’ve traveled has been one of learning and perseverance, and you must eagerly embrace the opportunities that lie ahead in exciting venture that awaits you! Feel free to reach out to me at mnairmeghna@gmail.com or on my LinkedIn profile in case of any further doubts or clarifications. Wishing you the very best!
Cheers🥂
Meghna Manoj Nair