'Don't get lost in brand names'

global competencies

When Girish Ballolla moved to the US in 1992 to pursue undergraduate education, he realised the kinds of challenges a student faces while heading abroad for further studies. Right from zeroing in on the right college to finding the appropriate course to the scholarships, studying abroad posed a number of challenges to many. Keeping these problems in mind, Girish started The International Knowledge Centre (IKC), an official liaison office for foreign universities in Bengaluru in 2011, solely with the aim of providing direct and accurate information about US universities to students and their parents. IKC’s services include personal, one-on-one help with programme and university selection, guidance on necessary admission tests, assistance with application submission and many more, all at zero cost.

In a chat with Deccan Herald, Girish Ballolla, founder & CEO of IKC, sheds light on many aspects of studying abroad.

Excerpts:
Could you give us some statistics on the number of Indian students heading overseas for higher education?
The most recent Open Doors Data, which is provided by the Institute of International Education in New York, shows a significant increase in the number of Indian students studying in the US. In 2015, 1,32,888 Indian students were enrolled in US universities, which is a 29.4% increase compared to the previous year. This is due to a number of factors. Combined with increasing affluence amongst Indians and better understanding of opportunities abroad, more and more students are pursuing degrees abroad. In addition, it is important to note that an increasing number of students are pursuing undergraduate degrees abroad than before.

What kind of mistakes do students and parents make while searching for the perfect foreign university/course?
Most students and parents get lost in brand names and in rankings hype — only to find that just because an university has a recognisable brand or is featured in one of several objective rankings lists, the programme or university can not be the right fit for them — academically, culturally and financially. Every student and parent should approach the process with a set of criteria firmly established and sort the information about universities and programmes through those criteria.

On why many Indians head to the US for higher education…
*Diversity of courses offered: A student can find several hundred areas of study abroad that might suit their interests and aptitude better than in India.

*Expert faculty: Faculty who teach in the universities there usually hold terminal degrees in the fields, typically a PhD, which means that they are experts in their fields and are conducting cutting edge research in their chosen areas of expertise.
This translates to a learning environment where our Indian students are learning the latest information.

*Research and internships: The US education system is rooted in experiential learning. So, every student has an opportunity to practically apply what he or she learns in the classroom. This gives them the requisite skills to apply in their jobs when they graduate.

*Soft skills and professional skills: In addition to the academic material, critical thinking and decision-making is inculcated within every aspect of the academic experience. This provides students with an invaluable skill set when they step out into the working world.

What should every student know before applying for a foreign university?
Every student should go by some basic principles in their pursuit of overseas education. They should identify a set of criteria to help them guide through the process. This should include:
*What they want to study: what are their different areas of interest and what specialisations do they want to pursue.

*Budget constraints: how much can they reasonably afford?

*Environment they prefer: large or small student body, co-educational or single gender schools, climate etc.

*Location: big city or small town, rural or urban

*Programme strength: Not necessarily the ranking of a university but the reputation of a programme they want to study.

Financially, how should parents prepare for their kid’s foreign studies?
We recommend that parents start planning, financially and otherwise, when the student is in Class 9. This allows them to start preparing themselves and the student for completing the necessary academic requirements, taking standardised tests, and participating in extracurricular activities and of course, saving money for an overseas course. By carefully planning over a four-year period, they can avoid the shock we usually see in parents who are not fully prepared to make the investment necessary for their child’s overseas education. However, if you have not planned meticulously over the four-year period and have an imminent financial decision to make, there are several scholarships and educational loans available to help parents.