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Dear Madam,
I am studying in third year BPharm. I wish to pursue higher studies in a foreign university while working part-time. Are there any courses in Pharmacy other than master's? Which colleges offer such courses? How to apply for student loans?
Sahana Shanbhag
Dear Sahana,
Clinical Pharmacy, Genomic Approaches to Drug Discovery, Pharmacology and Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical Management, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Technical Pharmacy, etc., are some of the specialised programmes in the field. University of Illinois Chicago, US; University of Auckland, New Zealand; Monash University, Australia; Technical University Braunschweig, Germany; Cardiff University, UK; Karolinska University, Sweden and University of Toronto, Canada are known for the best pharma programmes.
For student loans you can approach the bank you have an account with. Apart from the regular banks you also have banks like HDFC Credila that help students finance their studies. You can also explore scholarship options in India that fund meritorious students for higher education abroad. These are: The Lore India Foundation Scholarship Trust, The Narotam Sekhsaria Scholarship for Higher Studies, Aga Khan Education Services, Inlaks Shivdasani foundation and JN Tata Endowment for Higher Education.
Dear Madam,
I have finished my bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering with a CGPA of 7.34. I got admission in four universities in the US: Western Michigan University, Wichita State University, Purdue University Northwest and University of North Texas for MS in Mechanical Engineering for Fall 2020 intake. I am interested in automobiles, robotics, self-driving cars and aviation. Kindly suggest which university I should opt for. What factors should I consider while choosing a university.
Nivedhan
Dear Nivedhan,
The factors you should consider while choosing your university are the rankings for your subject, location for internship opportunities, tuition fees, graduate assistantships, scholarships and living expenses. Lastly if you have family or friends in one of these states, choose that university. In uncertain times, it might be reassuring to have people you know around you. Pick a university that is offering on-campus classes this September. No point spending hard earned Indian money on an online programme. The whole point of going to a foreign university is to experience living in a new country and learn from being in a diverse student community.
Here’s a little additional information to help you decide between the four offers you have on hand:
Michigan is home to many automobile companies that can offer you internship and job opportunities.
Wichita is known as the ‘Air Capital of the World’ with the largest aircraft manufacturing companies.
Purdue is renowned for its Mechanical Engineering programme, beautiful campus, small class sizes and low tuition fees. There are many automotive industries in Indiana which employ Purdue students.
Texas is nationally ranked in the top ten for automotive manufacturing employment.
University of North Texas Denton is one of the largest public universities in the US.
Dear Madam,
My son completed BE Computer Science. He has a work experience of two and a half years. He wants to join an MBA course in a top university in USA in 2021. He quit his job and is preparing for GMAT. In the meantime, he wants to do some projects. With respect to Covid-19, how is the situation in the US. Is it better to do MBA in IIM in India?
A parent
Dear Parent,
MBA in IIM is as good as an MBA in one of the best US schools. In my experience, it is easier to get admission in a top US school than in the IIMs. I would like to be positive and believe the pandemic will not be a cause of concern in 2021.
For admission into an MBA programme, the more the work experience, the better. If your son chooses to do a project, his work should be published. A good GPA, GMAT score of 700 and above and a TOEFL score of over 100 will certainly get him into a good Business School.