The real big question

Studying abroad

Last Christmas, when I was flying back to India from Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to meet several students on the airplane. Most of them were heading home for winter break and were excited at the prospect of home food and 'meeting family’. Out of curiosity, I asked a beautiful young girl sitting next to me as to why she chose to study in Georgia Tech, when there were several engineering colleges in South India. “I wanted to get into one of the IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) and since I did not make it, I decided to study in the USA. Since I played tennis at state-level and had a good SAT score, they offered me quite a bit of financial aid.”
It is a known fact that getting into a good college after school means scoring near-perfect marks in your board exams. Whether you are looking to do a degree in science or commerce, the 0.1% can make or break your chances. The growing competitiveness of the Indian education system, the rising prices of technical education, and the lack of flexibility in the curriculum is resulting in a record number of students wanting to pursue their Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees abroad.
While staunch supporters of the ‘international experience’ are raving about the quality of education abroad, there are a few downsides to getting a gold-glided degree from a university abroad. Take the case of Rahuk Jaiswal, who dropped out of his Master’s program in Scotland to return home. “The weather was terrible; it was miserably cold and there were very few Indian students in my university. I felt left out of most events and honestly, I did not think my peers were intellectually challenging. At the end of the day, I took a long, hard look at what my position was and decided that rather than spend a fortune on my education abroad, I would come back home, work for a year and write the GATE exam.”
While a lot of the recognised universities abroad provide excellent curriculum and fabulous research facilities, beware of un-accredited schools. While they might claim to give you the earth and moon in their prospectus, reality might be very different.
Another factor to consider is whether you intend to work in India after your education. If you are keen on working abroad, then academic experience in the country you intend to work in is a great advantage, but if you are sure you do not want to work elsewhere, then maybe you should rethink your priorities.

Preethi Shah, who graduated with a Master’s in Communication from a second-tier university in Australia, laments, “While I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in Melbourne, I should say the degree did not add much value to my resume in India. Yes, they were excited about my international degree but what really got me my job offers was my undergraduate degree from India. Even my pay scale was fixed, similar to that of a fresh college graduate, and I thought it was very unfair as I spent so much time, effort and money getting an advanced degree. My peers who stayed back in the country hold higher positions than me, despite having weaker qualifications.”

While the top schools from every country, i.e., the Harvards and Oxfords are recognised, most of the second-tier schools are barely recognised and the degree for which you worked so hard seems redundant.

Bhargav Gopal, a high school student with exceptional grades, is applying to most of the Ivy-Leagues in the United States, as well as the National Law School (NLSIU) in Bangalore. “My first option is Harvard or Yale and I want to major in Economics and Political Science.” Despite the fact that Gopal wants to be a criminal lawyer based out of India, he still prefers to get his undergraduate degree in the United States. “I like the flexibility the curriculum offers, in India, the BA-LLB is a set track for 5 years, whereas in the US, I can do my undergraduation majoring in any subject I want and still write my LSAT to qualify for a JD. I prefer this approach because I find it more well-rounded; after all, college is where you discover your passion and despite the fact that I am 99 per cent sure I want to be a lawyer, it is always nice to have some insurance.”

For others, it is the experience and prestige which come with education abroad. Ganesh Kanna, a student from one of the many engineering colleges in interior Tamil Nadu points out, “I would like to be in a multicultural class, learn about different countries and possibly even learn a foreign language.” Kanna is interested in learning more about how management issues affect the productivity of BPOs in India. “Yes, I do want to settle down in India but the BPO industry is global in nature and I feel I will be able to benefit from an international experience.”

With so much stacked up in favour of education abroad, it seems like the obvious choice, but before you jump into the bandwagon and start filling out applications, ask yourself these questions:

*Do I have enough money to study abroad?

Not all of us have fantastic resumes which command full scholarships and for those of us who have to pay our way through college, this gets expensive. With the economy and employment situation fluctuating across the world, nothing is certain and it is important to have all your bases covered.

*Will this degree add value to my professional goals?

Yes, we all like to add a few more letters to the end of our surname but remember why you are getting the degree. Does it enable you to move higher in your professional career, migrate to another country, or simply change professions? If you don't have a clear answer to the question, maybe it is best to wait until you do.

*Which is the best place to study?

This is a question only you can answer. What is your motivation in getting the degree? Is the subject area niche and study in that area unavailable in India? What are your future goals and what kind of experience and curriculum do you need to fulfil these goals?
Once you have a clear picture of what you want to do and how you would like to go about it, weigh the pros and cons of education, both in India and abroad, before making your final decision.