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The United States is the world's most popular educational destination, attracting more than 600,000 international students in 2008. Of these, 15% were Indians, making us the largest exporters of postsecondary candidates to the nation. There are several unique characteristics that make American universities attractive to desis, including flexible curricula, diverse student bodies, and lucrative post-graduate opportunities.

A Wide Range of Options

Unlike the rigid Science-Commerce-Arts streams that the Indian system adheres to, American colleges offer flexibility across different disciplines. In fact, most programs require undergraduate students to earn credits in subjects completely unrelated to their "majors". This is especially true of Liberal Arts colleges. Some schools, in fact, allow you to create a major of your own - New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study is one such example. Also appealing are the wide range of subjects taught, from Art History and Ancient Japanese Warfare to Animation and Sanskrit. Any interest that you have - and many that you will discover - can be nurtured and developed at most US institutes.

Education you can Use

Generally speaking, an American degree is the most marketable in the world. After graduating, whether you are looking for employment here in India or in the United States, it will definitely give you an edge over other candidates. This is because, along with rigorous theoretical instruction, courses also feature a practical, "real world" component, and colleges encourage internships and on the job training as part of their curriculums. Not only does this facilitate a deeper understanding of the subject material, but also adds to resumes and helps in procurement of jobs.

Cost

The US is one of the most expensive education destinations in the world, with 4-year undergraduate programs costing $25000 to $45000 per year. Scholarships and financial aid is often available. See Page () for more. Studying in America is more expensive than most other places, but if you can afford it, or manage to earn a scholarship/loan, you'll definitely get your money's worth. Most US universities are rich (only some of this money comes from tuition - other funding streams include grants, donations, and investments), and along with superior education, also provide some very nice extra-curricular perks like huge libraries, cutting edge laboratories, and comforting security arrangements.

Ease of admission

Because of the number of Indians that apply for technology, math and science-related fields, some counsellors argue that competition you will face while applying for such programs will be stronger than that experienced by average Americans and other foreign nationals. All in all, the US has a wide variety of colleges, with some, like Princeton University and the University of California at Berkeley, ranging from the most selective in the world to those that offer virtually guaranteed admission for. Of course, the more selective the university, the more prestigious and valuable the degree will be.

Tests

Nearly all colleges require some standardised tests as part of the admissions process, including the TOEFL and the SAT. For those who have studied in an English Medium high school, TOEFL, the Test of English as a Foreign Language, is relatively simple. Those who have attended school and college in a language other than English may find it considerably harder. See page ( ) for a more information and registration information. The SAT, or Standardised Aptitude Test, is the most common test required for undergraduate admission. It is scored on 2400 and contains three sections: quantitative, critical reasoning, and a writing sample. While in the United States, students struggle most with the quantitative section, Indians typically find it much easier than the verbal component. Some institutes also require SAT II Subject Tests, which cover 11th and 12th grade-level knowledge of various subjects, like Math, Physics, Chemistry, World History, etc.

Diversity

Last year, international students accounted for 3% of the postsecondary student body in the United States. That might seem like a small number, but like previously mentioned, more international students go to the United States than any other country. Most schools, especially those with strong science and economics programs, have a vibrant international population. Schools with largest international student bodies include the University of Southern California, New York University, Columbia University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne, and Purdue University.

Four Year Programs

This is a pain point for many international students, as undergraduate programs in most places including India, the United Kingdom, and even Singapore are completed in three years. In the United States, undergraduate programs last an extra year, but are also usually much wider in their scope, and students get a more well-rounded experience. However, American undergraduate degrees can sometimes be earned in three years, either by taking Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate courses in high school (which can be translated into college credits with a sufficiently high score); by "overloading", where students take more than the prescribed number of credits every semester, and graduate early; or by attending summer school.

Future prospects

A US degree is a gateway to employment and possible residency in the United States. The nation is one of the world?s largest employers, and home to the leading companies in the world in a variety of sectors. Employment opportunities generally depend on the US economy, but are virtually guaranteed for engineers, biologists, and those in computer science and other technical fields. International students that have earned a degree from an American institute are entitled to a year of Optional Practical Training, where they can legally seek employment in the United States. This time period can be extended to 29 months for science, technology, engineering and Math (STEM) majors. For international candidates with undergraduate degrees, the American government offers 60,000 HI-B work visas every year, bulk of which are claimed by Indians. In a good economy, 60,000 can be pitifully small ? in 2008, the applications for visas exceeded three times the quota on the first day it opened. But this year, while the United States economy suffers a slowdown, visas are available three months after the quota opened.