With the US Embassy having opened bulk dates for scholar visa interviews; hundreds of Indian college students are getting ready to affix courses at US universities within the Fall session of 2023. Pre-departure orientations organised by completely different universities and even by the US Embassy and EducationUSA are serving to Indian college students perceive completely different elements of their academic journey to America.
“These sessions prove to be immensely beneficial. Every year, many students who either finish or are close to finishing their first year in the university write to me through social media. They are ever so grateful for all the information, the forewarnings, the life hacks, and the insight they got from attending the orientation,” says Ojas Rawal, a TV, theatre and movie actor who graduated from College of South Florida in 2008 and has carried out pre-departure orientations for US-bound college students for 18 years as a panel moderator.
He feels that the orientation periods are wider ranging and informative now than again when he had gone to review within the US. College students, mother and father and lecturers who attend orientations now are geared up with particular and helpful data on matters together with ‘last week in India;’ ‘food and clothing’; ‘entry into the US’; ‘first week on campus’; and ‘opportunities beyond the classroom’.
“Information which is specific and novel to Indian students is also dealt with such as changing universities, designated faculty advisor, visiting foreign countries during breaks, campus jobs, undergraduate research, community service hours, on-campus housing and selecting roommates, culture shock etc,” says Rawal. Easy questions comparable to ‘how do I go from the port of entry airport with my luggage to my university’ to severe ones comparable to ‘what safety measures do universities have if my daughter has to travel late at night from the library to her apartment’, are all tackled. Frequent questions that Indian college students ask embody ‘how to get an assitantship/internship on campus’, ‘what is the grading and evaluation system there’, ‘how much winterwear should I carry’, ‘how do I scout for a job after graduation’ and the notorious ‘how many bottles of mango pickle can I take’.
“Equipped with years of experience, and that too from varied streams of education, the panelists at such pre-departure orientations make the whole session very comprehensive and diverse. Be it masters or bachelors, be it public university or private university, be it a STEM field or liberal arts, each panelist brings a unique perspective to the meeting,” Rawal, who not too long ago carried out a USF pre-departure session in Mumbai, says. Severe points comparable to campus security, racism and stereotypes, medicine and alcohol, relationships and courting, psychological wellness, returning to India, and adjusting again to life in India have additionally been arising at these periods.
“We, as panelists, openly and willingly share anecdotes and experiences with the attendees. We understand that some students sitting in front of us have never even stepped foot in an airplane before. Therefore, we try to cover as many topics, answer as many questions, quell as many fears, and arm them with as much information as we possibly can,” Rawal says.
The College of Missouri-Kansas Metropolis is inviting abroad college students to affix open data periods twice per week and people who attend repeatedly study fairly a bit about UMKC, Kansas Metropolis and the encompassing area. Recommendation is shared about enjoyable issues to do and good locations to eat within the Kansas Metropolis space.
“They get to know our staff, and they learn answers to a lot of questions. This kind of interaction gives them confidence to answer a wide range of questions in the visa interview, and since they truly know who we are, they are able to demonstrate that to the visa officer,” says Julie Myer, coordinator of worldwide admissions at UMKC.
A number of ideas are additionally shared in regards to the visa interview. “Many times students feel that if the visa officer asks about something, that means there is a problem.
There is not necessarily a problem. The visa officer wants to know if you really understand where you are going and if it is a good fit. If the visa officer asks why, you are doing something, just be confident that you know why,” Myer says. Basic recommendation about campus jobs, housing, medical care and insurance coverage, primary educational points and completely different assets on campus can be shared.
Shishir Kumar Upadhyaya, principal adviser, strategic and international initiatives, College of Southern California, India, feels that after acquiring the visa, it’s important for college kids to maintain all required paperwork, together with digital copies, authentic paperwork, and photocopies, in a safe method. College students must also full all college necessities comparable to importing immunization data, enrolling in related programs, and following their college’s medical insurance coverage necessities. “Students should attend a pre-departure session hosted by EducationUSA, secure suitable student housing, establish connections with current students in their university and programme, familiarise themselves with requirements at their port of entry, ensure they have enough cash and traveller’s checks to cover one month’s expenses as wire transfers may take time, arrange transportation from the airport to university housing, and register to attend university orientation programmes,” says Upadhyaya.
Guidelines for college kids going to review within the US
Supply: College of Southern California; College of South Florida and College of Missouri-Kansas Metropolis
Most universities present a pre-arrival guidelines that has loads of data to assist college students put together properly for arrival; data from the college needs to be learn rigorously
College social media accounts needs to be adopted to study extra in regards to the college’s tradition and discover out about assets which are out there. In addition to the principle college social media, particular departments and even scholar organisations needs to be adopted
You will need to discover out about transportation from the airport and prepare housing, particularly for the primary few nights
College students ought to arrive as early as attainable to get settled in, do all the required duties, alter to the time zone and begin changing into conversant in the setting earlier than courses begin
College students ought to familiarise themselves with vital ideas comparable to plagiarism and educational integrity
The visa officers need to know if the scholar has a transparent understanding of their plan and will need to perceive the place the scholar goes and if it’s a good match
College students have to have a transparent plan in thoughts and shouldn’t memorise solutions prematurely for the visa interview