April 28th, 2008
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International students graduating from US Universities require either a valid visa like H1B or the OPT to work full-time. Those who fail to get an OPT or H1B must return to their native countries.
The H1B visa process is long and a new H1B worked can start to work on H1B status only starting October 1 of a particular year. Students complete their studies and graduate in December, or May or August or any other month depending on the schedule of the Universities or depending on their own thesis defense date. The OPT (Optional Practical Training) allows the students to work full-time from their graduation / completion date to the next October 1.
For the past many years the OPT was given for 12 months per degree level. Starting 2007 the H1B quotas got filled on day one itself resulting in many qualified applicants denied the H1B. Those who could not get H1B visa must stop working in the USA at the end of expiration of their 12 months OPT.
Due to this situation DHS on April 8, 2008 issues a interim final order to increase the OPT period by 17 months to a total of 29 months for qualifying students. The key criterion is that the degree major should be one of the STEM fields, Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics. MBA students do not qualify for the extension.
What it means to you the app2us.com user? This is good news for those applying to US Universities for Science and Engineering related programs. If you are an applicant to MS or PhD programs in the STEM list, you will hopefully get a 29 month OPT. This will give you and your employer two shots at your H1B application in two consecutive years. Even if you do not get or do not wish to get a H1B visa, in 29 months of full-time work you may be able to earn enough dollars to be able to recover the cost of your education. If you are undecided between your goal of getting an MS or MBS from a US University, please keep this factor in mind while taking a decision. Got a question? Ask the question on our forum at www.app2us.com - all guidance is free of cost.
Imporatant OPT extension related links:
NAFSA - 29-Month OPT Rule Updates
USCIS Page about OPT
DHS Interim Final Rule
Posted in Job search, Work Training OPT | 1 Comment »
April 23rd, 2008
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Having received multiple admission offers is a very happy yet confusing situation in the process of applying to US Universities. Ideally one should be able to decide easily on the basis of academic ranking and reputation. But along with academics, fees and funding become a crucial factor in decision making. There is always a dilemma to select a better ranked University or decide in favor of a lower ranked University from where you have got an assistantship. If you have not got any funding from any University, then also there could be a significant difference in the fee.
Every situation is unique and there cannot be a thumb rule or algorithm for decision making. Academic reputation should be the main criteria, because that translates into better job prospects and a better future. After you graduate with a degree, you will carry that degree and the privileges associated with it throughout your life. Nobody cares whether you got an assistantship or were self funded. If you can manage the financial situation with the help of loans, we encourage you to go for the better degree program. Sometimes the location factor becomes significant.
You should refer to as many sources as possible, because you will live with decision forever, and this may be the most important decision in your life so far. Try to talk to some current student, send a few emails. Do not overdo it, students are busy people. If you need help, come visit our forum at www.app2us.com and we will help you take an informed decision. All services at app2us.com are free.
Posted in Univ Selection | No Comments »
April 18th, 2008
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The 2009 US News Business Rankings (ranked in 2008) are now available. The premium login for $14.95 will allow you to compare schools and see extensive profiles.
Here are the top 25 Business Schools:
1 Harvard University Boston, MA
1 Stanford University Stanford, CA
3 U Penn (Wharton) Philadelphia, PA
4 MIT(Sloan) Cambridge, MA
4 Northwestern University (Kellogg) Evanston, IL
4 University of Chicago Chicago, IL
7 Dartmouth College (Tuck) Hanover, NH
7 University of California–Berkeley (Haas) Berkeley, CA
9 Columbia University New York, NY
10 New York University (Stern) New York, NY
11 UCLA (Anderson) Los Angeles, CA
12 University of Michigan–Ann Arbor (Ross) Ann Arbor, MI
13 Yale University New Haven, CT
14 Cornell University (Johnson) Ithaca, NY
14 Duke University (Fuqua) Durham, NC
14 University of Virginia (Darden) Charlottesville, VA
17 Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) Pittsburgh, PA
18 University of Texas–Austin (McCombs) Austin, TX
19 Univ of North Carolina–(Kenan-Flagler) Chapel Hill, NC
20 Indiana University–Bloomington (Kelley) Bloomington, IN
21 Univ of Southern California (Marshall) Los Angeles, CA
22 Arizona State University (Carey) Tempe, AZ
22 Georgetown University (McDonough) Washington, DC
24 Emory University (Goizueta) Atlanta, GA
25 University of Rochester (Simon) Rochester, NY
Source: www.usnews.com
Posted in MBA and GMAT, Business Education | No Comments »
April 9th, 2008
In state tuition and out of state tuition
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Private Universities have a flat fee. Public Universities offer a lower tuition fee to the residents of their own state. This lower fee is referred to as in-state tuition. Only US citizens and permanent residents who belong to that US state are eligible for in-state benefits. Residency can be acquired after living in that state for a certain amount of time, typically two years. Again international students studying on F-1 or J-1 visa cannot claim to be state residents even if they have been living there for any length of time.
The in state tuition rates are typically 30% to 50% of the out of state tuition. At some Universities international students who are working as TA/RA get to pay the in state tuition fee because they are considered to be state employees. Even the receipients of open scholarships are awarded in-state tuition. This varies from state to state. This facility is available in almost all public Universities of Texas.
Posted in US Education, Funding | No Comments »
April 3rd, 2008
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The 2009 US News Rankings are out. The online access costs US dollars 14.95. While we do not endorse the rankings or suggest that you buy the online edition, it may not be a bad investment if you can afford it. Rankings are a good starting point to shortlist the Universities. Once you shortlist a few Universities based on your academic profile, app2us.com can help you make the final selection. Visit our forum at www.app2us.com
Here are the top 20 Engineering programs:
MIT
Stanford
UC Berkeley
Georgia Tech
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Cal Tech
Carnegie Mellon
University of Southern California
Cornell
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
UC San Diego
UT Austin
Texas A&M University College Station
UCLA
Purdue
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Maryland College Park
Princeton University
UC Santa Barbara
Northwestern University
These are overall rankings of the Engineering schools, but the reputation carries over to individual programs. Employers visit Top Engineering Schools, not Top Mechanical or Chemical departments, so these rankings are of some significance. To explain this point, let us hypothetically assume that a certain engineering department at MIT is not ranked high enough. Still if you get into that department, you should take the offer because the MIT degree will give a tremendous boost to your career, who cares about the department ranking. If you are confused about how much importance should you accord to rankings, read our piece on Analysis of US University Rankings.
Posted in US Education, Admission News | No Comments »
March 30th, 2008
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Now you can get a prestigious Chicago GSB Executive MBA at Singapore. The Executive MBA is a 21 month program. The program begins in June and runs for 21 months. In each quarter 2 courses are offered and face to face classes are conducted for 2 weeks during a quarter. The faculty at Singapore comes from the main Chicago campus. The MBA degree is awarded by the University of Chicago.
Neither GRE nor GMAT is required but those with insufficient academic preparation may be asked to take GMAT. TOEFL is not normally required but you can be required to take TOEFL if you fail to demonstrate basic English proficiency.
It is not required to be a resident of Singapore for enrolment to the Singapore campus. Many students fly from other countries to attend this program. Some of the companies that recruit at the Singapore campus include GE Money, Deloitte Consulting, Lehman Brothers, Cargill, ABN Amro, Microsoft, Motorola, and many more.
Website of the Chicago GSB Executive MBA Singapore campus.
Posted in MBA and GMAT, Business Education | No Comments »
March 27th, 2008
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US Economy is headed towards a possible recession but that may bring you some good news and well. What can be better relief than a tax free 600 dollar check in the mail for a student? If you are a US taxpayer and are supposed to file your 2007 tax returns, you may be eligible for 600 dollar refund check or more! The stimulus package was signed into law by President Bush on February 13, 2008.The law provides for tax rebates to most taxpayers, and other tax incentives to stimulate business growth.
The package will provide individual taxpayers with $600 and $1,200 for married taxpayers filing joint returns if they are below income caps of $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for couples. There is also a $300 per child tax credit.
Disclaimer: This information is for general information only. Contact IRS or a Tax advisor to find out whether or not you qualify. IRS has an online payment calculator.
Posted in Money Matters | No Comments »
March 22nd, 2008
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The Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree is the degree you should seek if you are interested in becoming a practicing pharmacist in the USA. The Pharm.D. program takes four years of study. The Pharm.D. program prepares students for licensure as a pharmacist. This degree will allow you to practice pharmacy in a number of settings including in a hospital or community setting, home health care, and nursing home care. A prior bachelor’s degree is not necessary. Admission to most Pharm.D. programs is handled through a common admission process of Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) Application. Some Universities need a supplemental University specific application.
A Ph.D. in Pharmacy degree will help you pursue a research career in either an academic or pharmaceutical industry setting. Other degrees in Pharmacy include the professional Pharm.D. degree, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in the areas of Medicinal Chemistry , Pharmaceutics , Pharmacology & Toxicology, Pharmacotherapy, Pharmacy Administration and Pharmacy Practice. Very few Universities, for example the Ohio State University offer a B.S. program in Pharmaceutical Sciences.
At Oregon State University, students can start out as pre-pharmacy majors through the College of Science, or they can apply to the Early Admission Program, which admits high school seniors or college freshmen to both the pre-pharmacy and Pharm.D. programs. If you have a three year B.Sc. degree in Biology or Chemistry, check with your target Universities, you may be eligible for admission to a Pharm.D. program.
Links to some reputable Pharmacy programs:
Posted in Univ Selection, US Education | No Comments »
March 18th, 2008
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Wireless Sensors and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (WiSe MANet) Lab at the University of Memphis is doing some cool research. Dr. Santosh Kumar and his team of researchers are working in the areas of coverage, connectivity, and deployment, with emphasis on localized design, and energy efficiency.
WiSe MANet Lab is looking for an exceptional and ambitious candidate for a Two Year Postdoctoral position to work on their NIH and NSF sponsored projects. See the complete advertisement here. If you are planning to pursue M.S. or Ph.D., some funding might be available at this lab. According to Dr. Santosh Kumar, “If you believe that WiSe MANet Lab is a good match for you, send an email to Dr. Santosh Kumar with a compelling argument to support your candidacy and cite any prior performance that may support your claim.” Contact details can be found here.
Posted in Funding, Job search, Admission News | No Comments »
March 10th, 2008
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US Education system encourages students to apply for PhD programs directly after a four year undergraduate degree. If you have a good academic record and genuine interest in research, consider applying for a PhD program while still in the senior/ fourth year of your undergrad degree. PhD at a US University is an intense and intellectually stimulating experience. In the first two years the PhD students take courses like MS students. Subsequent two or three years are mostly spent doing research work.
Those who enroll in PhD programs without a Masters degree have to take more courses before they can graduate. However overall duration is shorter as compared to the time required for separate Masters and doctoral degrees. Many Universities award a M.S. degree after required coursework is completed, check the policy of your target Universities.
Companies do value a PhD degree in the hiring process and there are many research oriented jobs for which those with doctoral degree are preferred. For teaching at any reputable University in the world, PhD degree is required.
Posted in US Education | No Comments »
