In the previous episode of the Student Speak series, we covered Ashutosh Borkar’s academic journey so far, university, course and his inspiration to study abroad. In this episode, let’s dive deeper into his academic journey planning.

 

Key highlights

·       Research mechanism

o   Online research

o   Know your strengths

o   The shortlisting process

o   Believe in yourself

·       Entrance exams

 

Research mechanism

 

·       Online research: Research-backed decisions are imperative to design a well-defined plan. Therefore, Ashutosh conducted thorough desktop research to find the right university, course and destination. Interestingly, he had no plan B regarding the study destination, so he was determined to pursue his higher education in the US. He watched YouTube videos of students studying in the US, and these seniors shared their experiences to enable a seamless journey for other aspirants. In addition to this, he visited other academic aggregator websites to gather information about the US varsities and courses.

 

·       Know your strengths: As Mechanical Engineer, he shares a unique equation with equipment and likes to disassemble and reassemble every other gadget. So, he searched for courses that would enable him to use his engineering skill sets and avoided study programs that included programming languages. Hence, he chose Industrial and System Engineering for his master’s course. This highlights the fact that along with strong research, students must also know their core competencies and self-introspect to know which course will suit them the best.

 

·       The shortlisting process: Based on his course preference, he shortlisted three well-ranked universities. To check the rankings of the varsities, students can rely on platforms such as QS World University Rankings and Times Higher Education World University Rankings. To increase the chances of selection, he resolved to apply to all three educational institutions. His hard work paid off when all three universities selected him. So, to finalise the varsity, he weighed rankings, campuses, coursework, faculty members, internship and employment opportunities.

 

·       Believe in yourself: Ashutosh carried out his desktop research independently without depending on others. This prevented him from being bound by people’s opinions about courses or universities. Also, this allowed him to find all the available information under the sun to formulate the best plan. At Avanse Financial Services, we really appreciate his outlook and efforts.

 

Entrance exams

When Ashutosh applied, most US universities had waived the GRE exam. So, please check with your chosen university to know if it is mandatory to appear for GRE. Universities will rely on your academic performance, project and work experience (if any) to evaluate your profile. Furthermore, to study in the US, you have to appear for an English proficiency exam, either IELTS or TOEFL. He thoroughly prepared for IELTS and cleared it too.

 

To prepare for the IELTS exam, he referred to the study material he received when he registered for the exam. It helped him as he could practise using questions and examples mentioned in the books. Additionally, he also watched YouTube videos to be well-prepared. It is advised to start the preparation 2-3 months in advance to give your best.

 

So, in this episode, we have captured Ashutosh’s research mechanism and entrance exam. In the next episode, we will cover what study abroad students must know about Statement of Purpose (SOP), his future plans, and how his search for the perfect student loan partner directed him to Avanse Financial Services. Meanwhile, if you have any queries, please contact us, and we will gladly assist you.