My life as a student at Texas Tech University

Srinivasa R. shares his experience at Texas Tech University.

Q :- You have been one of those highly respected lot of students who have been doing higher studies at Texas Tech University how does it feel to be at Texas Tech University USA?
A :- It is very nice as here we gain more practical exposure.

Q :- Please tell us about which course you are studying and why did you choose that course?
A :- Master of Science in Civil Engineering, I chose this course as I did my bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and I am interested in this field and also to know more about the buildings, the earthquakes and the winds etc.

Q :- Why did you choose the USA for higher education?
A :- I chose USA first of all because I got a scholarship here and I got an assistance ship where I became a part of the staff of Texas Tech University and I got the chance of doing research with the professors. The tuition fee was nominal. I was mainly interested in practical and research. I have got a very good scope here to work with the professors. Here we have lot of choice to select the course that fits into our interest.

Q :- How is Texas Tech University different than any other USA University based on whatever you have heard from your friends about
A :- It is different because in other university, they mainly have civil engineering and suction engineering however here in Texas Tech University they also have Wind Engineering field.

Q :- Are you happy with your decision?
A :- Yes I am very much happy with my decision.

Q :- Where do you live? On-campus or off-campus and why?
A :- I live off-campus because the food that we have on-campus is totally American and I don’t like it so I stay off-campus.

Q :- How should students select the US Universities? What are the important things to look at and compare among various Universities?
A :- It varies from the interest of the student for the course that he needs to do, the resources and the funding part. Try to get the scholarship if possible, more than ranking of the University give preference to your field of interest. The location also matters because the Universities which are located in the North of USA, it is really cold over there and the students may have health problems.

Q :- What’s your advice to students who aspire to go to the USA for higher studies?
A :- It is really good to study here in USA as we can gain lot of knowledge than any other country. The scope is good however the fees are high so it is good if the student gets a scholarship for his education or an assistance ship.

Q :- Other than academics, what else did you learn from the country USA?
A :- Other than academics the USA culture is different, the professors are friendly in nature, the people out here are approachable and every one respects each other. Here we have more freedom like we can join any community, any clubs, it is not necessary that if you are from India then you can only join the Indian community rather you can join any other community also.

Q :- How are the studies in the USA different than the studies in India?
A :- Here we have more research and practical stuff than the theory part, in India it is more into theoretical aspect. Indian professors teach a problem or a lesson and goes away as he is not concerned if everyone has understood the problem or the lesson taught, however here the professors are more friendly they help us a lot and they know each and every students level of understanding and thinking on the assignments provided they also help a lot to choose the projects to guide us well. The understanding level is too high.

Q :- Is it worth spending so much money to get a degree from the USA as compared to similar degree in India with lower costs?
A :- Getting a degree from USA is worth however spending a huge amount is not that worth so try to get a good opportunity here and then plan for higher education in USA, also try to get scholarship.

Q :- What’s your advice to parents of aspiring students?
A :- Parents should try and send their child for higher studies abroad, they should not differentiate between a boy and a girl student. They should encourage the student if they are interested in doing their higher education abroad.

Q :- Key things to remember for parents and students while planning for the studies in the USA
A :- Money factor is important. Plan well because if after coming here if you did not get any scholarship, assistance ship or part time job and also after completing the course if you don’t get a job then you should be prepared to go back to India. They should think all the positive and negative terms and then plan for studies in the USA Universities.

Q :- What are the 3 important things you learnt after you entered the USA?
A :- 1) The level and the power of my thinking increased and improved a lot, 2) Dealing with different people from different cultures and countries. 3) Time management and 4) Working with lot of pressure.

Q :- What difficulties you faced to get I-20? What precautions you have taken while applying for an I-20?
A :- Financial part was the major difficulty, I had to arrange for liquid cash. Also Credila’s loan sanction letter helped me a lot.

Q :- How did you fund your higher education? Was it required for you to show sources of funds before you got your I-20? How did you deal with that challenge?
A :- I took loan from Credila and some part I managed by my own source. Yes it was required to show the sources of funds before getting the I-20, for this Credila’s loan sanction letter helped a lot to show the source of funds and even I had some own funds.

Q :- How Credila's education loans Sanction letter help you to get your I-20?
A :- It helped me to show the source of funds available through Credila for my education. It was like a financial document.

Q :- How did Credila sanction letter help you to get your visa?
A :- Credila’s sanction letter was a financial document to show the funds available and it helped to get the visa and it helped to complete the required funds.

Q :- What are your suggestions for students who don't have funds for higher education and hence can't get I-20?
A :- Credila is the best Institute which helps a lot, I got the reference of Credila through Visa consultancy and I approached Credila for educational loan and they helped a lot. Credila is the best institute which can help you for the funding required and the sanction letter before I20 as it is also useful.

Q :- What are you future plans?
A :- To complete the course and to get a job here in USA. After working for 2-3 years I will be back to India.

Q :- What are your views about the current economic environment in the USA? Has it changed anything for the students like you?
A :- The current economy is not difficult to fund for the education however yes it has affected the jobs as the companies here have restrictions and they cannot sponsor the H1B visa. It is improving slowly.

My Life at Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Arunkumar R. shares his experience as a student at Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Q :- You have been one of those highly respected lot of students who have been doing higher studies at Thunderbird School of Global Management. How does it feel to be at Thunderbird School of Global Management, USA?
A :- Before joining this course in Thunderbird School of Global Management I was working for 5-6 years with Indian companies so in the beginning I needed to cope up with the new study pattern, how the grading system works? As I think in Indian way and the study pattern in India however now as time went on I got used to it I am feeling very good about it. I faced difficulties in the beginning however now its fine and worth it.

Q :- Please tell us about which courses you are studying and why did you choose that course?
A :- I am doing MBA-International Business (finance). I chose this course because I am mainly interested in finance field and also due to the financial market in USA, every company has different franchise in other countries and it will be really helpful for me to understand the financial market of different countries.

Q :- Why did you choose the USA for higher education?
A :- I chose USA for higher education because out of fortune 500 companies there are almost 400 companies in USA, there are substantial number of companies in USA also due to the latest technologies, knowledge and the functionality.

Q :- How is Thunderbird School of Global Management different than any other USA University based on whatever you have heard from your friends about?
A :- Thunderbird school of Global Management is unique in terms of the international business (foreign trade) as it is the pioneers of the International Business, also students from 50 different countries studies here. It is a small school however with unique professors who worked in more than one country. It has flexible program than other universities.

Q :- Are you happy with your decision?
A :- Yes I am happy and satisfied with my decision to pursue my education at Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Q :- Where do you eat? Do you cook yourself?
A :- I live on-campus hence we have common dining and once in a week they have Indian food, I even bought a microwave just to prepare some food by my own like rice, etc.

Q :- Where do you live? On-campus or off-campus and why?
A :- I live on-campus because I get to know and to interact with different students by being with them also it is relatively safe to live in campus.

Q :- Please share some of your experiences of the USA for aspiring students
A :- The study pattern is totally different out in USA as we have to prepare ourselves and lot of group studies and activities are required. In USA the main factor is self-education and group education.

Q :- What’s your advice to students who aspire to go to the USA for higher studies?
A :- USA is not dream destination any more like it used to be. The students should think and compare the courses and universities that they are planning to pursue the education from. They should be prepared to go back to India if they don't get any job in USA. They should understand and adopt the USA culture.

Q :- Other than academics, what else did you learn from the country USA?
A :- In the beginning networking was missing, as this is the main thing which is important because we have to do networking and we have to interact with colleagues, friends, students, professors and it has tremendous importance for getting job. We have to approach people; we have to opt the etiquettes of the people in USA and also their accent. If we lack networking then there are limited chances of getting job cause in USA, a student with 3.2 GPA can overtake a student who scored 4.2 GPA by extra qualities and extracurricular activities.

Q :- How are the studies in the USA different than the studies in India?
A :- Self education is the main difference. In India professors teach each and everything however in USA sometimes the students have to study and prepare themselves before the professors do. They won't just look at the marks; they want us to understand ourselves that we study. In India we can copy a project work from net or from book however in USA it is all about Team work.

Q :- Is it worth spending so much money to get a degree from the USA as compared to similar degree in India with lower costs?
A :- It depends on the student’s decision on which course and university he is planning to go as they have to decide after comparing the same with other universities, for me it is definitely worth because it has a long term benefits.

Q :- What’s your advice to parents of aspiring students?
A :- Parents should know that it is a different country with different culture, they should understand the same also. They should learn to operate computers and webcams so that they can interact and can be in touch with the students (i.e. their children). They should first enquire about the location, the university. They should see if they have some relatives or some friends in USA so that it will be helpful for them. Also they should know about the transport in USA as the transport in every location is not that good, compared to what they have in the major locations for this they should even know the alternative.

Q :- Key things to remember for parents and students while planning for the studies in the USA
A :- Finance is the major part; they should have good back up because if there is no scholarship or the student does not get any part time course then they should have the right back up to fund the student for education. A perfect planning is required as the job market in USA is not that attractive as it was earlier as the student might have to get back to India. The student should think if he is able to cook food, if yes then he has to get the required utensils. For the transportation he needs to get a bicycle or if he drives then he need to be trained as it is a right hand drive country.

Q :- What are you future plans?
A :- After completing the course I will be here in USA for at least 2-3 years to get the investment back after that I am planning to go to Hong Kong or Singapore which is my dream destination, I am even ready to work in India for sure.

Q :- How did you fund your higher education?
A :- Credila helped me to fund my higher education.

Q :- Why did you choose Credila?
A :- Loan procedures are very easy. I even tried for loan with other nationalize banks however they have fluctuating process also it is frustrating process, with Credila in terms of funding it is very comfortable and I even had a word with one of the representative few days back for another tranche. Credila also has someone who works in USA i.e. at Wisconsin so it is comfortable.

Q :- If Credila arranges a chat session with you for prospective students sometime in the future; will you be available for the chat on Credila’s expert chat session?
A :- I am ready only for voice chats which won't take much time rather than the web chats; it is a great thing that Credila is doing which can help the students for their decision.

Q :- Any other advice to students and parents?
A :- Plan well in advance because it is a big investment speak to different students, professors and then take the decision. As I did the same before deciding, I spoke with different students in Thunderbird school of Global Management.

Q :- Any other references you can give us who can answer similar interviews?
A :- Yes, some of my friends are in India at present after confirming with them I can refer them to you. It is very good thing that Credila is doing as it will help the students and the parents to decide well on the higher education part.

My life as a student at Carnegie Mellon University:

Ankit K. shares his experience at Carnegie Mellon University.

Q :- You have been one of those highly respected lot of students who have been doing higher studies at Carnegie Mellon University.How does it feel to be at Carnegie Mellon University, USA?
A :- Achieving what you have aim for is always satisfying and pleasing. CMU was one of my dream universities and I am glad that I got a chance to experience the amazing learning environment at CMU. Overall,I am realizing my dream and its worth. The University is very vibrant with students all across the globe. It gives an incredible opportunity to all students to do what they really want to do.

Q :- Please tell us about which courses you are studying and why did you choose that course?
A :- I am currently a graduate student at CMU pursuing Masters in Information Systems and Management (MISM). I did my under graduation in Computer Science and worked in IBM for 3 years as Software Engineer. I was always passionate about information field and at the same time wanted to work as a Consultant. MISM at CMU is an ideal program which matched my skills set and requirements.
I have taken courses relevant to data mining, finance and management. It’s a unique opportunity to learn about almost everything I dreamt of.

Q :- Why did you choose the USA for higher education?
A :- It was a straight forward decision for me. If not India, then USA was the only place which I could have thought of. As per my knowledge, the education from US is valued the most and the returns are way too high compared to the cost incurred. And, I am not at all disappointed with my decision.

Q :- How is Carnegie Mellon University different than any other USA University based on whatever you have heard from your friends about?
A :- CMU is a very small university compared to many other universities across USA. The sports facilities are less, but whatever they have is of world class quality. In-campus job opportunities are very less. These are the only negative things that I have heard of. But, when a student is coming here for education, does the other small factors really matter? I do not think so.

Q :- Are you happy with your decision?
A :- Oh yes absolutely. There is no second thought in my mind as of now. It has been a pleasure to be a part of such an institution. I am enjoying each and every moment during my stay at CMU.

Q :- Where do you eat? Do you cook yourself?
A :- At the start of my semester, I mostly ate outside. There are lots of Indian food outlets in Pittsburgh. Also, there are Indian outlets within the University and a meal in the University cost $5 only.
But, as the days passed by, I started cooking also. You name a food item and you can get that in Indian stores. Being a vegetarian, I prefer eating at Indian outlets and cooking at home. I do visit places like Subway, Quiznos and some Chinese eateries.

Q :- Where do you live? On-campus or off-campus and why?
A :- I live off-campus. The University does not provide any accommodation facilities for graduate students.

Q :- Please share some of your experiences of the USA for aspiring students
A :- The best part of the education in USA is its flexibility. A student can take whichever course he/she wants across any department. In short, you can create your own degree. Learning opportunity always knocks your door here. One can always work in their interests and build their competency level. No one will stop you here.
For example, I love photography and am planning to take a course next fall. No one will ask any question and that’s the beauty of this place.

Q :- What’s your advice to students who aspire to go to the USA for higher studies?
A :- The key is to have patience and doing lots of research. Do not go with the ranking of the Universities, but with the ranking of the course that they offer. If you are fully aware of what you want to do, then have a look at the course content of each university. Not all universities have the same courses content for a particular degree. For Indians, high score in GMAT/GRE is desirable if you are looking for financial aid and also admission. Tons of applications come from India.

Q :- Other than academics, what else did you learn from the country USA?
A :- The cross culture experience is worth mentioning. There are students from almost 30 plus countries in my department. When it comes to this country, one thing is for certain; you will become much more independent. There won’t be any maid for you to cook or to clean the house and on top of that there will be assignments, exams and deadlines. Time management is the key in this country and people are much disciplined when it comes to punctuality.

Q :- How are the studies in the USA different than the studies in India?
A :- Oh, very different. As I see, there is no comparison. It is not about the course content, but it’s about the flexibility. I study what I want to, though there are some core courses which one needs to do. But, enough slots to fill in with the subject of your choice. Professors are world class and an interested student can do research on any field of his/her interest. Professors are always available and there will be enough audience and support staff for any ideas/problems a student might have.

Q :- Is it worth spending so much money to get a degree from the USA as compared to similar degree in India with lower costs?
A :- This is a very tricky question and the response will vary from individual to individual. For me it was a straight forward decision as the course which I wanted to take was not offered in any universities in India. But, if there is a match, then I will go for the brand name. Mostly this will be my last level of education and considering this I would like to study at the best place.

Q :- What’s your advice to parents of aspiring students?
A :- This is the most difficult situation a student faces during academia and parents should motivate their kids at this juncture. There will be many problems like financial, emotional attachment etc, but, a good thought process is required from their part and a rational decision should be made.

Q :- What are your future plan?
A :- I am planning to get into consulting domain in Information Technology field. After a few years of work, I would like to return to my mother land.

Q :- How did you fund your higher education?
A :- I took a loan from Credila which covered my first 2 semester fees. I will be doing internship during summers which will take care of my final semester.

Q :- Why did you choose Credila?
A :- I didn’t have any other choice. All the banks shut their doors for me. I went to many funding organization within and outside my community, but in vain. Finally I got to know about Credila. In the beginning it didn’t work out as my property was under Gram Panchayat. But later, Credila called me back and shown their willingness to fund me. The same property was used, but Credila went out of its way to get my work done. The best part is the interest rate of the loan which was highly competitive and was even better than many private banks.

Q :- If Credila arranges a chat session with you for prospective students sometime in the future, will you be available for the chat on Credila’s expert chat session?
A :- Yes,sure.

Q :- Any other references you can give us who can answer similar interviews?
A :- I do not know anyone personally who have taken a loan from Credila.

My Life at University of East Anglia

Rachael M. shares her experience at University of East Anglia.

Q :- You have been one of those highly respected lot of students who have been doing higher studies at University Of East Anglia how does it feel to be at University of East Anglia UK?
A :- It feels nice as this is a good university which is ranked 2nd for the course that I am pursuing i.e. MS in climate change and international development. Also there is no course similar to this or even close to this course in India.

Q :- Please tell us about which course you are studying and why did you choose that course?
A :- I am doing my MS in climate change and international development. I chose this course as I have already done my MS in social work and I am mainly interested in economic development.

Q :- Why did you choose the UK for higher education?
A :- I chose UK for my higher education because this is one of the best course that I am doing and this is only available in UK.

Q :- How is University Of East Anglia different than any other UK University based on whatever you have heard from your friends about?
A :- It is a very good university with high teaching standards which prepares the student very well, also when I first came here I have to relearn everything starting from the study pattern. The University of East Anglia is ranked 2nd for the course that I am doing. Excellent teaching faculty and then there is a Tyndall centre for climate change research, excellent network and research.

Q :- Are you happy with your decision?
A :- Yes I am happy with my decision as this is one of the best course that I am pursuing.

Q :- Where do you eat? Do you cook yourself?
A :- I cook food at my own, as I live off campus.

Q :- Where do you live? On-campus or off-campus and why?
A :- I live off-campus as this is cheap as I share the room and rent.

Q :- Please share some of your experiences of the UK for aspiring students
A :- It’s a completely different experience the people in India have cohesive culture where as in UK there are not many people and this is one thing that Indian students will be surprised of. The people in UK take much time to gel in or mingle with other people. The standard of cleanliness, ethics are very high.

Q :- What’s your advice to students who aspire to go to the UK for higher studies?
A :- Adequate finance is required; there are no jobs, a not even part time job sometimes as there is a tough fight and competition between the British students and overseas students. In India there is not much support from the Government and the banks given to students. India should come up with good institutes. Here you can find huge bulk of Chinese students because they get scholarships even though they don’t have excellent academics.

Q :- Other than academics, what else did you learn from the country UK?
A :- I can’t say much at present as I have just completed 3 months in UK.

Q :- How are the studies in the UK different than the studies in India?
A :- In UK they don’t spoon feed as you have to understand the matter that you are studying , here they have excellent teaching faculty. They won’t provide you any materials to study on however they will just give you some references and you have to take out the information to study by your own. Teaching standards are very high as compared to the studies in India.

Q :- Is it worth spending so much money to get a degree from the UK as compared to similar degree in India with lower costs?
A :- Yes,it is worth spending so much money to get a degree from the UK for me because we don’t have such courses in India.

Q :- What’s your advice to parents of aspiring students?
A :- My advice to parents are they should not sent their children abroad for normal courses like MBA as for such courses we have good universities and colleges in India too. If the student is planning for some course that is not there is India or if they are planning for any other higher studies then they can however the students should be matured enough to understand and to learn their cultures. The parents should think about the financial part too.

Q :- Key things to remember for parents and students while planning for the studies in the UK
A :- Same as answered in the above questions.

Q :- What are you future plans?
A :- I will be doing job in UK or any other countries in the development sector and then I will work with the ministry of environment in India.

Q :- How did you fund your higher education?
A :- Entirely from Credila.

Q :- Why did you choose Credila?
A :- Credila was my last option which was referred to me by one of my friend as all the banks decision exhausted. Also the main thing is the age limit I am above certain age that it was difficult to get an educational loan from banks, the processing of the loan is very fast with Credila unlike other banks which is one of the main thing what I liked.

Q :- If Credila arranges a chat session with you for prospective students sometime in the future,will you be available for the chat on Credila’s expert chat session?
A :- Yes.

Q :- Any other references you can give us who can answer similar interviews?
A :- Yes, I will provide some references however they have not taken loan from Credila they have taken the loan from banks.I will mail you their references.

My Life at The State University of New York, Buffalo

Suraj T. shares his experience as a student at The State University of New York, Buffalo.

Q :- Please tell us about which course you are studying and why did you choose that course?
A :- I had opted for the MS course and am presently doing MS in computer science and engineering. I chose this course for my passion.

Q :- Why did you choose the USA for higher education?
A :- USA is one of the best places to study. The education system here is more practical and at the same time very demanding. This is good for us as this lets us learn more in short duration of time. Also the researches in US universities are very good.

Q :- Why is the degree offered by your University is better than other Universities in the USA?
A :- The Degree offered by SUNY Buffalo is much better when compared to several other universities. This is because; SUNY Buffalo is one of the best known universities in the department of computer science and engineering in the US. The university offers a lot of research opportunities and also the courses taught here are job oriented.

Q :- Are you happy with your decision?
A :- Yes, I am Happy with my decision

Q :- Where do you eat? Do you cook yourself?
A :- I cook my own food and eat. Seldom have we gone out to have food. But that is only once in a month or so.

Q :- Where do you live? On-campus or off-campus and why?
A :- I live off-campus. This is for two reasons. One is that the cost of living is much cheaper when compared to on campus stay and the other is the presence of more Indian students in these areas.

Q :- Please share some of your experiences of the USA for aspiring students
A :- USA for education is one of the best places, especially for advanced degrees like MS. However, it is important to have a proper mindset before one reaches here. We need to be ready to struggle for sometime since this system of education will take some time for us to adapt, though school systems like the KV could provide some sneak peek into the American education system.

Q :- What’s your advice to students who aspire to go to the USA for higher studies?
A :- Be ready to face anything and be ready to work hard. Also every thing has to be done by oneself here and one will become a good manager or a multitasked if he comes here for higher studies.

Q :- Other than academics, what else did you learn from the country USA?
A :- A lot, from cooking to managing bank accounts. This is because all of these things which were either taken care by mom or dad are now to be taken care by ourselves.

Q :- How are the studies in the USA different than the studies in India?
A :- They are pretty much the same in terms of the content. However the mode of delivery is completely different. Here classes are less (typically 2 hrs of classes per day) and there are more homework’s and projects

Q :- How did you fund your higher education?
A :- All my funding is done by Credila

Q :- Why did you choose Credila?
A :- Credila is one of the best financial agencies I have ever known. It is more of a human organization than just an agency. I had checked for loans with many banks including almost all the nationalized banks in Chennai. Not a single bank was concerned about the students. They were only concerned about the collateral the interest repayment. It is only in papers that the banks give education loans without collateral. They actually do not. Most of the banks are either reluctant or are lazy. But Credila is one agency that understands the real needs of students. They don’t "harass" students like the other banks do. The employees are really worth a special mention. I took the loan from the Chennai branch. The employees there were very kind and extremely responsive. This is one agency for which I have praises that can run into pages.

My life as a student at Oklahoma State University

Kalpak K. shares his experience at Oklahoma State University.

Q :- You have been one of those highly respected lot of students who have been doing higher studies at Oklahoma State University How does it feel to be at Oklahoma State University USA?
A :- It feels good. Never felt that it was a bad decision coming here.

Q :- Please tell us about which course you are studying and why did you choose that course?
A :- I'm doing Master's in Industrial Engineering and Management. I felt it as a good option to top up over my bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. Basically, it’s an intermediate option for a Master's course in Business and Engineering.

Q :- Why did you choose the USA for higher education?
A :- Higher standards of education provided in best of the campuses, affordable. Flexibility in choosing the courses when you learn.

Q :- How is Oklahoma State University different than any other USA University based on whatever you have heard from your friends about?
A :- The courses are more flexible than anywhere else. Campus jobs are available in plenty and earning for your living is quite easy.

Q :- Are you happy with your decision?
A :- Yes

Q :- Where do you eat? Do you cook yourself?
A :- Dinner we cook at home. Basically we all are Indian Flat mates. And we have arranged cooking turns. So there is some or the other person cooking dinner everyday. Lunch we mostly have in dining halls in the university.

Q :- Where do you live? On-campus or off-campus and why?
A :- Off-campus. These apartments are closer to my department and class locations compared to On-campus housing. Costs are almost the same.

Q :- Please share some of your experiences of the USA for aspiring students
A :- It’s a bit difficult getting used to the academic system here. Once you get used to it, everything is easy and manageable. Other thing is that don't worry about financing your education. You may stand a chance of getting an assistantship in later semesters, the funding of which will be sufficient to pay your fees as well as your living expenses.

Q :- What’s your advice to students who aspire to go to the USA for higher studies?
A :- If you aspire, don't look back. Go for your ideal option considering your budget and your needs.

Q :- Other than academics, what else did you learn from the country USA?
A :- The professional culture. These people know to handle their responsibilities very well. And people here respect and trust each other. This was quite unexpected when I came here.

Q :- How are the studies in the USA different than the studies in India?
A :- The courses are flexible. Everything taught is practical oriented. Less stress on mugging up.

Q :- Is it worth spending so much money to get a degree from the USA as compared to similar degree in India with lower costs?
A :- I am neutral on this question. Getting a post graduate degree from IITs or other comparable institute in India would be a better option but not any other college or university in India. What you have extra after completing a degree here is the international exposures which will help your career go global in the period to come.

Q :- What’s your advice to parents of aspiring students?
A :- If finance is the only problem in making a decision, leave that to institutes like Credila and move on with the plan. Earnings from job after graduation for only 6 months may be sufficient to pay of the loans.

Q :- Key things to remember for parents and students while planning for the studies in the USA
A :- Consider not only rankings but other factors like your interest in the available field and also the courses that interest you. Don't think that you will be alone here amidst the Americans here. There will be many Indians around and many seniors to help you out to settle.

Q :- What are your future plans?
A :- I'll try to get a job. Maybe work for 2 years or so. And then move on with some kind of business in India.

Q :- How did you fund your higher education?
A :- Credila helped me.

Q :- Why did you choose Credila?
A :- They passed my loan with minimum hassles. The procedure was quick, which was more important than anything else. I did some online research and found Credila trustworthy.

Q :- If Credila arranges a chat session with you for prospective students sometime in the future, will you be available for the chat on Credila’s expert chat session?
A :- Sure. That would be my pleasure.

Q :- Any other advice to students and parents?
A :- Hmmmm.... Not many. But feel free to contact me if you need any help.

Q :- Any other references you can give us who can answer similar interviews?
A :- No.

My Life at Oklahoma State University

Krishnan L. shares his experience at Oklahoma State University.

Q :- You have been one of those highly respected lot of students who have been doing higher studies at Oklahoma State University? How does it feel to be at Oklahoma State University USA?
A :- It feels very good to be at Oklahoma State University. It is a premier institute in U.S.A and funded by the Oklahoma Government and is widely respected in U.S.A for chemical and mechanical engineering.

Q :- Please tell us about which course you are studying and why did you choose that course?
A :- Masters in Chemical Engineering (MS). Now I have research assistantship and working in Polymers Science research. I chose this course since it is my ambition to be a Chemical Engineer and US is a heaven for chemical engineering.

Q :- Why did you choose the U.S.A for higher education?
A :- U.S.A is the heaven for chemical engineering. Also it is a land of opportunities and presents opportunities in chemical engineering.

Q :- How is Oklahoma State University different than any other USA University based on whatever you have heard from your friends about?
A :- I found Oklahoma State University (OSU) to be better than many universities in USA like Lamar, University of Louisiana Lafayette etc. This was the best admit that I received out of the nine universities I had applied for.

Q :- Are you happy with your decision?
A :- Extremely happy with the decision and also happy for choosing Credila.

Q :- Where do you eat? Do you cook yourself?
A :- I cook food and have become a good cook. I believe people in Mumbai are generally good at cooking since they get to eat good food at home and outside. Also there are some Indian restaurants where I and my friends go once in a while but it is expensive to have Indian food. Sometimes we go to Indian Hindu temples which offer Indian food at very cheap rates and sometimes for free and it is very tasty.

Q :- Where do you live? On-campus or off-campus and why?
A :- I stay off-campus with three other friends and it is at a 5 minute walk from the college campus. I chose off-campus because it is cheaper than on-campus housing. But is also advisable to take housing near the campus and not as far as 2 km from the campus as it is dangerous. There is more police patrolling near the campus vicinity and not far from the campus since it is done by campus police.

Q :- Please share some of your experiences of the USA for aspiring students
A :- For all aspiring students I would advise that it is important to pursue the dream incessantly. It is more important to have the dream and not do it half heartedly.

Q :- What’s your advice to students who aspire to go to the USA for higher studies?
A :- The life in USA is nothing different from that in India and one should not forget that life as a student is challenging since the education system here is different and it is important to not losing focus in the comforts and luxury of USA.

Q :- Other than academics, what else did you learn from the country USA?
A :- I learnt that USA also has culture just like India and give more importance to family just like Indians. Also they have a beautiful landscape but the climate is a little harsh.

Q :- How are the studies in the USA different than the studies in India?
A :- Very different. It is more rigorous than India in a way since they take Homework and exams more seriously than we do. Also the marking scheme is GPA (Grade Point Average) which means that even if you have a good score but your ranking in the class is bad then the GPA goes low. This affects the career in turn.

Q :- Is it worth spending so much money to get a degree from the USA as compared to similar degree in India with lower costs?
A :- It is always worth spending money to get a degree from USA since it is highly recognized all over the world. One of the main ambitions of pursuing education is to seek a multiplication factor in the salary one would obtain.

Q :- What’s your advice to parents of aspiring students?
A :- It is more important to understand the dream of the child and the most important is with systematic planning anyone can pursue US Education. It is not only for the rich and affluent but also for the Middle Class people.

Q :- Key things to remember for parents and students while planning for the studies in the USA
A :- Financial planning is most important. Visa interview preparation and documents needed for the same are also very important.
Also the key is to talk to a lot of students here in USA. I think students here in USA feel honored when they receive call from their friends or talk to people online and do the best help (at least I and my friends do).

Q :- What are you future plans?
A :- My immediate plan after completion of my degree is to work in a chemical enggineering firm in USA for a few years. I plan to return to India after I have achieved my goals here in academics, work wise and also monetarily.

Q :- How did you fund your higher education?
A :- I took the entire loan amount from Credila. I was sanctioned an amountt of Rs.20Lakhs. I have chosen to take partial amount with me to fund for the first and second semester and initial living. Initially while I came I was a non funded student without any scholarship. But now I have Research Assistantship and it pays me enough money so I am able to fund myself comfortably.
As far as the EMI of the loan my father is paying, it also my mother contributes to the income since she is also self employed.

Q :- Why did you choose Credila?
A :- I met Credila in an Education expo at Goregaon years ago when I was doing my graduation. I always had this dream of pursuing US education. I started working so that I can save some money to be comfortable financially and try to add something in the contribution towards my education expenses apart from my parents.
Later when I decided that it was time to pursue US education by giving GRE I tried various PSU banks but was unhappy with their services. The bank executives were rude and were not considerate enough to understand. I then tried Credila since I had their business card which I got from them 2 yrs ago in a education expo as mentioned earlier.
I am extremely happy that I chose this decision to pursue that call and talk to Credila. They responded immediately and their Sales team explained me everything in complete detail and gave me a vision that it is possible for me to pursue my dream. I give my sincerest thanks to the Credila team - especially Mr.Vijay Salvi and Mr.Prasenjeet Bhowmick (from Andheri branch). Mr.Vijay Salvi was very good at explaining and solving all my doubts and my parent’s questions. The best thing was the Credila executives were willing to spend time and gave importance to the student's dream more than anything else.

Q :- Any other advice to students and parents?
A :- Other advice is for the students to teach their parents some small but important aspects of technology. This would be like helping the parents know how to chat and use VOIP - voice over internet phone. This saves a lot of money for the parent and the child and it does not make one feel lonely. It is advisable to buy a laptop after coming here since electronic items are cheap here but it is equally important to have one at home in which the parents are also comfortable chatting.
I talk to my parent’s everyday using talk, skip and this was planned since I had bought a set of microphones and trained my parents to use it while I was in Mumbai. Now it is really beneficial since it is really cheap and we save a lot on mobile phone bills.
Other advice is on the packing of clothes and food items. If one can get food items which is allowed in the packing contrary to the MIS perceptions it helps a lot since students miss Indian food (particularly home made food items a lot).