Do you want to study in the United States? Here’s what you should and shouldn’t do

According to the Open Doors report on international educational exchanges, more than 8,000 Bangladeshi students studied in the United States in the 2020-2021 academic year.

The US State Department’s Office of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education released the report during the celebration of International Education Week (ISW) from November 15 to 19.

Bangladesh ranks 14th in the list of top sending countries for students to the United States. Previously, the position was 17th.

While the pandemic has led to a global decline in the number of international students, Bangladesh has fared relatively well as it only experienced a decline of around 2.7% from 2020.

The Business Standard has compiled information on “should and shouldn’t” for those wishing to study in the United States.

Zarif Mubassir Rahman, a Bangladeshi student studying nuclear physics at Michigan State University (MSU), will walk you through the process through his history.

Zarif comes from a national background and sat on SSC in 2014 at Dhaka Residential Model College (DRMC).

Like most of the students enrolled in the national program, her goal was to sit for admission tests at public universities in Bangladesh.

“Just before my SSC exam, one of my teachers at DRMC told me about the fully funded Youth Exchange and Studies (YES) program in the US. I applied, I was accepted and I was placed in the state of Minnesota where I attended high school, ”Zarif said.

He wanted to come back and pursue an undergraduate degree in Bangladesh, as university fees in the United States can be quite high.

But then he targeted universities with relatively lower fees so he could afford them by working.

“I attended the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse majoring in Physics in the fall of 2016. My family helped me with airline tickets and fees during the first semester, which I admit to being a privilege, ”Zarif said.

He started to work and also applied for any scholarships he could find that would allow him to continue his education.

Knowing that his preparation for undergraduate admission was not the best, he decided to start planning his doctorate early.

He contacted his professors to get undergraduate research experience in the first year.

He completed his undergraduate degree in three and a half years, in December 2019.

“During this period, I had the privilege of working with five faculty members on their research projects, one of which was during the summer of my final year at Notre Dame University in the ‘State of Indiana,’ he said.

All of these experiences have allowed Zarif to grow as a student and also to connect with many people in the field who have written good letters of recommendation for him.

During this time, he also took the regular GRE and GRE in physics and applied for graduate programs in nuclear physics.

“I was accepted into a lot of programs, but I finally decided to go to MSU because it is currently ranked the # 1 nuclear physics university in the United States,” he informed us.

He started at MSU in the fall of 2020 and is currently in his second year of his graduate studies.

Zarif’s advice for interested students

“I think one of the common mistakes many students make when applying to universities in the United States is that they don’t start early enough. my undergraduate admission, ”Zarif said.

The application process can be long and stressful, so it’s crucial that you start planning as early as possible.

Students should also set achievable goals and work against them.

“The quality of higher education in the United States is good, even at small colleges,” he shared with us, adding, “My suggestion to prospective students is that even if your dream is to attend an institution leading, don’t let that stop you from having security options, ”he said.

It is good to be open to small universities and liberal arts colleges.

Zarif said: “I went to a relatively smaller university and I have many peers who went to liberal arts colleges and I firmly believe that most of us are very happy with our degrees.”

He thinks EducationUSA Bangladesh can be a great resource for potential students.

“They can help you with your application, no matter what stage of the process you are at. There are counselors at EducationUSA who can guide you through the process based on your experience,” he said. declared.

Zarif also mentioned that EducationUSA regularly hosts education fairs where students can speak directly to representatives of many universities.

He added that they also organize a pre-departure orientation for students coming to the United States.