Says Akshay Govind Dixit, an economics major graduating from Presidency College this year, "I'm going to the Yale University with a course in MSc international and developmental economics for my postgraduation. While few may consider an outstanding grade point average and GRE scores to be the only criterion for applying to universities abroad, Akshay breaks a few myths by talking about his preparation. "My preparation was multi-faceted. I browsed through a few GRE books for a month, spent four days preparing for the IELTS and interned with the Financial Express in 2011 and the RBI in 2012. I also wrote my own personal statement, resume and contacted my teachers for recommendations."
Given that the programme has a strong development and policy focus, his job options are likely to pertain to developmental agencies, think-tanks, international and governmental organisations that offer global exposure and secures a high-paying job. "It is hard to pass an equivocal statement about the prospect and each individual's case can yield a different optimal result. My other options were Columbia University, UC Santa Barbara and University of California, Los Angeles. "Judging by the plethora of multifarious disciplines and superior faculty, studying abroad is definitely a better bet for students who aim high. Echoing similar sentiments, Dolonchapa Chakrabarti, who has completed her Master's in applied biology from Bangalore University, has enrolled for her doctorate programme in the State University of New York (SUNY), the largest comprehensive system of universities in the United States. After going through the usual drill of clearing her GRE and TOEFL examinations for studying abroad, and securing an 8-point GPA in her college, Dolanchapa says, "There isn't any formulaic method for preparing for a scholarship. It depends on the university you are applying to and the stream you have selected. If you have a convincing CV and a record of co-curricular activities, you are good to go." As biology is a broad discipline, applied biology could be dubbed as more commercially viable as the government invests more in research and industry than in the other fields. Hence, chalking out your job prospects becomes easier. "SUNY offers state-of-the-art technology for research, more developed than the Indian universities. If you are looking for high-end jobs and a better future in applied biology, with better exposure, overseas education is what you're looking for," claims Dolanchapa.