That’s really the dream.

However, the transformation from Desi to NRI starts much before all that!

Here’s a list of 7 situations that you will encounter in your journey from India to Amreeka!

“Ticket! Ticket! Ticket!’

The incessant nagging from the grumpy bus conductor for your bus ticket is just white noise now. Why would you worry about him when you could be lost in the fantasy of travelling abroad in the company of a cheerful, friendly air hostess?

“Mom’s homemade wholesome food”

While we are all quite aware of living without the indulgent experience of home cooked meals, cooking by yourself is a different ball game altogether. What’s cumin? How many cups of water should you put before you boil rice? And for god’s sake, what’s a meat cut?

Messy kitchens, burnt maggi and undercooked chicken will become commonplace and it will be a while before you can whip up Masterchef recipes!

But hey, in our defense, maggi is also cooking only noh?

“Showing off is a rite of passage”

Flying off to the land of Beatles, Michael Jackson and Angelina Jolie is not any small feat. And who better to listen to your daydreams than your buddies? From the weather in Chicago to the beaches of Florida (and the babes of course) and excitement for cheaper Apple iPhones, the conversation is always “US this… US that”

Arre, it’s small price to pay for the endless treats they take out of you anyway right?

Need I say more?

Be honest with yourself on this one. The majority of the excitement of living in the US is the proximity and the possibility of experiencing the wildness of Vegas! (Take that, Charlie Sheen!)

But seriously, once you do get there, make this trip a part of your MS in US Bucketlist.

If you haven’t already started contemplating this seriously, trust me, you should!

After 21+ years of being accustomed to having a trusty wash partner, switching to a couple of tissue rolls after every nature’s call is definitely different if not difficult!

All the best, soldier!

“Ma, I’ll be just fine”��

Do moms ever stop worrying?

No matter where you go, be it Mumbai or Miami, your mother’s primary concern is always if you are eating right. Never mind the research paper that needs to get written, you can’t just have a bread sandwich for dinner?

Here, take an extra bottle of homemade pickle. [Because that’s the solution to everything! Jk, we love you guys!]

“The moment when it’s all so real suddenly”

Amidst all the excitement of leaving to the US, we often tend to forget that we are also leaving an entire family behind. Seeing your mom tearing up, your dad beaming and your friends carrying all your fond memories in their eyes, you realize that they are the most favourite people in the world. And, sharing this experience with them feels so good that you want to stay back, for just a moment.

The boarding announcement reminds you that your MS dreams are waiting. You strengthen your resolve to make them proud and head off to chase your happily ever after!

The post 7 Shocks of Life when you go for MS in USA appeared first on 91�ȱ� Blog.

“I miss being a student!”

If you are a working professional, you have probably thought this at least a few times. Especially when you see your juniors posting Instagram photos of their latest adventure in town. Or you see a Snapchat Story of a friend who is studying abroad, participating in the 4th of July firework show.

If you are a student, then you probably don’t realize how much you are going to miss being one.

In the race to be part of the next phase in life, many of us don’t consider what we may be giving up in order to join the working class of the society.

Is the satisfaction of receiving a paycheck truly worth it if you don’t love your job?

Even if you love your job, is it enough to just think about today and worry about tomorrow when it comes?

Speaking of tomorrow, companies like TCS, Wipro and Infosys have hinted at an overall decrease in employment. I’m talking particularly about the IT industry because it is currently the largest recruiter of engineers in India. This will have a net effect of a massive 24% decrease.

However, these companies are still strongly projecting growth for the next financial year in terms of profits and revenue.

How can this happen?

The focus has shifted from recruiting new people to optimizing existing technology and resources. This means if you are at the lower rungs of the company, you may have to consider looking at climbing up the organizational ladder.

Even if you are just stepping out of the comforts of college, there is a decline in the rate at which freshers are hired.

The IT giants that come to your campus to swoop down and grab a large chunk of students are slowly realizing that it is more expensive to recruit people, train them and THEN derive work out of them.

Automating the entire process is easier and cost-effective.

So, how do you remain competitive and relevant to your industry many years down the line?

Career counseling experts agree that the way to grow in your career is to invest your time and energy in��increasing competency and skills.

High-skilled jobs which require additional skills such as critical thinking, analysis and judgment are expected to within the next 5 years.

Learn how to build a good profile.

Whilst relevant experience is highly valued amongst recruiters, it is also important to understand that specialized knowledge cannot be overlooked. A Master’s degree will help you gain specific skills such as developing a creative outlook, reflective thinking, leadership traits etc.

While most jobs don’t require you to have a Master’s degree, having one could be the difference between doing your job and doing your job WELL. With companies looking to increase their revenues quickly, productivity and performance cannot be stressed enough.

If you are a student or a working professional, ideally NOW would be the right time to take the plunge to do higher studies.

I know what you are thinking.

“I want to earn more before I go back to college”

“I am happy where I am”

“It’s too expensive”

Let me address your concerns by listing out the advantages in pursuing a Master’s degree.

You can become a specialist in your field:

There is a demand for experts who can supervise and optimize processes within organizations, especially because companies restructuring the organization to automate a lot of routine activities.

When you have a Master’s degree in a specific field, you are valued over other candidates who have little or vague knowledge about the field they are entering. You are entrusted with more responsibility. This means that you are likely to end up in a higher position that pays also better.

You can rejuvenate a stagnant career:

If you feel uninspired in your current job and are looking to switch industries, this is the perfect move!

A Master’s degree will enable you to enter a better position at a new organization. You can still make use of the skills acquired from your previous job such as project management, problem-solving, communication etc.

If you are a mid-level professional, a Master’s degree can be the turning point in your career, especially if you feel like you are not growing in your current job.

You will earn more, for sure:

Employees with a Master’s degree have than those who only have bachelor’s degrees. This is especially true for fields such as marketing, finance etc.

With more savings, you can have a better lifestyle and a more secure future than you can imagine now.

You are fresher now than you will be 2 years later:

Learning new ideas and concepts requires a fresh mind. Getting back into the student’s mindset, especially after working 10 hours a day in a professional setting, requires some adjustment. As you grow older, this adjustment becomes harder and the ability to learn reduces significantly.

Better now than never!

You will experience new cultures:

When you go abroad to study for Master’s, you will not be treated as a student but as a peer doing research. This kind of dynamic helps you stay confident. It enables you to face a working atmosphere as a professional rather than a graduate or intern.

This is especially helpful if you are nervous about starting work right after undergraduate studies.

You can get scholarships and funding for your Master’s degree:

If you are bound by financial constraints, don’t worry. It is easier to get scholarships and financial assistance from many top universities through Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships. Different scholarships have different requirements such as merit, leadership, volunteer work and so on.

So, there you go.

A Master’s degree can unlock the door to a secure life and a fulfilling career.

Give yourself the best possible opportunity today!

Learn what 91�ȱ� can do for you.

The post Why YOU should do a Master’s degree today! appeared first on 91�ȱ� Blog.

a) Less competition: Some universities receive more applications in the Fall than in the Spring. So by applying for Spring, you are competing with fewer students for getting admits. This can substantially increase your chances of getting admits to top universities. If you’re keen on pursuing Fall admissions, it can also serve as a fallback option if your Spring admission doesn’t pan out well.

b) Availability of courses and classes: ��Some universities offer prerequisite or preliminary courses during all semesters, while others offer certain courses only during Fall season. So chances are if you apply for Spring, you might have to take up certain extra classes for covering the basics before moving on to the major subjects. By the end of the first semester, most of the students offset this lag. It is better to keep in touch with the faculty members and students or alumni of your preferred university, to know more about these scenarios.

c) Scholarships and financial assistance: Financial assistance in the form of scholarships and fellowships vary according to the season and also depends upon the university you’re applying to.��Some universities maintain the same amount of stipend across both the seasons, while others may restrict the funding to one admission season. Keep that in mind before deciding upon an admission season. Do a background check on the financial assistance criteria of the respective university. Discuss with the agencies offering scholarships and understand if they provide funds for Spring admits also.

The most popular branches that universities offer for Spring admission season are:

• • Computer Science

• • Electrical Engineering

• • Mechanical Engineering

• • Civil Engineering

• • Management Information Systems

Some universities roll out their deadlines as early as June and July. So, this is the perfect time to review them based on your preferred specialization. We present a mix of top private and public universities, offering the most sought-after courses for Spring 2017 admission season.
Get ready for a detailed review of universities. Sit back, relax, and keep a pen and paper by your side. You may want to take notes!

1) Purdue University

Purdue-University – Computer Science

• Location: West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S. (Rank: 6)
  This flagship university of the Purdue University systems offers the finest education when it comes to Computer Science. With specializations like Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Databases, Data Mining, Networking and Operating Systems, and Programming Languages and Compilers, Purdue is one of the most sought-after institutions for CS worldwide.
• Tuition fee: $29,132
• Overall acceptance rate: 21.8%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 317
• TOEFL score required (MS): 100

2) University of Southern California

University of Southern California – Computer Science

• Location: Los Angeles, California (Rank:��10)
  This private university seated in LA ranks at number 10 among universities providing Computer Science courses. Providing a deep understanding of the fundamental concepts as well as current issues in Computer Science and Engineering, USC draws huge number of post graduate students every year.
• Tuition fee: $50,210
• Overall acceptance rate: 22.8%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 314
• TOEFL score required (MS): 90

3) Cornell University

Cornell University for Computer Science

• Location: Ithaca, NY, United States (Rank:��13)
  With a motto of Universitas Cornelliana��(“I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study” –Ezra Cornell), this private Ivy League University is living up to its promise by providing one of the best Computer Science curriculum across the world. Ranking at 13, Cornell provides state-of-art R&D opportunities in the field of Artificial Intelligence, Computational Biology, Computer Architecture & VLSI, Database Systems, Human Interaction, Robotics, Security, and Systems and Networking.
• Tuition fee: $49,116
• Overall acceptance rate: 27.6%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 320
• TOEFL score required (MS): N

4) University of Maryland – College Park

University of Maryland – College Park for Computer Science

• Location:�� College Park, Maryland, United States (Rank: 23)
  This flagship institution of the University System of Maryland is known for drawing heavy research funds as high as $500 million from the likes of NASA and Department of Homeland Security. It currently ranks at 23 in our list of universities offering courses in Computer Science.
• Tuition fee: $31,144
• Overall acceptance rate: 32.5%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 315
• TOEFL score required (MS): 104

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

1) Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University for Electrical Engineering

• Location: ��Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Rank: 4)
  The merger between Carnegie Institute of Technology and Mellon Institute of Industrial Research has led this private research university to rank at 4 in a list of universities providing Electrical Engineering courses. Boasting of an alumni body comprising numerous Academy Award winners, Turing Award winners, and Tony and Emmy Award winners, CMU offers top-notch courses in the following areas: Device Sciences and Nano-Fabrication, Signals and Systems, Circuits, Computer Hardware and Software.
• Tuition fee:��$50,410
• Overall acceptance rate:��22.5%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 319
• TOEFL score required (MS): 103

2) Purdue University

Purdue University for Electrical Engineering

• Location: West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S. (Rank: 6)
  With a university rank of 6, this public university situated in Indiana offers courses in the following specializations: Automatic Control, Biomedical Imaging and Sensing, Communications, Networking, Signal & Image Processing, Power and Energy Systems, Fields and Optics, Microelectronics and Nanotechnology, VLSI and Circuit Design.
• Tuition fee: $29,132
• Overall acceptance rate: 21.8%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 317
• TOEFL score required (MS): 100

3) University of Southern California

University of Southern California for Electrical Engineering

• Location: Los Angeles, California (Rank:��10)
  Coming in at number 10, this private research university prides itself on the Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering known for research in innovative areas, e.g., biosignal processing, high speed switching architectures, nanotechnology, and quantum information processing.
• Tuition fee: $50,210
• Overall acceptance rate: 22.8%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 314
• TOEFL score required (MS): 90

4) Columbia University

Columbia University for Electrical Engineering

• Location: New York City, New York, U.S. (Rank: 14)
  This private Ivy League university is the oldest one in the state of New York. With a ranking of 14, Columbia offers the finest education when it comes to Electrical Engineering. The alumni body boasts of numerous Nobel Prize winners and Academy Award winners among other celebrated academicians and politicians.
• Tuition fee: $51,008
• Overall acceptance rate: 24.4%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 321
• TOEFL score required (MS): 103

5) North Carolina State University

North Carolina State University for Electrical Engineering

• ���dz����پ��Dz�:�� Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. (Rank:��28)
  With strong R&D facilities in specializations like Computer Architecture and Systems, Bioelectronics Engineering, Communications and Digital Signal Processing, Nanoelectronics and Photonics, Networking, Power Electronics & Power Systems, and Analog, RF, & Mixed Mode Technologies, this public research university comes in at number 28.
• Tuition fee:��$24,932
• Overall acceptance rate:��16.1%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 318
• TOEFL score required (MS): 105

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

1) Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University for Mechanical Engineering

• Location: ��Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Rank: 5)
  With R&D facilities ranging from Advanced Manufacturing and Bio-engineering to Energy, Robotics, and Product Design, this private research university comes at number 5 among universities offering Mechanical Engineering courses.
• Tuition fee:��$50,410
• Overall acceptance rate:��22.5%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 319
• TOEFL score required (MS): 103

2) Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology for Mechanical Engineering

• Location: �� Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. (Rank: 7)
  The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, the oldest ��department in the College of Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, offers specializations in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Medical Physics, Paper Science & Engineering, and Bioengineering. Georgia Tech ranks at number 7.
• Tuition fee:��$32,396
• Overall acceptance rate:��30.2%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 319
• TOEFL score required (MS): 104

3) University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign for Mechanical Engineering

• Location: �� Urbana and Champaign, Illinois, U.S. (Rank: 7)
  With R&D institutions such as the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, and the Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, UIUC ranks at number 7 in our list, tying with Georgia Tech for universities offering Mechanical Engineering courses.
• Tuition fee:��$30,786
• Overall acceptance rate:��25.3%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 320
• TOEFL score required (MS): 102

4) Cornell University

Cornell University for Mechanical Engineering

• Location: Ithaca, NY, United States (Rank: 12)
  Cornell’s Sibley School of Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace is home to numerous R&D works, from interdisciplinary projects like Dynamics, Systems, and Control to investigate problems related to space exploration and spacecraft subsystem engineering. This private Ivy League University sits at number 12 on our list of universities offering Mechanical Engineering courses.
• Tuition fee: $49,116
• Overall acceptance rate: 27.6%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 320
• TOEFL score required (MS):��77

CIVIL ENGINEERING

1) University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign for Civil Engineering

• Location: Urbana and Champaign, Illinois, U.S. (Rank: 2)
  Excelling in research areas like Construction Management, Infrastructure, Transportation Engineering, and Structural Engineering, this public university ranks 2nd on our list of universities offering Civil Engineering courses.
• Tuition fee:��$30,786
• Overall acceptance rate:��25.3%
• 91�ȱ� score required(MS): 320
• TOEFL score required(MS):��102

2) Purdue University

Purdue University for Civil Engineering

• Location: West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S. (Rank: 6)
  Purdue’s Lyles School of Civil Engineering specializes in Geomatics, Environmental, Hydraulics and Hydrology, Structure and Transport Engineering. This flagship university of the Purdue University systems, ranking 6th on our list, draws a lot of post graduate students every year.
• Tuition fee: $29,132
• Overall acceptance rate: 21.8%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 317
• TOEFL score required (MS): 100

3) Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech for Civil Engineering

• Location: Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S. (Rank: 8)
  With state-of-art R&D facilities in the field of Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Structural Engineering and Materials, this 8th ranked public university offers one of the best Civil Engineering courses around the world.
• Tuition fee:��$27,444
• Overall acceptance rate:��31.1%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 316
• TOEFL score required (MS): 102

4) Cornell University

Cornell University for Civil Engineering

• Location: Ithaca, NY, United States (Rank: 10)
  With excellent R&D opportunities galore, viz.,��Civil Infrastructure, Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Environmental and Water Resource Systems, Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology, Environmental Processes, Environmental and Water Resources Systems, Remote Sensing, and Transportation Systems Engineering, this private Ivy league university ranks at number 10.
• Tuition fee: $49,116
• Overall acceptance rate: 27.6%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 320
• TOEFL score required (MS):��77

5) Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University for Civil Engineering

• Location: ��Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Rank: 11)
  Research at Civil and Environmental Engineering department of CMU is top notch with the inclusion of ��Advanced Infrastructure Systems, Environmental Engineering and Sustainability and Science. This private research university takes the 11th place on the list of universities offering Civil Engineering, Mechanics, Materials and Computing courses.
• Tuition fee:��$50,410
• Overall acceptance rate:��22.5%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 319
• TOEFL score required (MS): 103

MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

1) Purdue University

Purdue University for Management Information Systems

• Location: West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S. (Rank: 9)
  With research emphasis on database systems, human computer interaction, knowledge management, intelligent systems, e-commerce, information goods and bundling & pricing, Purdue’s MIS course ranks at 9th.
• Tuition fee: $29,132
• Overall acceptance rate: 21.8%
• 91�ȱ� score required(MS): 317
• TOEFL score required(MS): 100

2) University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania for Management Information Systems

• Location:�� Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (Rank: 19)
  This private Ivy League Research University ranks at 19 among universities offering MS in MIS. Home to Wharton School of Business, the first collegiate business school, Upenn offers an innovative experience to students taking up MIS.
• Tuition fee:��$49,536
• Overall acceptance rate:��21%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 321
• TOEFL score required (MS): 105

3) Pennsylvania State University

Pennsylvania State University for Management Information Systems

• Location: ��University Park, Pennsylvania, United States (Rank: 25)
  Ranked at 25, Penn State offers one of the best MIS courses by merging the highly technical content of information systems with the managerial skills required. Graduates are free to choose between Information Systems in Healthcare Management and Delivery, or Information Systems in the Life Sciences.
• Tuition fee:��$31,346
• Overall acceptance rate:��24%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 316
• TOEFL score required (MS): 80

4) Drexel University

Drexel University for Management Information Systems

• Location:��Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. (Rank: 62)
  Drexel University, ranking at 62, offers students the opportunity to gain experience in the field through a practicum (similar to internship, but isn’t a part of the curriculum). The courses on MIS integrate the business and organizational aspect with technicalities to provide a clear understanding of systems engineering and human–computer interaction.
• Tuition fee:��$48,791
• Overall acceptance rate:��33%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 311
• TOEFL score required (MS):��100

5) New York University

New York University for Management Information Systems

• Location:�� New York City, U.S. (Rank: 46)
  MIS course from NYU offers a unique and well-balanced mix of business leadership and deep understanding of Information Systems. This 46th ranked private university seated in New York enables students to choose from one of these four: Database Technologies, Enterprise Risk Management, Strategy and Leadership, Systems Management.
• Tuition fee:��$46,170
• Overall acceptance rate:��33.9%
• 91�ȱ� score required (MS): 312
• TOEFL score required (MS): 97

Now that you have got an idea about how to shortlist universities based on the department and overall ranking, the acceptance rate and 91�ȱ�/TOEFL score required, you are ready for Spring 2017 admission season. Always ��remember to conduct a detailed background check on universities offering the course of your choice.

The post Spring 2018: Best Universities for Popular Courses – with 91�ȱ� score, TOEFL Score appeared first on 91�ȱ� Blog.