The US higher education system is much more open and interactive, allowing students to engage with the content as well as their peers. American universities provide bachelors or undergraduate degrees, the course work of which usually lasts for four years unlike those of most European and Asian countries. However, it is possible for students to collect the required amount of credits and complete their degree earlier than the prescribed duration.
Post-secondary education in the USA can be in the following forms:
| Vocational Training |
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| Associate Degree |
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| Postgraduate Diploma/Certificate |
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| Bachelor’s degree |
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| Master’s degree |
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| Doctorate/PhD |
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For postgraduate or Master degrees, many American academic institutions require a minimum of 16 years of education. Master degrees are one or two years long, depending on the subject matter. To gain admission to study a graduate program in the USA requires the GRE (Graduate Record Examination). Certain Master programs require specific tests such as the LSAT for law school, the GRE or GMAT for business school or the MCAT for medical school. A majority of Master programs include a long research paper called a “Master’s thesis” or complete a “Master’s project” in the last few weeks of the course. Some selected programs may opt for an internship in place, providing students with practical experience in the industry.
The Master’s degree is considered the first step towards earning a PhD (doctorate). However, some schools allow students to prepare for a doctorate without a Master’s degree. For international students, it may take more than 5 years to earn their PhD. Students who have a Master’s degree in the appropriate subject may complete their doctorate sooner.
The 3 Big Advantages of the American Education System:
1. Students from a variety of different cultural backgrounds, regions, ethnicities and environments allowing them to interact with and learn from a diversified community.
2. Most American universities are globally recognised and ranked among the highest in the world.
3. America promotes a liberal education system that allows students to study diverse subjects that they are interested in before they decide the subject they want to major in.
Most popular courses in the USA:
University experiences in the United States are as lively and interactive as you’ve often been told. Living in a dormitory, participating in academic and sports tournaments, joining multiple clubs and meeting people from diverse backgrounds are just a few highlights. Colleges in the USA create a sense of unity among the students, who celebrate multiple traditions from around the world and arrange protests against important political and human rights issues. Major cities such as New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles and Chicago have vibrant social scenes while major student cities such as Boston, Madison, Chapel Hill and Austin are academic hubs filled with cultural activities. Student life in the United States of America is ranked as one of the best, attracting prospective candidates from all over the globe.
Application Prerequisites for USA
To continue your higher education in the United States, you must begin preparation at least a year in advance as there are many boxes to tick before and after being admitted to a course. Many postgraduate degrees require 16 years of education; however, there is a considerably long list of postgraduate courses that accept 15 years of prior education.
The most common denominator in your application is the English Language Proficiency Test - TOEFL and IELTS being the most common ones. Undergraduate applicants applying to the USA need to appear for the SAT. Those applying for a non-MBA postgraduate degree must appear for the GRE whereas, those applying for MBA programmes must appear for the GMAT. Degrees in specialised fields such as law and medicine require competitive scores in specific examinations such as LSAT and MCAT.
| Course | IELTS | TOEFL | SAT | GMAT / GRE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 6.0* | 79-80 | 1200 & Above | N/A |
| Postgraduate | 6.5* | 88-89 | N/A | GMAT score 600 above or GRE score 290 above |
The United States provides a premium education at every level and field, creating a competitive admission process. Moreover, studying in a country labelled as a superpower may offer a superior quality of life but at a hefty price. The universities have high tuition fees and the cost of living a comfortable life can be high too. Thus, to help deserving students who lack the necessary financial means to get an American education can be facilitated by the large number of scholarships, grants and fellowships available for international students or even for Indian students. These can be granted by the government, the colleges and universities or private institutions.
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