With the new application cycle underway, many students and their families are reconsidering US as a study destination and I completely understand their concerns.
Having lived and worked in the US and also being enrolled for a short time in a community college to upskill myself, I have experienced the American way of learning, working, and living quite closely. With so much chatter around whether chasing the American dream is still worth it, I thought I should pen down my thoughts on this topic-
The key reasons students would aspire to study in the US -
I still believe that the right college with access to high quality educators and learning opportunities is what makes the US one of the most attractive places in the world to study. Coming from the Indian education system, even my short stint at a small community college in the US showed me the difference. The access to professors, the teaching methods, and the overall learning experience gave me a deeper respect for their education system. No doubt that shortlisting colleges carefully is more important than ever. Do your research thoroughly, connect with current students and recent alumni, and try to understand the ground reality of institutions. Stay cautious of misinformation through influencers, hyped news and always rely on authentic sources.
When it comes to career opportunities, the future of work is changing everywhere. No country or college will ever be perfect, but what truly matters is how you use your time during those college years and how you leverage the same. US has long been seen as a land of meritocracy, where your country of origin does not define your career path. However, policies during the Trump administration seems to be impacting some of those foundational values itself. Even then, how you navigate your years in college is within your control to some extent. Look for internships, short term work opportunities, Research Assistantships, Teaching Assistantships and projects during summer and winter breaks. A degree alone will not be enough to catch the attention of employers anymore. It will be the combination of your academic credentials, practical experience, and skills that sets you apart.
In terms of diversity of cohort, while shortlisting colleges, pay attention to the class profile from the past years and check whether the campus and college reflects diversity across parameters like - region, gender, ethnicity and beyond. Your classmates shape your overall experience, so make sure your college truly offers diversity. Do not get carried away only by brand names and rankings, look deeper.
Lastly to the aspirants planning to start their undergraduate or master’s studies in the next three to four years, I would say this - do not write off the US yet. With the change in leadership and King Donald out of the Oval Office by 2027, we can expect stability and sanity to return. Of course, some changes by the current regime may have a lasting impact, but better to evaluate things closer to the year you plan to apply rather than deciding right now, as that might be a little premature to do. Continue to explore other countries and regions simultaneously, do a comparative analysis considering varied factors and then get to decision making in the year you enter the application cycle.
Thanks for reading and I hope this piece gives you some useful perspective.