Each year we work with thousands of students to help them realize their study abroad dreams. Every student is unique, with a different set of goals and a distinct pathway to higher education. The “Student Spotlight” provides a platform for them to share their perspectives and lessons learned. We hope it offers you a glimpse into the student experience and aids you in achieving your own goals, whether as a fellow student, a parent, a high school counselor, or a university.
Neeraja Narayanswmy worked with Gen Next Education to apply for graduate programs for the fall 2020 intake. Check out her story below.
CURRENT UNIVERSITY: BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus
CURRENT CITY: Dubai
ACADEMIC PROGRAM: Computer Science
ASSESSMENTS TAKEN: GRE, TOEFL
TOTAL NUMBER OF UNIVERSITIES APPLIED TO: 8
TOTAL NUMBER ACCEPTED TO: 2
HIGHEST SCHOLARSHIP RECEIVED: Scholarship from George Washington University equaling 25% of tuition
COUNTRIES APPLIED TO: USA
WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN PURSUING YOUR INTERNATIONAL STUDY GOALS?
Selecting a program that not only matches my academic and research interests but also one that would give me an admittance with my current academic record,test scores, research and job experience.
HOW HAS THE TEAM AT GEN NEXT EDUCATION HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS?
They have guided me on the following:
- College selection and shortlisting
- introduced me to two good colleges
- Helped me get application fee waivers
- Editing my SOP
- Post Admission Guidance
WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF IN GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS?
I had to do strength,weakness and opportunity analysis for myself and this helped me gain more focus on what I should pursue in the future and where my interests and passion lie.
As a result of this exercise, I also better understood the full extent of my capabilities which helped me gain more self-confidence. It helped me to highlight my qualities which, I did not imagine may be important or relevant to the application process.
Finally, it prompted me to consider and analyze areas for growth and improvement so that I can pursue a career in my area of interest.
WHAT SURPRISED YOU MOST ABOUT INTERANTIONAL UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS?
The fact that having a well-rounded profile which articulates one’s varied interests, projects done, extra-curricular activities, is more important than a good academic transcript in boosting one’s chances for getting admitted into a very good university. The amount of scholarships that universities are willing to give international students was another surprise.
WHAT ABOUT PURSUING AN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION EXCITES YOU MOST?
The fact that I will be living independently and getting many opportunities in my field of graduate studies at the forefront of emerging technologies. But also, meeting new people from diverse cultures and backgrounds, working with reputed and famous professors, and building a network of talented and ambitious people.
Thanks for checking out our latest blog post. What topics are of greatest interest to you? What would you like us to cover in the future? Let us know at future@gennexteducation.com.
At Gen Next Education, the student is at the center of what we do. We pride ourselves on helping each student find the right fit for their unique background and goals. We achieve this by providing comprehensive, NO COST advising to students in both India and the Middle East seeking bachelor’s, master’s or PhD programs. The best wait to kick start your study abroad journey is to apply for FREE advising at iamfutureready.com. It only takes 30 seconds.