Hello everyone, this is Naren. I completed my undergraduate this year in electronics and communication engineering and I am planning to apply to US for next fall.
When Raghu (HSB) posted on Facebook asking for volunteers to write for his blog, I found it an interesting opportunity to share my experiences with other people. So, here is my shot at writing, hope you guys find it interesting and useful!
“So, do I really need a ‘Higher’ education?’’
I was thinking about a good topic to write upon like “how to score big numbers in GRE and TOEFL” but when I thought about it these are all secondary questions, aren’t they? First we need to figure out more basic questions; “Do I really need a higher education?”
Time to Think About Higher Education Photo Credit
This is something I had asked myself many times throughout my undergrad and something every one of us would have asked themselves at one point in the undergraduate.
These are some of the points that I wrote down in my notebook that I thought were relevant to a majority of us, if not to everyone.
“With Undergrad we get a job, with higher education we get a career!”
Ok this is cheesy but let me explain myself, if you are hardworking (smart might not be essential) then you are bound to get a job with an undergraduate. Even though I was not a topper I got through 3 job placements, I am an average Joe if I can get a job anyone can.
Only problem I am not satisfied by anyone of them!
I find this more often then I wish to see, people even from elite colleges (like IITs) get placed into jobs they are not interested work for people they don’t like sell things they don’t care about. This was never my idea of a job, what I want is work for myself for pleasure of doing things, not for money.
How does it weave into higher education? It is tough to give a logical construct why higher education lets you work the way you want because, it doesn’t! But what it does is give you more opportunities, more maturity in though and process and more confidence if your chosen field is where you want to work.
At the end of the day it is on you to utilize the opportunities but with more maturity you will be ready to better utilize them.
“The opportunity to work with the best minds in the field”
This is a big draw for a lot of us. Wherever you do your Masters/PhD you are bound to work with the best minds in your field and this is an opportunity that motivates me to pursue higher education in the first place.
This is Why I Decide to Study in USA After Working in MNC for 2 years
- I have nothing to comment about what you are going to learn in the subject. But, more than what they offer in terms of subject knowledge they are all well respected and incredibly smart individuals; when you work under them you end up learning their perspective, work ethic and skill. These are essential for success in any field you can learn all about your subject even from a library.
“I have not learned much in my undergrad”
No, this is not completely true. I did learn a lot of things but what I mean is a bit different. After graduation I have started working as a project assistant.
It is definitely very exciting to work in research but I quickly found out, Even though I understood the concepts there are so many things which need more understanding and background especially in mathematics.
Undergraduate is definitely a different experience especially in India, what we learn in college can be summarized as ‘Jugaad’ (loosely means quick fix).
This was our aim and we followed this rule in everything.
Assignment jugaad, project jugaad, notes jugaad were the keywords. From organizing college fest to even social service were jugaad for certificates. When I think about it this is something that is there in our Indian mindset from netas making popular, useless in long term promises to municipality filling pot holes on our roads with sand (yes it happened!).
My professors used to tell us openly to copy the assignments and when questioned? their reply was procedure. We are caught up somewhere in procedures and progress.
If we want to succeed on a bigger stage, we require innovation not jugaad. I am not here to blame our education system, I am here to understand the truth and become better.
I believe we can mend our ways with the right exposure, which I believe higher education can provide.
“To realize our dream”
“The worst thing that one can do is not to be aware of what one wants and not give in to it, to spend years in silent hurt wondering if something could have materialized – and never knowing”
- David Viscott
These beautiful lines summarize what I want to say. Many of us dream about doing big things and to achieve them we need to take tough decisions.
Going for higher education is a big commitment in terms of money, time and effort but if you think this is what will help us realize our dreams, then just do it!
I would be very happy if you could leave a line on what you think. Thanks for reading. Cheers!
It’s an informative piece
dude……thats really cool!!! super like..
Hey Naren and to all guys out here,
Its me Benny,Chennai -B.E. (E.C.E) 2011 Passed out. Right now am working in a WEB HOSTING company as a Server Admin L1, its been 3 months since am working. Well i plan to Do my MS in Computer Science. The dilemma is that Where to do?? Can i do that in Germany or US is the most preferred?? do suggest me guys. Cos once if i start preparing now, by the end of an yr i can completed all the formalities for MS and get into my career rather to be in a job. Thanks in advance friends:)
well, i left college in 2004. but here is my understanding. dont blame the college or the lecturer.i mean, majority of students’ dream job getting into TCS, wipro, or even some product based companies.(so was mine, to be honest). the bar is that low. nobody thinks about specializing or getting mastery over a subject. during my batch,hardly, i think only a bunch of people were like this: interested in the subject than getting stupid distinctions buy mugging. [again, im a second class pass, FULL disclosure
] in this day and age, nobody is stopping you from learning. sure teachers should inspire which is why western MS is much more grueling. its our culture.. get a JOB, thts the mantra, sad but true. .
ya what u said was true & moreover i wish our education system will be changed (or) modified………….
Well Naren, you choose a very good topic but sadly your content was not inspiring….
You should give some solid benefits of studying abroad.
But your point in which you said about jugaad is totally true. People are so used to it that they don’t want to do hard work. So you should also give reasons for “why one should leave a nice comfortable life in India and go abroad to do hard work……….??????”
Well abhisai, you are absolutely right!. My main intention was to highlight the point that before you jump into MS in US bandwagon, you need to ask yourself why you want to do that. My content was a few points I wrote for myself not everything that I had in my mind! hence it is not exhaustive rather I wanted them to be kind of a guideline so that people will start writing their own ideas. I am no one to persuade you to go to US if you ask me “why you have to go to US leaving a comfortable life in India” I cannot give you an answer. These are somethings you need to think I cannot do it for you.
Well written article Naren, and thanks for sharing, these will be good inputs to work on. Self assessment is a vital tool and decisions taken based on self assessment can lead you where you want to be universally. Studying abroad definitely has an advantage if you can’t get your masters degree from IITs or IIMs or few other big shot institute in India. As we all know state of education in India and the process. But studying abroad will drain you financially, though it is same with IIMs, yet experience remains world class and fulfilling, giving fresh perspective of the world to young minds. Studying abroad never means choosing any school and get out of India, this is most dangerous than anything else. More importantly a will to achieve and zeal for excellence will lead any ordinary person to heights of success.
You are right achiever! My initial article was about why higher education. Not why higher education abroad. The title was later edited to suit the blogs fan base, otherwise my motivation was always about self assessment not MS/PhD abroad.
Hey Naren! You not only share points why we person require higher education but inspired a lot .
Actually, i totally agree with you Naren ,, i was thinking of the same thought. as i am Egyptian and am w fresh graduate of Business administration major: Marketing and minor: advertising and i wanted to have my MBA specialized in Marketing and after a tiring research i found the suitable college for me in terms of money,time, and all these stuff..but actually i had a problem which is they are not replying!
well done article,, inspiring..!
Hi….
I am final year engineering student n want to apply for internships abroad.Could u pz help