A review on selecting and navigating through university experience

Arizona State University

7.6(67 Reviews)

Reason for choosing my college

• Rutgers has been doing some cutting-edge research in the field of industrial engineering. Moreover, Rutgers has an extensive network for referrals, internships, and full-time jobs.
• There are students from all over the world studying here and the fees are comparatively lower than at other equally competent public universities.

Texas A&M University

8.0(5 Reviews)

Reason for Rejection

• This university is ranked number 5 in the United States for industrial and systems engineering.
• It is highly competitive to get admitted to this university. I applied to this university at the last minute and wasn't able to prepare specifically for the same.

• Mention some past experiences relevant to the course you are applying to. If you had reached out to any professor before applying, mention that with consent from the professor. Mention relevant research groups and clubs that would be interested in working with you based on your skills

• When it comes to engineering, Rutgers is highly regarded for its ISE program. All of the professors in this department have achieved a lot and are very well reputed in the industry. Other engineering programs are also highly reputed for the UG and graduate levels, such as mechanical, ECE, EEE, etc.
• The campus is huge in terms of land area, where the New Brunswick campus alone owns 2700 acres. Including the other campuses in New Jersey, namely Newark, Camden, and Stratford, the total area comes around 6100 acres. The location is really beautiful, although a bit cold. The temperature is usually around 20-25°F.
• There are a lot of academic resources like career fairs, free sessions on networking, resume building, and services, etc. The course curriculum is highly competitive when compared to other universities. There are also a lot of part-time opportunities to work within campus, like dining halls, cafeterias, recreation clubs, student centres, libraries, etc., apart from TA and RA positions. On-campus housing opportunities are available, although a bit expensive, around $1000/month.
• A lot of off-campus housing options are available, and landlords specifically rent it to Rutgers students. Rent off campus goes from $500 to $800 depending on whether you would like to get a private room or share it with someone else. There are a lot of extracurricular activities, including all kinds of sports, music, arts, etc. There are recreation clubs where you can play a wide variety of sports and even rent equipment for free. There are multiple swimming pools all throughout the university. Overall, you can find anything you want to do, all inside the campus.

• As a graduate, you need to do a minimum of 9 credits each semester and for UG, its 12. The course volume and difficulty is usually quite high for graduate students, so three courses—three classes a week—should occupy most of your time. Assignments involve critical thinking. Plagiarism is not tolerated. Class strength is not constant.
• It depends on each individual's interest. You can even take courses from other departments as a graduate student. You need to earn 30 credits to graduate.

• Faculties are approachable and are eager to help you always. Usually, most faculties are always occupied and don't have time to spare since they have to shuffle between handling classes, working with PhD students and doing their own research.
• Faculties offer TA/RA positions to competent students, although PhD candidates are prioritized.

• New Brunswick has 5 campuses in total. It is spread around the entire city of New Brunswick. There are more campuses in Newark, Camden and Stratford focusing on health sciences, etc.
• A lot of events like career fairs, Friendship Fridays, Rutgers Day, and many more happen all around the year. There are literally at least 2 events happening every day.
• There are multiple student organisations, study clubs, sport clubs, research groups, and many more, some of which require a small yearly subscription and some are free.

• Part-time jobs usually work on a first-come, first-served basis. There are a few other jobs that require specific skill sets, though. The pay is usually around $15-20 an hour.
• The usual process to apply is with your resume and cover letter through the online employment portal. Usually employers reach out immediately.

• TA/RA roles are always in demand. Professors actively hire for students, especially PhD students. On an F1 visa, working off campus is illegal. A lot of on-campus opportunities, like dining halls, cafeterias, libraries, etc., are available, which can be applied to online. Students on an F1 visa can work up to 20 hours a week in spring and fall, but up to 40 hours a week in the summer vacation.

• Getting a full-time job is not at all easy. The brutal truth is it is exceptionally difficult for international students. Employers think about students on F1 status working for 3 years and leaving the company.
• They think about investing in such students, because sponsoring them for H1B is really expensive.
• Salaries usually range between 50-60K $ for entry level students per annum. Constantly applying and networking is only way to get jobs.

• I connected with people through LinkedIn and spoke to a few people for accommodation leads. After conducting some field research, I gave them my preferred location and renting limit.
• Initially, it was very challenging to get an accommodation since I wasn't getting frequent replies. I joined WhatsApp groups to receive regular housing advertisements, which helped quite a bit. I finally got a recommendation through a friend I reached out to through LinkedIn for a place to stay.