International Master's Life as a Food Science Student

Florida State University

8.6(20 Reviews)

California State University

9.0(1 Reviews)

Reason for choosing my college

• When I applied for my master's, I got accepted into CSU Chico and Florida State University. Both the programs were very interesting and are well-established colleges. I chose Florida State University based on the ranking and diverse community.
• During my first semester, I realised the course there was a non-STEM course, and as an international student, it is important to graduate from a college with a STEM program in order to get a 3-year work permit (OPT). So I started searching for universities offering food science & nutrition as a STEM course.
• I came across Framingham State University and I emailed a professor enquiring about the course details. I got a quick response from him and we had a Zoom call where he explained the course details and the advantages of being in the Northeast region.
• I was drawn to the small, close-knit community. In Florida, it was a great college with advanced research facilities. I would say it is highly recommended for people with PhD interests and thoughts of continuing education after their master's.
• I am not that person so I chose Framingham State with small class sizes, and an interactive and engaging learning environment. Another factor that played a role was my preference for cold weather.

Rutgers University - New Jersey

8.5(6 Reviews)

Reason for Rejection

• I am not sure. Usually, I hear from my friends that we get rejections from colleges if we are not accepted into them. But I never heard back from them.
• Later I got to know there was a strike going on during that time and maybe they missed my application.

• I would say have a good SOP. Be precise on the content but include everything you have achieved and show how desperate you are in the field you are applying to! SOP wins all!
• LORs should be well organised, and take it from your project advisor, under whom you did the undergraduate project work.

• I chose the USA because I have always dreamed of coming here, as I saw my relative's professional growth in the US and had many aspirations as a kid.
• Regarding academic reputation, I would say it has a very good reputation for food science courses, as they have it STEM recognised. So it is an advantage for international students.
• Rankings, honestly, I didn't check and I would suggest choosing your college based on the curriculum rather than the ranking because it is not a big deal with the ranking of the college when you go and apply for the jobs.
• Specific courses—I have friends in computer science, fashion design, and economics. So I know these courses are pretty good. I am not sure about the others.
• Location—Cold weather!! Lovely and pretty surroundings and very diverse seasons. You can enjoy fall colours and summer as well as peak winters.

• Each course has 4 classes- Duration: 50 minutes. The classes will mostly be in the morning.
• Time: 9:30 am - 12:30 am If the course has a lab, there will be one lab/week for each course that you select with a lab.
• Duration: 4 hours, mostly after noon. Time: 1:30 pm - 5:30 pm
• Average strength: 10 members, Indians—only one.
• Apart from regular classes - You should spend at least 2 hours on assignments and homework. If you are doing a research project, spend 15 hours per week on the project!!

• Faculty—the best!!! The faculty-to-student ratio is very small. You can approach them very easily, as you can see from the class strength.
• Best faculty: My advisor, Dr. Mannam, & Dr. Apotolidis. Both are very supportive and encouraging and helped me to adjust in the US and are also guiding me in the job hunt.

• Campus: Only one facility—a very huge library, an indoor gym, a space research facility (NASA recognised), a very huge football ground, and a health centre.
• Extracurriculars—To be honest, if you are working part-time like me on campus and are involved in the master's level course, you won't be finding time to be in the extracurriculars. At least I don't have that much time.
• But I can say there is a very active on-campus life where you can be involved in many extracurriculars.

• College Dining hall - $15/hr It is pretty easy, I would say.
• You can find the job within one month of starting your college.
• Usually application process is pretty simple. Attach your resume and cover letter to the website.
• A cover letter plays a very important role! I would recommend one Resume to be on a single page! Precise!!!

• TA Roles—As it is a small college, it is a little tough to get a role as a TA. But there is a CASA centre where you can become a TA to train students in English learning classes, computer skills, other language classes, tuition and many more.
• Average pay rate: $15.5/hr. It is the same with part-time and internships!
• Max hours allowed: 20 hours for international students.

• Mostly everyone secures a job within 6 months! Just try hard and don't give up!
• The average salary for food science is $60,000 annually, according to Handshake, Indeed, LinkedIn, career fairs, and career advisors.
• Lowest: $60,000; with work experience: $120,000. Networking and connections will help a lot. Always find new people, chat, and explore!!!!

• My advisor helped me. Also, help from university off-campus accommodations.
• A little challenging to find the right house on a budget but eventually you will find one!
• The Facebook market area has pretty good houses. I found mine there!
• Join groups for housing. Indian groups will be available in every city, Join & request!