By Aditya Kulkarni, ENTS Major, Class of 2014
Aditya, an alumnus of Dilip Oak’s Academy shares his insights on the University of Maryland:
University of Maryland: An Overview
The University of Maryland (UMD), located at College Park, just north of Washington DC is a Public University and is the state’s flagship educational institution. Its suburban campus is spread over 1,250 acres (5.1 sq. km.) and has roughly 38,000 students (2012-13 stats), with a teacher-student ratio of nearly 1: 10.
UMD is well known for its state of the art M-Square research park, a new performing arts center and a quantum science lab among other things. The University houses 13 colleges offering courses in Arts and Humanities, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Music, Behavioral and Social Science, Computers, Math, Natural Science, Engineering, Education, Information Studies, Journalism, Business, Planning and Preservation, Public Health & Public Policy. Admissions are ‘very selective’ with an acceptance rate of about 40%. GPA averages for bachelor’s students range from 3.8 to 4 and for master’s level students from 3.5 to 4.
Curriculum and Academics
The university has a rich educational heritage and has the added advantage of being abreast of all the latest technological advances. The curriculum is revised regularly to be in line with the needs of industry. One can opt for advanced courses to augment learning, and although doing so makes the work schedule a bit hectic, it something that ambitious students can easily do. In general, UMD is a great institution, boasting a variety of programs, excellent faculty and superb infrastructure (i.e. labs, classroom facilities and technology). The specialized Telecom course has exceeded my expectations and offers great exposure to current trends in global telecom markets.
On Campus Jobs; Graduate/Teaching/Research Assistantships
UMD provides very good opportunities for self-funding: most students get an on campus job by at least the second semester of their graduate program. Current statistics indicate that around 50-75% International graduate students have some kind of funding, on campus job or Research or Teaching Assistantship that helps pay their expenses. The hourly wage for jobs at the University is good, ranging from $8 to $13 on an average. Graduate Assistantships are available there is a lot of competition for them, so they can be hard to get.
I was fortunate to get a campus job as an IT Support Student Assistant at the University Library early in the very first semester and a Graduate Assistantship (with 50% tuition waiver) from the second semester onwards. My Graduate Assistantship involves providing IT support to users and staff at UMD’s National Foreign Language Centre. My tasks involve network, hardware and software support. UMD has a good placement cell so I am confident of getting a good job once I graduate in 2014.
Food and Travel
UMD is a well-connected campus and one need not own a car, as there is a convenient shuttle service. We also pool with other students who have their own vehicles. There are a lot of Indian stores and eateries nearby as well as shopping centers and several places to hang out at and enjoy oneself. Food seems a little expensive at first until you forget about the dollar-rupee conversion, but there is ample variety to cater to all tastes.
Legendary Sports Culture
UMD is a mecca for the sports fanatic. The university has its own recreational center. The facilities provided are truly world class with state of the art gymnasiums, Olympic-size swimming pools and other indoor and outdoor field games. The UMD sports mascot is an anthropomorphic turtle and we the proud UMD’ites call ourselves TERPS (short for terrapins – a word which refers to turtles). There are many student development groups that one can join and be a part of. Performing arts are also considered a huge deal here and the university has its own performing arts center with world class facilities.
Overall Experience
The University of Maryland College Park has been a great experience for me. The facilities and program content are wonderful. The program I am enrolled for covers the latest developments in the field and offers a wide range of relevant sub courses. In all, my experience there has been FANTASTIC!
A crucial question for engineers who are applying to an American university is: “What should I major in?” “Which stream is better, Computer Science, or Electrical?” This seemingly basic and straightforward question however, has no straightforward answer: there are a number of factors that you have to consider when choosing a major.
How to choose your Major?
- Identify your CORE strength – it should be something that you have both an aptitude and a passion for.
- Some careers have a higher entry-level qualification, such as a PhD, which is at least a four-year program. Find out if you want to study that long. If not consider what your other options are if you just have a Master’s degree.
- Where do you see yourself in five years, in ten, in fifteen? Do you have a long-term vision and do you feel that your current decisions will lead you to it.
- What are your fall-back options with this major? For example, a Computer Science major can usually switch from a role in System Development to Testing.
- Finally, what kind of life do you want for yourself? Is a high paying job the only thing you are interested in, or are there other things in life that you are interested in as well?
How to find the best paying option?
As we have seen, you need to choose a stream that you have an aptitude for, and which has good long-term prospects that help you achieve what you want in life. A degree from a reputed college is an important step in this process. (Click here to find out how Dilip Oak’s Academy can help you with this).But, in most cases achieving one’s goals in life means figuring out which are the highest paid jobs and then getting one.
Here are some of the top paying Engineering jobs in the market today.
|
Engineering Field |
Work Involved |
Annual Salary * |
|
Petroleum |
Design and development for oil and gas extraction processes, locating new sources and connecting these |
Highest pay range $115,000-$150,000+ |
|
Nuclear |
Researching and creating processes, instrumentation, equipment and systems for industrial and medicinal use |
$99,000-$1,40,000 |
|
Aerospace |
Designing, developing, testing aircraft, spacecraft, missiles and other products for military, industrial or commercial use |
$97,000-$1,40,000 |
|
Software |
Designing, developing, testing and maintaining software and computer systems |
$85,000-$95,000 |
|
Electrical |
Devising and developing new electronics applications, components and equipment |
$84,000-$126,000 |
|
Biomedical |
Developing, designing, processing, and testing materials in order to create new materials and products | $83,000-$126,000 |
|
Environmental |
Applying and developing solutions for environmental issues and problems by using the principles of engineering, biology, chemistry, and soil science | $78,000-$119,000 |
* Compiled sources, approximated 2012 figures
Please note that these are average salaries, and factors such as level of education, level of experience, job performance, geographical location and even the employer can make a big difference .
In conclusion, remember this, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a single day.”
For further help on choosing a specialization contact us here.
Comparison and Overview
Overall, as tests of language IELTS or TOEFL are equally easy, since both test English language skills at a very basic level. Both also contain four sections – listening, reading, speaking and writing (the essay section). Grammar is not tested in a separate section in either test; rather, it is tested as part of the other sections. But there are some differences.
The main difference between the two is the format of the test. TOEFL is internet-based (iBT), IELTS is paper-based. Further, all sections of TOEFL are tested on the same day, while the speaking portion of IELTS, which needs a scheduled appointment for a one-on-one interview, may fall on another day. There are also a few other variations in terms of testing time and in the type and number of questions asked. For example, the TOEFL, unlike the IELTS, contains integrated questions in which you may be asked to listen to a conversation, read a passage and then speak or write out a response.
Below is a quick overview of the main features of the two tests.
|
IELTS |
TOEFL |
|
| Nature of Test: | Paper-based | Internet-based (iBT) |
| Sections: | No. of sections: 4
|
No. of sections: 4
|
| Time: | Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes | Total Time: 4 hours approximately |
| Score: | Scale: band 1 to band 9 | Scale: 0-30 per section, 0-120 overall |
| Minimum Score:** | Band 6 (or band 7+ for highly ranked colleges) | 80 (100 for highly-ranked colleges, 110 for top-ranked colleges) |
| Cost: *** | INR 8,900 | $165 (~INR 8,800) |
| Administrator/ Owner: | British Council, IDP, IELTS Australia & Cambridge University | ETS |
*If the listening section runs for 1½ hours, the reading section will run for 1 hour but, if the listening section runs for 1 hour, the reading section will run for 1 hour 20 minutes, so the total time will be always be about 3 hours and 40-50 minutes.
**Differs from university to university, however, this is the typical minimum score required
***This cost is for test takers in India. The cost depends on test location and usually differs slightly from country to country
Challenges in TOEFL and IELTS
Though TOEFL and IELTS both test the same set of basic language skills, there are some challenges and requirements that are unique to each.
Challenges in TOEFL
Firstly, The TOEFL can take up to 1¼ hours longer than IELTS (see timing in the table above) and is a much more tiring exam.
- Secondly, the Listening, Speaking and Writing sections of the TOEFL require you to be really good at note-taking.
- In these three sections you are required to answer questions or write an essay on a lecture or conversation, which is played only once.
- Further, in the integrated speaking and integrated writing questions, apart from listening to a lecture (or conversation), you may also be required to read a short passage (or announcement) before you give your response.
- An additional complication is that,the computer-based format is such that you can see the questions only one at a time and you cannot go back to a question once you have answered it.
- So, in all these sections, it really helps if you have taken good notes of the lecture or conversation.
- In contrast, in the listening section of the paper-based IELTS exam, you can see all the questions on a lecture or conversation before you hear it; and all the questions follow the order of the recording. This allows you to focus on the important points in the lecture or conversation as you hear it.
- Thirdly, in the speaking section of TOEFL, you have a fixed time to prepare your response, a limitation which many students are uncomfortable with.
For the TOEFL, therefore, though the questions asked are not difficult, you need to get used to the demands of the format. Getting a lot of practice will help.
Challenges in IELTS
But there are some difficulties in the IELTS as well
- IELTS, which is a paper-based test, requires you to write your essay by hand – so, if you have lost touch with writing, you will need practice to get comfortable with writing out your essays by hand.
- Most students are more comfortable with the speaking section of the IELTS since there is a human examiner, rather than a computer, and there are no fixed limits for preparing or giving a response. However, the questions are asked in rapid succession, this requires you to be attentive and alert and give brief answers to the questions asked.
So, which of the exams should you give?
From the discussion above it does seem that TOEFL is the more challenging of the two exams. However, most of the difficulties with the TOEFL are NOT BECAUSE THE QUESTIONS ARE DIFFICULT TO ANSWER – in fact, for most speakers of English they are quite easy. The difficulties are related to mastering the specific format and requirements of the TOEFL exam i.e. you need to be able to take notes, you can see questions only one at a time and you cannot go back to a question once you have answered it. Most of these difficulties can be mastered with adequate practice on the exam format. So, the challenges offered by the TOEFL are not too hard to overcome.
Further, as we said in our last blog, even if the TOEFL does present some challenges, the choice of the exam to take really depends on which country you are applying to – if it is America, the exam to take would still be with the TOEFL. If it is Canada, Germany, Australia, New Zealand or the UK, the best exam to take would be the IELTS (see previous blog on which exam to take).
But, how do you prepare for the challenges of the TOEFL (and also of the IELTS)? Well, that is going to be discussed in our next blog: “What if I Get a Low Score in the TOEFL or IELTS?” Watch for it – it’s coming soon!
Purpose and Importance of the Tests
If you want to study abroad in countries like the US, UK, Australia and Canada, and if your first language is NOT English, you will have to take a test to prove that you can speak, read, write in English and understand spoken English. Two major standardized assessment tests allow you to do this: TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and IELTS (International English Language Testing System).
These tests allow foreign universities to see whether students have at least the basic language skills required to complete their courses. That is why it is mandatory to take one of these tests if you are applying to graduate or undergraduate study programs abroad. In fact the TOEFL and IELTS have become the gold standard of English proficiency for educational purposes and also for immigration and work. But which of these exams should you take?
Which Test to Take?
As tests of the English language both the TOEFL and IELTS are at a similar level of difficulty. The scores of both are valid for the same amount of time, i.e. up to 2 years from test date and both tests are very well recognized. TOEFL is accepted by 8,500 colleges in over 130 countries (click here to see if your university or college accepts TOEFL). Similarly, IELTS is also accepted by over 7,000 organisations across 130 countries. In fact, about 3,000 US Universities also accept IELTS scores. So, which test is the best one to take?
The choice of which test to take depends first and foremost on the country you want to study in. TOEFL is still the preferred exam for students wanting to take up Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral programs of study in America. IELTS is more commonly required for ‘non-US’ countries, such as UK, Australia and Canada. Of course, you can be more sure of which exam to take by checking the site of the university or college you are applying to. Choose the one that is accepted by all (or at least most of the universities or colleges you are applying to) But, in general, if you are applying to an American university, it is better to take the TOEFL, if you are applying to a British, Australian or Canadian one, the IELTS would be the exam to take.
What is an Acceptable Score?
Most American Universities regard a score of 80 (out of 120) in TOEFL, as an acceptable minimum score for admission. However, students applying to high-ranking colleges generally need a minimum score of 100 on TOEFL or band of 7 (out of 9) on the IELTS.
Find out about coaching for TOEFL and IELTS
Coming soon:
1. Which of the two exams is more difficult – and what are the differences between them?
2. What if I get a low score in the TOEFL or IELTS?
Related Questions on our Q & A Forum:
(click links to see questions and answers)
1. Can I apply without a TOEFL score?
2. No TOEFL dates available, can I take IELTS instead?
3. Will I face a problem in getting a visa if I do IELTS rather than TOEFL?
4. Does the ETS send free score reports for TOEFL like it does for the GRE?
5. Is a score of 94 acceptable for an MS in Computer Science?
US is the #1 choice for Indians going abroad for higher education
Today, the dream of getting a US degree is no longer something that only the “rich” can dream of. Now many students from middle class backgrounds can also get higher education in the US, without putting a huge financial burden on their parents. This is evident from the recent trends:
- Overall, the number of Indian students going abroad for education increased 256% in 2000-2009
- An estimated 21 million students will be admitted into American universities in Fall 2013
The facts also show that America is the most popular educational destination especially for engineering and business:
- The top three destinations for Indian students going abroad are: #1 America, #2 Europe, #3 Australia
- America dominates, with a lion’s share of over 50% of the students
- The top two streams at American grad schools are Engineering & Business
There is great demand for higher education in the US.
What is driving the trend?
As the American economy recovers from the recent 2008-2010 Global Economic Crisis, employment rates in the country are improving. There is a great need for skilled labour, particularly of engineering graduates across fields. According to US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projections, US companies alone created 178,000 engineering jobs between 2008 and 2010. In fact, Engineering (Biomedical Engineers, Software Engineers and Environmental Engineers) featured at the very top of BLS list of the “Fastest Growing Occupations.” This growth is being driven by the growth of technology giants such as Google, Apple, Oracle and a sharp rise in the number of ‘start-ups’ or new technology companies. The change in traditional businesses to automated, mechanized or digital formats is another reason driving a huge need for engineers in the US.
What makes it possible for the middle class?
The key factors that make an American education possible for all types and categories of students are the availability of:
- a variety of easy funding and repayment options
- focused examination preparation and coaching
- professional counseling through each and every step of the admissions process has made this possible.
Find out more on how YOU can get an American degree at our FREE SEMINAR on “Higher Education in the US”
Time: 5.45 to 8 pm
Date: Sunday the 17th of February 2013
Venue: Ganesh Kala Krida Manch, Pune.
This seminar is open to all students, working professionals and parents.
No prior registration needed!
In case you have any questions, please contact the Dilip Oak’s Academy Office
By e-mail: support@dilipoakacademy.com, OR Call: +91-020-25656237, 25678066, 25654052
