There is a lot of focus on practical aspects

Updated on: Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Since my childhood I had thoughts of pursuing a Masters degree and like any youngster in India I nurtured a dream to study in the USA as I grew up. Following my brothers footsteps I applied for universities and got admitted in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale (SIUC).

After entering the university I got a chance to meet people from different countries and make friends with them, which I thought is a beauty of studying in a foreign country. The campus is beautiful and is surrounded by lakes and vast expanses of greenery. The changing seasons kept me close to nature and I enjoyed the beautiful seasons as I got into academics seriously.

There are many hang out places where students get to eat, study and have fun. One can also find different kinds of restaurants each representing their country's cuisine. There is a recreation centre where people get to workout and play different games such as racquetball, badminton and many more. They provide different kinds of fitness programmes.

American education is way different from Indian education. There is an option of choosing different courses and you can even choose courses from other departments.

There is a lot of focus on practical aspects that help students get a good grip over the subject. Seniors are helpful in assignments apart from professors.

The Electronics Department is my university is famous for specialising in VLSI. Communications and networking also attract lot of good students from different countries. There is even a good probability of funding from each department if you perform well in academics. If your professor is happy with your work and dedication getting a job as a teaching assistant or a research assistant is easy and it helps financially.

Carbondale is mainly a university town. There are quite a few places to look around. There is a university mall where a lot of shopping can be done and there are theatres where one can watch movies. The university buses go well into the town.

Homesickness is a common thing where almost every student experiences it at the beginning.

Those interested can contact Donna Lipe for Graduate Admissions ([email protected]) Phone: (618) 453-4515 Fax: (618) 453-4562 or Allison Jill ([email protected]) Phone: (618)453-2110 for admissions and scholarships.

There is a lot of focus on practical aspects

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