I was on my way back after a class for students who wanted to appear for GMAT when I got to have a look at the book Studying Abroad — All You Wanted to Know by B.S. Warrier, who writes the GuidancePlus column in The Hindu EducationPlus .
I am associated with this field because of my experience in training students for logical tests. Often, I have wondered why people go and study abroad. If at all they make a decision, how will they select the country where they need to go to? In that country, will they choose the best institution or will there be a basket of institutions that they will look to. How will they find out about all these institutions? If at all they find enough information about them, how will they choose one of them?
A lot of questions were there in my mind as I was discussing the various questions in the class. Over a period of time when I have been taking classes for international education, all these questions have come to mind and stayed with me. I tried to find out the necessary information from the Internet, but the information pieces remain scattered and it requires humongous effort to streamline them. The moment I laid my hands on this book and went through the contents, I was sure that this is what I wanted to know.
As for a layman who does not know that such opportunity exists, I think this is the ideal way to start. It answers the very basic question of “Why I should study abroad?” Further, it answers what is to be done to do so, what exams to write, where to go, and which university to go to. The book, published by Tata McGraw-Hill, starts with the admission process and stresses well on the statement of purpose and its importance before proceeding to deal with the details required for one to keep track of as far as education abroad is concerned. It will be of help to anybody who does not know anything about foreign education and wants to go abroad for undergraduate or postgraduate studies irrespective of the stream of study.
On reading the book I came to know the vast nature of information that one needs to have prior to even start thinking of a foreign degree. The very relevant but often overlooked pieces of information such as physical preparation for overseas studies also figure in this book. The most relevant exams, the countries and the universities all are present in this book. It provides guidance as to how to prepare for the examination, how to evaluate a university, how to finalise a country and university and the different streams of study along with their utilities and prospects.
The cost calculation is of utmost importance as far as foreign education is concerned. This is dealt with and the method of funding the tuition fee has been discussed here. Although most aspirants know about the major cost limiters, there are certain core areas such as scholarships that should not be missed and those are discussed here. I got updated about all the aspects of foreign education by this book, which should prove useful. This is a must for school, college and general libraries, and coaching institutes. If at all I were to suggest a change, I would like to have read “Why education abroad” first up rather than somewhere in the middle of the book.
The writer is Co-author of Kengcyclopaedia
