Exchange Diaries
Maitreya Sonawane | Electrical Engineering
M.S. in Computer Science, New York University, USA
Could you mention the university’s name and the course you are joining along with the number of offers you received and from which universities?
I have been admitted to the Master of Science program in Computer Science at New York University (Courant). I had applied to 8 universities, and this is the only admit I got.
What part does an MS/Ph.D. degree from a prestigious university play in a student’s life?
People typically do their post-graduation to specialise in a particular field or change their career paths. I specifically chose to apply for MS because I wanted to gain more knowledge of the area I was going to enter, which was different than my undergraduate major. Not just for people interested in research, but acquiring post-graduation from prestigious universities will also improve career prospects for any student targeting top MnC jobs.
From where did you get the motivation? How did it all start? How did you handle your preparation with your academics?
There was no single event that motivated me to pursue MS, but a series of events made me realise that higher studies will be essential for me now or after a few years. During my internship, I was working on a software project that was completely unrelated to my UG curriculum. Even though I had basic knowledge, I felt a degree in this field would contribute to long term benefits. My Bachelor Thesis was in the CSE department, and I had already done numerous projects in the same area. Getting a PPO from the internship company helped a lot, as I didn’t have to worry about placements and not having an option if none of my applications got accepted. Final year academics are pretty chill in most of the departments, and if you only want to apply for higher studies at that time, using a complete semester for giving GRE/TOEFL, writing SOPs, etc. shall be enough.
How did you apply for the MS/Ph.D.?
The first step was to take GRE and TOEFL tests. Then I had finalised the list of universities in which I was willing to apply. I had to consult seniors and peers in this application process and had to research these universities. Had to see several factors starting from acceptance rate, fees, chances of being admitted with my profile, university/course ranking, faculty, etc. All this information was available online, mostly on university websites. After finalising the list, I gathered the required documents such as transcripts and had to ask my guiding faculties for ‘Letter of Recommendation’. During this process, I was working on my university-specific ‘Statement of Purpose’, and finally, I started submitting applications one by one before each university deadline.
How are you planning to manage your finances?
I am applying for scholarships sponsored by the government. The most common way for people is to take an educational loan and reduce the financial burden; many prefer doing a job before applying.
What is the role of CG?
Very important! The selection procedure for universities is mainly a black box, but one thing nobody can deny is each and everything does matter, the same goes with CG. It is essential if you are applying for a PhD and MS. CG shouldn’t be the factor in which other applicants can overtake you. Some universities give high importance to CG, but if you aren’t a department top ranker, don’t give up on hope. Research about universities and talk to past applicants, decide the university you think fits your profile, and apply accordingly.
How is your university going to manage everything in this confusion of Covid-19?
They will be conducting online classes this semester. I won’t prefer online classes, so I have deferred my admission to Spring 21. My university has also permitted us to apply for Fall 21 deferral when the time comes.
How did IIT KGP benefit you in your journey?
Being from a national elite institute helps IITians to stand out in the application process. Not just the name, but the avenues this institute provides students to explore, prove themselves and add a lot in the list of student’s achievements. Along with academic excellence, the projects students do in departments, as term projects or even in GC events add value in profile. A positive ‘Letter of Recommendation’ from IIT KGP Professor will benefit the application a lot.
What difficulties do you think the pandemic will bring(or has brought already) in the process?
Talking about the process, most universities have managed to declare the results on time, and at least I have seen no difference in the selection process from previous years. But pandemic has created significant problems for admitted students. Students usually don’t prefer opting for an online class, and during the times of pandemic, this is the only option offered by universities for international students. Many universities have denied deferring the admission of students further due to numerous applications. Students who accepted the offer have to attend online classes paying almost standard US universities’ tuition fees in such cases. Although the living expenses, etc. are cut out, people will be missing out on-campus experiences and making connections there (really important while applying for internship/job in the US). According to general CPT (Curricular Practical Training) rules, such students taking online classes won’t be eligible for an off-internship in the US next summer. Such problems can only be tackled if universities and the US government find a collaborative solution to secure students’ future.