<p>Do a lot of the international applicants have a fairly good idea about what they would like to do after college?
Let me tell you about my situation, I'm a totally clueless college-applicant right now. I mean, I know quite well what I would like to do at college (that too is quite questionable) but after that, no idea at all. Sometimes, I think I would like to pursue some post-graduate study, but I just don't know if post-grad is right for me, i.e. If i can put in that much effort, if I'm that interested in the subject etc....
Keeping that aside, I don't even know where I'll be after college. Will I stay on in the US (either for post-grad or a job) or will I come back to my home country (India). Or option no.3: maybe a third country?
This leads me to the question of whether I even want to do a job after college !??!!??! Sounds really boring and I'm sooo confused............</p>
<p>What will I do in college?
Neuroscience and/or Biomedical engineering.
Pre-med? i dont know.</p>
<p>If pre-med, I must go on to medical school. Medical school in the US? Can I get in? As an international student, will I be able to even get an internship? How friggin hard do I have to study to compete in the ultra competitive international medical pool?</p>
<p>If not pre-med, should I go on to grad school?
Grad school... more money needed. I'm not applying for finaid for college. Can my parents fund 4 more years of school? They will be paying 8 years of tuition and boarding. My parents will pay for undergrad studies but they never said they'll pay for grad school, if it's not a medical school.
Should I be working in college to save up money for grad school?</p>
<p>If not premed, and I go on to grad school, what will I study? Masters degree in Biology? What do I do after grad school? Research is an option. Should I go overseas for grad school like England? Or Korea?
Where do I go after grad school? Go back Korea, my home country, or stay in the US? Or go to England? All I know is that I wont come back to my current country of residence.</p>
<p>Can I stay in the US? I'll have to find a job, to get a work permit. Can I get a green card? If I end up living in the US, will I get married in the US? Have babies there? Have a house there? Live the rest of my life there?</p>
<p>If I dont plan on going on to grad school in the US, will I go overseas? Will I not go on to grad school? Can I get a job with just a BSc? What job can I get?</p>
<p>So many questions. All will be answered in a few more years but right now, it's so confusing. I wish I just had a set plan of the future.</p>
<p>Oh yes, the grad school questions definitely bother me very much too. Even more so because grad school is the most concrete post-college plan I can manage to come up with currently (although I do not know which country I'll be in)!
My parents are totally funding my undergrad education, but I wouldn't want to be mooching off them during my post-grad years as well! From what I've heard/read most graduate students fund their education either through fellowships or by working as a research/teaching assistant at university. This is something we'll need to look out for!</p>
<p>By the way, what is your current country of residence Nofx?</p>
<p>Anyway, when these questions get too hard for me at times, i simply tell myself that I'm not even at college yet! There's a long way to go and lots of time to make these decisions!</p>
<p>Yes I also dont want to mooch off my parents. I'm already feeling slightly guilty for the 4 years of college! What I'm really worried about is that internship/felloships/research, etc... On campus, yes i heard it is quite a standard procedure, but off campus, i heard that it's really hard to obtain one with an international status.
What I've been thinking of, is to stay in the US for the long spring breaks and get an internship and make some money for the future. I've never ever had a paying job in my life so I dont even know how to handle money - I need to learn pronto! lol
And I'm currently in newzealand. I definetly wont be coming back here after college or grad school. I also have to keep reminding myself that these problems will be solved in due time, but the questions are just daunting.</p>
<p>And lakshya, no you're not helping! haha
(What are you doing after college?)</p>
<p>Although your idea sounds good, it won't really work.</p>
<p>Internships don't really pay as well as you are currently thinking/hoping they do. A good internship will get you about 12 dollars per hour. This money is definitely not sufficient to pay for grad school!
Also, as an international student studying in the US with a student visa, you cannot work for as long as you wish. There is a cap on the number of hours per week you can work.</p>