Going to US for studies? Check college background

Bengaluru: Select a College/University only after a proper scrutiny and cross-verification of the data available with the world universities forum. This is available with the US education department. Else there is a chance of you being deported for taking admission in a fake College or University!

Two days after the an Air-India flight from Hyderabad barred 19 students, mostly from Telangana and Andhra, from boarding its flight to San Fransisco after being informed by the US authorities that the universities to which they had secured admission were under ‘scrutiny’, questions are being raised over the manner in which many from the country are securing admission in little-known US universities and colleges.

According to those following the Hyderabad incident, since December 19, as many as 50 students from Hyderabad alone, having student visas to the US, were barred from boarding flights. “Incidents pertaining to only 19 students are on the public domain. But many more students are victims of this problem,” said an overseas educational consultant from the city, who wished to be anonymous.

Profit motive

According to Venkatesh Prasad, CEO, RV-VLSI Design Centre, the US offers a variety of higher education institutions to choose from. State universities, community colleges, accredited private universities and polytechnic and vocational technical schools are some of them. Generally one should be careful while exploring study options in institutions other than State Universities or community colleges as they have a profit motive.

Students who go to the US for higher studies from India, have to cross many hurdles such as identifying and applying to credible institutions, getting familiar with the teaching and learning environment in that country, which is very different from India, overcoming the culture shock and also a very critical point in his view is that they should do their homework in their area of specialisation and choose the right courses.

According to Gauri Mikhil Narang, an overseas education consultant, within the US, the US Department of Education does not accredit educational institutions or programs. However, the Secretary of Education is required by law to publish a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies that the Secretary determines to be reliable authorities. There is a database on their website (http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/) that is regularly updated which lists “recommended”colleges/universities. This would be a good place to start.

Tri-valley incident

Overseas educational consultants recall the 2011 incident involving Tri-Valley University located in Pleasanton near San Francisco. More than a hundred Indian students were deported from this university following the shutting down of the institute. “Many prefer these kinds of colleges in the US only to get visas easily,” said Naina Murthy, a consultant.

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