The goal of traversing the world in the pursuit of higher studies is not uncommon. A few years ago, the pursuit of going abroad for higher studies was simply a dream. Today, this dream has become a reality for thousands of students, including myself. The field of environment and nature has its own glamour. The environmental field allows one to acquire a strong education while simultaneously getting the opportunity to visit exciting places around the world.
After completing a post graduate diploma in forestry management from the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) in Bhopal, I worked with Dr. Anil Gupta of the Honey Bee and SRISTI fame at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. I then enrolled in the College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech in USA almost five years ago. Virginia Tech had a great program in Geographical Information Systems and was also providing me with a very good scholarship plan. Being in US, the hotbed of cutting edge science and technology had added charm. I have stayed in the US, working in the GIS sector.
I would like to offer some advice to those who are currently aspiring to make a career in the environmental sector. Though my specific educational background may be different from yours, I hope to provide some general guidelines about pursuing a post-graduate degree abroad. This article will be followed by others in the series over the next few months.
The first step to pursuing studies in the US is to get a general idea of the American University system and the requirements for Indian students.