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| Sunday, 1 August 2004 |
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Engineering studies in the USA : Accreditation 101 Continued from last week by Srilal Weerasinghe, PhD Transfer Students Transfer students usually take the necessary preparatory classes before coming to the USA. Assuming a graduation requirement of 128 credit hours, one or two years' worth of courses can be completed prior to your arrival. This is a significant saving since the same education in USA will cost about 10 times or higher. Although the affiliate foreign institute could be 10,000 miles away, it still have to abide by the applicable ABET regulations: "The institution must have and enforce policies for the acceptance of transfer students and for the validation of courses taken for credit elsewhere." Thus, if the foreign affiliation is not up to par, it could affect the accreditation status of the home institution as well. It is no secret that many students use the education pretense as a means to get to US. However, very few have an idea of the risks involved. In spite of the money spent, if the institution is not a recognized one, you will have a hard time convincing the visa officer of your intentions at the time of visa interview. While we are on the subject, beware of anyone or any agencies claiming to get you student visa status. That's not possible; only your credentials and careful preparation can help you in that matter. One common mistake the candidates make in the visa interview is that feverishly trying to persuade the visa officer why (s)he wants to travel to u want to travel to USA. The fact that you have come to the interview proves your need. Instead, the official is very much interested to see proof that you will 'return' to the home country after completion of your studies. So spend your time and energy in gathering evidence to show strong ties to the homeland. Summer Camps: Many colleges offer summer camps lasting for about a month for prospective students. This is a great way for high-school seniors to get acquainted with the school of their choice. Students usually stay in the residential halls that are vacant during the summer months and experience the college environment. They also get to meet with student counsellors and advisors. The flip side is that it will cost you additional money. It may also be difficult to get a visit visa to attend summer camp. However if you've already been to a camp and have returned to the home country, that will be to your advantage when you apply for the F-1 student visa later. From the institutions' point of view, summer camps provide a convenient way of advertising for the colleges (due to high competition among US universities to attract the best students and faculty). It also helps the colleges to earn some money on the side. Diploma Mills The academic freedom in the US has unfortunately given rise to a fraudulent practice known as 'Diploma mills'. These scam artists capitalize on the growth in popularity of distance learning opportunities and are abusing the freedom of the Internet to lure unsuspecting students. (It must be mentioned here that several major universities do offer legitimate degree programs on-line). But the diploma mills are different; they award degrees just for a payment (sometimes adjusted to give credit for 'life-long learning'). The situation is complicated by the fact that these bogus schools claim to have been accredited by similarly bogus accrediting agencies! The risk, obviously, is that one cannot get a job or gain admission to a grad school unless the degree has been earned from a recognized institution. The Council on Higher Education Accreditation's official web site (www.chea.org) lists the authorized accrediting organizations. The author wishes to thank Mr. Ranjith Sandanayaka, who has a wealth of knowledge gained through decades of experience in US Cultural Affairs. |
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