Meltdown hits US study consultants

[sajiv]

Worried students seek assurances 'We have to explain a lot' says a leading consultant, Six representatives from US arriving for a seminar

VIJAYAWADA: The economic crisis in the US and its global impact has not only affected jobs but also the prospects of many youngsters looking for higher educational opportunities in hundreds of universities across America. Most of them are leaving India with lurking fears about their future .

However, the consultants seek to put up a brave front and give assurances to the students about the opportunities that would knock at their doors once they step into the US.They also give elaborate clarifications that the economic slowdown is not going to be there for long and that Indian students will stand to gain more in the years to come.

"Yes, we have to explain a lot on this front," says Prabhu Kumar Uppalapati, director of ACE Solutions, an ISO 9001:2000 company having a decade of experience in educational consultancy. He asserts that their company has sent over 1,000 students to the US shores till now.He told reporters here on Monday that a team of six top-level representatives from various universities in the US would come here to have one-on-one meetings with local students aspiring for higher educational opportunities there. They would also address a seminar at Hotel DV Manor from 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesday.

In the afternoon, the foreign representatives would hold individual interviews with prospective students.Mr. Prabhu Kumar said that the six-member US team would also clarify doubts posed by students and parents at the meet. They would scrutinise documents of students and conduct spot assessments. The decisions about eligibility would also be taken during this programme.

The New Jersey-based Indus Foundation, an American educational organisation, arranged the tour of this US team as part of its programmes for promoting overseas educational opportunities for the growing population of Indian students.Officials of the rank of associate director and deans of universities are arriving to address the seminar and meet with students.

These representatives are coming from the University of Massachusetts, Schiller International University, Alcorn State University, Northwestern College, Dixie State College, Upper Iowa State University, South Dakota State University and the University of Toledo.