Tej Kohli

Before you read any informative stuff  in this category on Tej Kohli Blog, Let’s first concentrate on the most fundamental question that I’m sure must have cropped up in your minds at some time or the other..What exactly IS a Visa???

A stamp in the passport issued by an American Embassy or Consulate abroad, allowing the holder to request entry to the United States in a certain visa status within the time period specified on the visa. A visa may allow one, two or multiple entries before the expiration date of the visa.

A visa is either a multicolored stamp or computerized document affixed to a page in the passport by a U.S. Consular office abroad. It allows international visitors to travel to the U.S. as long as the visa has not expired. Once visitors are admitted into the U.S., visas are no longer the most important documents governing their status. A visa is used only for travel to the U.S., but is not used to determine how long individuals may stay in the U.S.

A seal or endorsement made on a passport by the proper officials of a country that entitles the bearer to apply for entry into another country at the port of admission.

A visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port-of entry and request permission from the U.S. immigration officer to enter the United States. It does not guarantee entry into the U.S.

Those were some definitions of Visa on the web ..hope the article was helpful. More in subsequent posts.

Individuality
Probably above everything else, Americans consider themselves individuals. There are strong family ties and strong loyalties to groups, but individuality and individual rights are most important. If this seems like a selfish attitude, it also leads Americans to an honest respect for other individuals and an insistence on human equality.

Related to this respect for individuality are American traits of independence and self-reliance. From an early age, children are taught to “stand on their own two feet,” an idiom meaning to be independent. You may be surprised to learn that most U.S. students choose their own classes, select their own majors, follow their own careers, arrange their own marriages, and so on, instead of adhering to the wishes of their parents.

Honesty and frankness are two more aspects of American individuality, and they are more important to Americans than personal honor or “saving face.” Americans may seem blunt at times, and in polite conversations they may bring up topics and issues that you find embarrassing, controversial, or even offensive. Americans are quick to get to the point and do not spend much time on social niceties. This directness encourages Americans to talk over disagreements and to try to patch up misunderstandings themselves, rather than ask a third party to mediate disputes.

Again, “individuality” is the key word when describing Americans, whether it is their personalities or their style of dress. Generally though, Americans like to dress and entertain informally and treat each other in a very informal way, even when there is a great difference in age or social standing. Students and professors often call each other by their first names. International students may consider this informality disrespectful, even rude, but it is part of American culture. Although there are times when Americans are respectful of, and even sentimental about, tradition, in general there is little concern for set social rules.

Competitiveness
Americans place a high value on achievement and this leads them to constantly compete against each other. You will find friendly, and not-so-friendly, competition everywhere. The American style of friendly joking or banter, of “getting in the last word,” and the quick and witty reply are subtle forms of competition. Although such behavior is natural to Americans, some international students might find it overbearing and disagreeable.

Americans can also be obsessed with records of achievement in sports, in business, or even in more mundane things. Books and movies, for example, are sometimes judged not so much on quality but on how many copies are sold or on how many dollars of profit are realized. In the university as well, emphasis is placed on achievement, on grades, and on one’s grade point average (GPA).

On the other hand, even if Americans are often competitive, they also have a good sense of teamwork and of cooperating with others to achieve a specific goal.

Measuring Success
Americans are often accused of being materialistic and driven to succeed. How much money a person has, how much profit a business deal makes, or how many material goods an individual accumulates is often their definition of success. This goes back to American competitiveness. Most Americans keep some kind of appointment calendar and live according to schedules. They always strive to be on time for appointments. To international students, American students seem to always be in a hurry, and this often makes them appear rude. However, this attitude makes Americans efficient, and they usually are able to get many things done, in part, by following their schedules.

Many Americans, however, do not agree with this definition of success; they enjoy life’s simple pleasures and are neither overly ambitious nor aggressive. Many Americans are materially successful and still have time to appreciate the cultural, spiritual, and human aspects of life.

International students often underestimate the amount of time required to apply for admission to a college or university in the United States. Avoid this mistake by setting a schedule for yourself that starts well in advance of the time that you plan to begin your studies. When setting your timetable, always remember that doing things early is the best way forward. You need to allow yourself sufficient time to thoroughly research the institution and/or program that will best serve your academic and professional goals. Then you must meet the application deadlines of the universities to which you apply, which may be as much as 10 months before the beginning of the school term.
The need for an early start holds true even if you are able to access electronic applications on the Internet. University Web sites and other academic Internet sites may provide quick and convenient access to the required application forms, but you still need time to research your options, contact teachers and institutions to provide recommendations and transcripts, and sign up for required entrance exams in time to meet application deadlines.

Careful planning is both necessary and wise. You will be required to prove to the university, to the consular officer (the person at the U.S. Consulate who issues visa stamps), and perhaps to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service that you have sufficient funds to cover your living expenses (housing, food, clothing, etc) and health insurance, as well as university’s tuition and fees.

So how much money will you need? You can get a general idea about expenses by looking at catalogs or application information provided by the university. Remember, however, that tuition rates vary tremendously. State (public) universities are generally, but not always, less expensive than private institutions. Some private institutions may be able to offer scholarships that state schools can not. Two-year or community colleges are usually less expensive than colleges and universities offering bachelor’s and graduate degrees.

The cost of living in different parts of the United States also varies. In general, living in urban areas (in or near a big city) is more expensive than living in smaller towns or rural areas. Renting an apartment in a big city can cost twice as much as it does in a smaller town because there is such high demand for housing in large U.S. cities. Likewise, food, clothing, entertainment, and other living expenses may be more expensive in a city.

More on Financial Aid in the coming posts.

What will life be like for you while you are studying in the U.S.? Are you thinking of working while you study abroad? Here you can learn more about the diverse cultural, social and economic aspects of living, studying and working in the United States.

If you are planning to live, learn and grow in the United States, you already possess a well-known American characteristic—a sense of adventure! As an international student, you will experience many new and exciting things. In this section, we hope to prepare you for some of the adventures involved in living in the United States.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to discuss exactly what “Living in the U.S.” means to everyone. American culture has been enriched by the values and belief systems of virtually every part of the world. From an international student’s perspective, that diversity is very valuable. If you choose to live in a completely different environment, you may be challenged with new situations every day; but if you decide to live in a part of the U.S. that resembles your home country in some ways, you may find comfort in those similarities.

Learning more about yourself is perhaps the most important part of your decision to travel to the U.S. Once you know what you want to achieve, then you can identify the right place to study and live and grow in the States.

There are many reasons that make students opt for USA to study at the undergraduate and graduate level – learn more about what the USA has to offer an international student. You will find all of the resources and information you need in order to make the right decision on where to study. How will you choose your program? Where in the USA is best for you?
In 2005/2006, nearly 565,000 international students chose the Unites States as the place they wanted to broaden their experience and continue their education, making the U.S. the top choice over any other country in the world. But why do so many international students choose U.S. colleges and universities? Before you pack your bags, you should learn what the U.S. has to offer you