Begin With The End in Mind - What happens after Your Studies in the US?

What Happens After You get the Degree?

There is a popular saying that you should always begin with the end in mind. This holds very true when selecting a US University. The clearer you are now about what you want your life to be like after you get your US university degree, the more confident and decisive you will be in selecting a US University.

Should You Stay in US, or Return Home

For example do you wish to return home immediately after study or do you want to get some work experience in the US under say, a program like Optional Practical Training? One of the key factors that determine your likelihood of employment in the US after you receive your degree is the marketability of your field of expertise. And your field of expertise varies significantly among universities.

An international student typically has one of two broad motives for study in the United States. This is not to suggest that you will fall into one of these two categories, but generally most students do.

1. The first motive is to obtain your university degree from the United States and return home to a better circumstance and better opportunities. Often, that opens employment with foreign firms who might place a greater value on an American degree or your having lived in the United States.
2. The second motive is to use the student visa as a point of entry to a life in the United States. So in reality, you are either going for an American education, or an opportunity to be part of the America dream.

Still, there are grey areas. You might leave home with every intention of returning home immediately upon completion of your degree. But in actuality, you can become an accidental immigrant. The reasons are varied. There is always the real possibility that a strong culture such as the United States can impose itself on you. You will eventually assimilate.

Given the two broad motives and the grey area, it is best for you as a prospective international student to be clear on your plans and intentions before you start the process.  Here is one key reason. Intent to remain in the USA, if detected, could cost you the opportunity to get a student visa. We will discuss this topic in much more detail in other sections.

So as you select a school, privately incorporate your known intent. Are you preparing for the job, business or career market in your country or do you plan to remain in the United States?

What Do You Want To Be

The choice of careers also is critical if you plan to seek opportunities in the United States because the market needs are likely to be different. In the science and technology areas, the allied health professions, and in some aspects of business, the United States has a seemingly permanent labor need, and that need is what the government uses to determine the number of available employment-based visas.

Knowing that information and studying in one of these “need” areas can pay dividends if you plan to remain in the United States. So if you fit into one of the two broad categories or even a grey area, the options for success, assistance, and even a new life opportunity are many and varied. Intelligent and strategic planning and research can make the experience much more rewarding and much less expensive, frustrating and stressful.

Your next step in selecting the right American University or College for you is Understanding the Different Types of US Universities and Colleges.

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