Posted by: junkynfunky December 17, 2012
dropping out of pHD
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 Another one bites the dust....But I dont blame you...Here is the general picture of what happens for Nepalese Science students especially the biology students in my opinion.

1. Students who score better in SLC  are generally inclined to choose Science as Major because thats where the prestige is. They either want to become Doctors or Engineers. So 2 years of Science. No big deal.

2. Then comes the time for appearing for the medical entrance exam for biology students. The seats are limited. The exam is tough.Some people have tried and tried for years to get into the top schools and still did not get in.  The exams are more inclined towards weeding out people rather than measuring your knowledge and aptitude. You look around and say do I want to appear for all this or Do I want to go to America? Pursue the American Dream?

3. You come to America with some money enough for your first semester. Then reality strikes you hard. The school is too expensive. You have no choice but to maintain status. So you transfer to community college. You take all the Science Courses because you are generally inclined towards Science. But their Science and Math Curriculum is a piece of cake for you. In some cases, they teach you introductory biology, chemistry, physics and algebra. You bear through it. Take some Sociology and Psychology course to fulfill your General Ed. Make some dough while working like 70 hours a week.

4. You transfer to a mediocre 4 year schoool that is cheap and affordable. Some 300 level classes are still no better than your +2 Science courses because curriculum back home is so vast.

5. Comes the final year when you take 400 level classes, these are the only new courses you will probably learn in your whole 4 year undergrad. Ok comes the graduation. Here you go . Done yeeah. Post your graduation pictures. Out in the real world.

6.The job market is tough. There are no desi consultancies to show for 5 -6 years of work experience. You look for jobs. If you are lucky , you land one through through American consulting companies that takes half your salary for doing nothing. You work for a meagre salary that is slightly better than hourly job.

7. By this time 7 years would have already passed. You dont have the young enthusiasm and energy like you did when you worked 18 hours in Ocean City.

8. Family back home will already have expectations that you land a good job and start sending some dough back home. In some cases, they want to get married and start a family.

9. Ok 2 years work authorization has already passed. You have no choice but go back to grad school. Phd is like another 7 years of hard work and commmitment but you are so damn tired that you lost focus by now.

10. Meanwhile, folks who did MBBS for 5 years back home (and I heard there are so many private schools in Nepal to choose from now), come to US, appear for USMLE, passs the exam with flying colors. Do 3 year of intership with around 45K starting salary and off they go making 6 figure salary after that. Remember they barely have student loans.

11. Here even if you want to go to a pharmacy school, you have to be prepared to take 100K in loans. Forget about medical schools, that is like another 200K in loans.

12. So what follows next. You see another thread by another disgruntled student in sajha that they are dropping school. This is sad but very real. What is the solution? I do not know. May be go to school for some applied fields that lands you a good job after 2 years of school.

My 2 cents 

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