A - Z of US Admission Process > Section 5 Deep Dive into Popular Courses in USA Presented by: (ijnivariety ). Discover & be discoveredDEEP DIVE INTO POPULAR COURSES IN USA The United States is considered one of the best and most prominent study destinations for stu- dents across the globe for its vast academic options, flexibility of programmes and quality of ed- ucation, Students studying in US Universities also get the opportunity of advanced practical training. Courses which are most popular in USA are Business, Economics, Engineering, Psychology and Computer Science. Some other the popular fields of study for UG programmes in USA include: * Aeronautics and Aviation Science © Art * Chemistry * Mathematics + Environmental Science and Health * Journalism and Mass Communication * Political Science and International Relations + Nursing + Pharmacy * Physical Therapy + Psychology + law + Computer Science + Engineering + Medicine Some students also aspire to pursue Medicine and Law programs in the US. The other courses mentioned involve the general procedure in admission and other aspects. However, the proce- dures to study medicine and law is quite different in US. Therefore, we will discuss them both in detail here in this section. Ur SOW luna) >=Medicine Studying medicine in USA is very different than studying it in India or other European coun- tries. In USA, the study of medicine generally begins after completion of four years of under- graduate study. This also includes the completion of pre-medical school course requirements along with obtaining a bachelor's (B.A.) degree in a Bio Science related subject. The require- ments or prerequisites to study medicine in USA vary from school to school, but almost always include biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry as main science courses. Some schools may also require other humanities, English, math, and science classes as well, so, stu- dents should be instructed to look into the requirements of medical schools while they are still at the undergraduate level so that they can choose their classes appropriately. Medical school itself usually lasts four years and is followed by 3 to 7 years of graduate medi- cal education, also called as internship or residency. There are a few medical schools that pro- vide limited programs which begin right after high school and combine undergraduate college study with medical education. Students are admitted provisionally to these programs based upon their high school credentials and, if their performance is satisfactory, they are permitted to progress to the M.D. degree with or without an entrance test score. This program generally takes six or seven years and admission to it is extremely competitive for foreign students. The biggest advantage of this programme is: the student is not required to enrol for a separate medicine degree after graduation and can move on to post graduation directly. If we speak realistically, it's not an easy task for foreign students to obtain the Doctor of Medi- cine degree in US. American medical schools receive twice as many applications from qualified US. citizens as can be accommodated and many of the publicly-supported medical schools are required by law to admit only state residents. ‘A Medical school in the United States is a four-year graduate institution. Such schools provide a major part of the medical education in the United States. Graduates receive either a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.0.) degree depending on the medi- cal school; both degrees allow the holder to practice medicine after completing an accredited residency program. The main prerequisite is to have a bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry or other field relevant to medicine. This program generally takes six or seven years and admission to it is extremely competitive for foreign students. Ur ale) >=A medical student candidate should also have completed the MCAT test after completing their Bachelors requirement. MCAT stands for Medical College Admissions Test. The test will deter- mine the ability to think critically, problem solving, clear written-communication and will also measure the student's knowledge of various scientific concepts. A good score on the MCAT is key to getting into a good medical school. Admission criteria include grade point averages, Medical College Admission Test scores, letters of recommendation, and interviews. To conclude: becoming a doctor requires many years of training, including undergraduate, gradu- ate and clinical residency education. The total length of training varies and depends on the area in which a physician chooses to specialize. In most cases, becoming a doctor requires 8-10 years of education and training in US. The whole process is explained in the following points. 1. Obtaining a Bachelor's Degree The first step to study medicine in US is to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Most aspiring doctors will earn a Bachelor of Science degree in one of the basic sciences, like biology, social science or chemistry. Many schools offer a pre-medicine track that students can complete in conjunction with their major. This makes their workload easier while preparing for MCAT and to transition to Medical School. Pre-med also ensures that the student’s decision to study medicine is estab- lished to their future medical school admission officers. 2. Passing the Medical College Admission Test To apply to medical school, students must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). The MCAT is a comprehensive computer examination that tests students’ knowledge of medical con- cepts and terminology. 3. Completing Medical School Completing a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree program, also known as medical school, usually takes four years. The programs are generally divided into two sections with different learning ex- periences and objectives. The first two years of medical school consist of classroom and lab work in courses such as anatomy, physiology, medical laws and ethics, microbiology and pharmacolo- gy. The third and fourth years of medical school are spent completing clinical rotations or clerk- ships in different medical departments. ONT alae ea4. Medical Residency After graduating from medical school, aspiring physicians must enter residency programs. In resi- dencies, medical students receive paid, on-the-job training. These residencies typically last for 3- 7 years, depending on the specialized area of practice. Training usually takes place in hospitals under the supervision of senior physician educators. 5. Obt ig Licensure All doctors, regardless of their specialties, must obtain licensure in order to practice medicine in the United States. Licensure must be obtained from the jurisdiction or state in which the physi- cian will practice. Physicians must pass the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) to ob- tain this license. Graduating from an accredited medical school is a prerequisite for the USMLE. Doctors who are licensed can legally work in the U.S. and related territories. Pre Medical Course requirements At most colleges and universities, students do not have the option of pre-medical major. A stu- dent on a pre-med track is permitted to choose any undergraduate major in any field of study, so long as certain required courses are completed. Most U.S. universities have a Pre-Med Advisor who guides students through the medical school application process. Because admission to medical school is extremely competitive, students should aim for a very strong undergraduate college or university. The probable course requirement for any Medical schools is: 1. One year of general and inorganic chemistry with accompanying lab course 2. One year of organic chemistry with accompanying lab course 3. One year of Physics with accompanying lab course 4. One year of Biology with accompanying lab course 5. One year of Calculus or Statistics 6. One year of English These requirements can be fulfilled in the Major programs Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry and Cell Biology. It may also be possible to fulfill these requirements in the Biochemical Engineering, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Biomedical, Biophysics, Physics and other Major programs. remem a tdBest universities for medicine in US: 8. 9. . Harvard University, Boston, MA . Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD . Stanford University, Stanford, CA . University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA . University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) .. Yale University, New Haven, CT . University of Pennsylvania Columbia University, New York, NY Duke University, Durham, NC 10. University of Washington A-Z of US Admission ProcessStudying Law in USA Law as a career, is a very prestigious and high paying job in US. Whether you are a well- respected judge, lawyer in a private firm, legal counsel for a business, or a law consultant. The median for law school graduates in public or private practice is about $65,000, but the high- achievers from top schools like Yale have opportunities to land jobs that pay $135,000 a year plus bonuses right out of law school. Associates in America’s top law firms start at $150,000 to $180,000 a year and partners easily earn over $1 million annually. However, studying law in the US is not cheap. One will end up spending roughly $50,000 per year on tuition, books, laptop, health insurance and rent. If a student is thinking of getting a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, add another $100,000 and the amount reaches a mammoth $150,000. Students need to plan very seriously and should have enough financial strength to get through the course. There are three types of degrees through which one can pursue law in US. * Juris Doctor + Master of Laws * Doctor of Juridical Science Juris Doctor: Students who want to practice law in the United States can enroll in a Juris Doc- tor degree program and complete it after three years of full-time study. However, applicants imum. Prospective students don't need to take any un- must have bachelor's degrees, at mil dergraduate law courses or have prior experience with the judicial system. However, they will have to appear for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) before applying. Master of Laws: Unlike most master's degree programs, which are considered to be the first level of graduate degrees, the Master of Laws comes second as a professional law degree after the Juris Doctor. An LL.M. program takes one year to complete with full-time study, and stu- dents may specialize in their interests, such as human rights law, environmental law, technolo- gy law or taxation. A Master of Laws degree program is typically reserved for lawyers who've earned their law degrees outside the United States. Doctor of Juridical Science: The Doctor of Juridical Science program is the most advanced law degree in the United States. It can be completed on a full-time basis in three years. A S.J.D. (the A-Z of US Admission Process >>acronym for the Doctor of Juridical Science degree) qualifies students to work in academic settings as law professors. Applicants typically need to have either a J.D. (Juris Doctor) or an LLM. to qualify for S.J.0. programs. Schools may prefer one type of degree to the other. Many applicants to a Doctor of Juridical Science program are established law professionals with many years of experience. So, if a student wants to pursue law, they need to start with pursuing any undergraduate degree of their interest. Social sciences majors are recommended, not because many universities prefer them, but because they will help the students to strengthen the basics. Just like LL.B. is the first law degree that students pursue in law, in US, itis the degree of Juris Doctor. After graduating from American law schools, most students complete their JD and take the state bar exam before practicing law. If one is determined to be a practicing attorney in the US then they should consider taking the JD route. The best options for a bachelor’s degree for those who want to pursue law later are: * Political Science * International Relations + Sociology + Philosophy © Criminology + Anthropology Becoming a lawyer and practicing law is quite challenging but also extremely rewarding. It can be a good fit for many different kinds of people from many different cultural, ethnic and educa- tional backgrounds. Typically, most foreign students pursue an LL.M. degree in the US which is a nine month long graduate program designed primarily for foreign lawyers. LL.M. students generally take classes alongside their JD counterparts. For most foreign students, including those from India, the LL.M. degree is also a license to take the bar exam in order to practice law in the US.A simplified step by step process to understand how to pursue law in US. ‘Step 1: Earning a Bachelor's Degree Students should earn a bachelor's degree in order to get into law school. There are no re- quired courses or recommended majors for law school admission. However, courses that de- velop skills in writing, reading, public speaking, logic and research can be helpful. Some law schools may prefer applicants who have taken intellectually challenging courses. ‘Step 2: Taking the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) LSAT scores are required to be submitted along with the law school application. This test is administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and is used to assess the candi- date’s reading, comprehension, reasoning and critical thinking skills. The LSAC test is adminis- tered in a multiple-choice format and is given in five sections. If one takes the LSAT and feels that the scores do not reflect their ability, they may choose to retake the test . Step 3: Obtaining the Juris Doctor (J.D.) Degree Law school typically lasts for three years and results in a J.D. degree. Students begin law school by taking courses in constitutional law, property law, legal writing, contracts and torts. Then they take elective courses based on their interests, such as corporate law, tax law or la- bor law. During the time in law school, students may participate in mock trials, attend legal clinics and write for a law journal. Step 4: Participating in a Clerkship As a law student, one may be given the opportunity to complete a part-time or summer clerk- ship. Clerkships allow students to gain experience by working in a law firm, corporate office or government agency. For some, a clerkship can lead to an employment offer following grad- uation from law school. ‘Step 5: Appearing for the State Bar Examination Before practicing law in the United States, students are required to pass their state bar exami- nation and obtain a license. Depending on their state, students usually need to pass a written bar exam, as well as a separate written ethics exam. If one would like to practice law in multi- ple states, they generally need to pass a bar exam in each state. A-Z of US Admission Process >.There are 2 different routes or options to pursue law in US: 1. One option is pursuing law after class 12: students can pursue Undergraduate degree from USA in any discipline and then appear for LSAT to get admission into the Law school. After this, they can pursue the LLM and then take the Bar exams of the state in which they wish- es to stay and work. 2. Another option is pursuing law after graduation: In this case, the students pursue the LLB program from India, then seek to pursue the Masters of Law ~ LLM course in the USA in order to appear for the Bar Exams of the USA. Only after they clear the Bar exams they are able to practice Law in US in that particular state. Some important points to keep in mind as a counsellor: + International Students who wish to practice law in US generally target New York state to appear for the Bar exam. Most people take the bar exam a couple of months after gradu- ating law school, and there are specialized programs to help students prepare for the ex- am in the state in which they wish to take it. Each of the different states in the US has its own substantive law. Having said this, even lawyers intending to practice internationally will most likely take the bar exam of one state (New York is probably the most common) + New York and California are the only two states that allow foreign students to take the bar exam after the successful completion of an LL.M. International students prefer NY as the Californian State Bar exam is considered to be a tough one + The majority of foreign lawyers pursue an LL.M program in the US to return to their home countries where they put to good use the knowledge, skills and huge network of contacts they have built across the globe Time required for pursuing Law in USA: Most people who pursue a career as a lawyer gen- erally take the traditional path of earning a bachelor’s degree followed by three years of law school. The amount of time this actually takes depends on whether one attends school full- time and passes the bar exam on the first try. However, not every state imposes the same re- quirements, so choosing to practice in one state over another can significantly affect the time it takes to become a lawyer. The initial step to becoming a lawyer generally is four years of study as an undergraduate at a college or university. Followed by three years of Law school. And then the Bar Exams. A-Z of US Admission Process >.State Bar Exams Soon after graduating from, law school, students need to sit for the bar exam in their respec- tive states, or in the state where they want to practice law. Studying for the bar exam will like- ly consume two to three months and will take an additional few months to get the results. However, even after passing the exam, one cannot be considered a lawyer until they are offi- cially admitted to the bar. To be admitted in the bar, the candidate must pass a character and fitness review by the state's bar association. This process includes a thorough background check of financial, criminal, residence and employment history of the candidate. The amount of time this takes will depend on how clean the candidate’s background is. Generally, it may take a number of months. Admission process for any course at the undergraduate level remains the same. Students will be required to take SAT | and SAT subject tests (if required, depending on the programme) or ACT and the TOEFL. For admission, students will follow the same application process and the deadlines as dis- cussed in the earlier sections. Below are the list of universities for popular courses mentioned at the top. Engineering: Economi 1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2. Stanford University . Harvard University 3. Harvard University . Stanford University Carnegie Mellon University princeton University . University of California, Berkeley a 7s Princeton University . University of Chicago 7. University of California, Los Angeles Yale University 8. Georgia Institute of Technology 1. 2 3, 4, University of California, Berkeley 5. 6. 7. 8. Columbia University 3. 9. Cornell University . University of California, Los Angeles 10.California Institute of Technology 10.University of Pennsylvania A-Z of US Admission Process >=.Psychology: 1. Harvard University 2. Stanford University 3. University of California, Los Angeles Yale University University of California, Berkeley Massachusetts Institute of Technology Princeton University New York University ys Pn ay University of Pennsylvania 10.Columbia University Key takeaways: Business Management: 1. Harvard University 2. Stanford University University of Pennsylvania Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of California, Berkeley Yale University University of California, Los Angeles eo eee! New York University 9. University of Chicago 10.Columbia University Courses which are most popular in USA are Business, Economics, Engineering, Psychology and Computer Science. US universities are also known for their courses in aeronautics and aviation science, art, mathematics and international relations The process to pursue these courses is quite similar, however, the courses of medicine and law involve different processes, a reason why we have covered only these two in this sec- tion In USA, the study of medicine generally begins after completion of four years of under- graduate study. This also includes the completion of pre-medical school course require- ments along with obtaining a bachelor's (B.A.) degree in a Bio Science related subject To be able to practice medicine in US, one must first obtain a bachelor’s degree, preferably in basic sciences. This should be followed by the Medical College Admission Test or MCAT. Once they clear this test, students will be admitted to a medical school where they will complete their post graduate degree in medicine. After this, the students will be required to do the medical residency which may take 3 to 7 years. After completing the residency, they students can obtain a license and start practicing A-Z of US Admission Process >.+ Lawasa career, is a very prestigious and high paying job in US, however, it also involves huge expenses. Law students may end up spending roughly $50,000 per year overall + There are three types of degrees through which one can pursue law in US. Juris Doctor, Master of Laws and Doctor of Juridical Science. In all three degrees, students must have already graduated before applying + To pursue law in US, students must first obtain a bachelor’s degree, appear for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and then start their law studies through any of the 3 said de- grees, After this, they have to participate in a clerkship and then appear for the state bar exam in the state where they wish to practice * International Students who wish to practice law in US generally target New York state to appear for the Bar exam. New York and California are the only two states that allow foreign students to take the bar exam after the successful completion of an LL.M. International students prefer NY as the Californian State Bar exam is considered to be a tough one + To start practicing, the lawyers must be admitted to the state bar first. To be admitted in the bar, the candidate must pass a character and fitness review by the state’s bar associa- tion. This process includes a thorough background check of financial, criminal, residence and employment history of the candidate End of the Section A-Z of US Admission Process