Introduce yourself
My name is Ridham Patel. I live in Ahmedabad, a town in Gujarat state of India. I successfully
cleared my 12th grade from St. Xavier’s High School in 2021 with 72.8% in science stream.
Purpose of trip?
It is purely an educational trip.
Why did you choose this city?
CSUN was my priority due to its up to date course and facilities, which is located in LA. Therefore, I
chose this city.
Institute/University
Can you tell me details about your university?
CSUN is a public university located in LA. It is ranked 39 among the regional unis west.
It has 9 colleges and offers 134 different programs.
Why have you chosen specific university?
I chose CSU because of the course curriculum and electives offered by the university. Electives like
Digital graphics and AI are related to my area of interests and they also provide a virtual reality lab
which is very rare. Another reason would be the professor whom I found out while doing research
on this university, his name is kyle dewey and I am really inspired by his research on automated
software testing and want to learn with him.
Location of the university – 1811 Nordoff Street, LA
How did you find this university?
I came to know about this university while surfing through the page of [Link]
How many US unis did you apply for?
I applied to 5 unis namely:
Adelphi
Dayton
UMASS Boston
CSUN
SUNY New Paltz
Can you name some professors?
Abhishek Verma teaches introduction to software engineering
Rick Covington teaches Intro to algo and data structures
Kyle Dewey teaches concepts of programming languages.
Where will you stay in US?
I will be staying at the on campus housing provided by the university.
COURSE
What course are you going for?
I am going to pursue bachelors in computer science
Why did you select this course?
I was always inclined towards computers since my childhood and have worked on different
programming languages like c,c++ and java. The fact that machines could think and work like human
in near future really overwhelmed me. As I was grew up in such environment, I became clear about
pursuing a degree in computer science and wanted to learn how new technology can change the
world, that’s why I chose this course.
How did u get interested in computer science?
During my early schooling days I worked on many projects which required the use different kind of
softwares and I was really overwhelmed by how technology could change people’s lives. That is how
I got interested in this course.
What is the course structure and contents?
My program is divided in 120 credits. The core subjects are advanced data structures, computer
assembly and architecture and programming languages.
I will choose Artificial Intelligence, computer networks and security and Computer Graphics as
electives.
Why USA?
As per my research, I believe that USA is superior in computer science field in terms of research and
development as compared to any other countries. USA education system also allows students to
design their course as per their credit interests, and it provides diverse learning environment, hands
on oriented teaching and advance technological resources for on field research. That’s why I have
chosen USA.
Why don’t you do this course in your own country?
The education in USA is known for its quality. The universities in USA focus more on practical
exposure and provide better technological resources and facilities. Such support infrastructure is not
available in India.
What are the scope/ benefits of your course?
With growing technology, my skill set would be highly in demand after I complete the course. I can
easily acquire positions of software developer, project manager, data scientist and so on in tech
giants like TCS, HCL, etc.
Course commencement date?
22 Jan 2022
What will be total cost per year?
The total cost including my tuition and living expenses would be 35k usd for 1 year which is roughly
equivalent to 26 lakhs.
Did you receive any scholarship?
No
ACADEMICS
Where did you do your last course of study?
I completed my 12th standard from St. Xavier’s High School, Ahmedabad
What is your specialization?
I have a basic knowledge in programming languages like c and java..
High school percentage?
72.8
What was your English score?
I scored overall 140 in Duolingo English test.
FAMILY
How many siblings?
I have 1 elder brother.
Where your parents/siblings did complete their studies?
My parents completed their studies from Gujarat and my brother completed his diploma from
Canada.
Do you have relatives in this university?
No
SPONSORS AND FINANCIAL DETAILS
Who is sponsoring you?
My father is sponsoring me.
What does your father do?
My father owns a Furniture manufactoring plant where different furniture products like beds,
closets, etc are designed and produced with cnc technology and sold in domestic as well as
international markets.
What proof do you have that your sponsor can support your studies?
Here is my Affidavit of sponsorship letter and bank balance certificate.
Could you please show me your bank statement?
Here you go.
How many people are dependents of your sponsor?
No one
How much is available for your stay in US? / How will you finance your studies for 4 years?
My father has 61 lakhs in his savings account and his annual income is 18 lakhs. Moreover, we have
commodities worth 25 lakhs and immovable properties worth 3-4 crores so it is smoothly
manageable.
FUTURE PLANS
What are your plans after completing your studies?
I would try to get an internship in USA so that I can enhance my knowledge on the corporate world
and then I would pursue masters in computer science from one of the top universities in USA.
How much money can you earn after completion of studies?
I can earn approximately 70 – 80 thousand rupees/month in India, which is good as per Indian
standard pay scale.
Do you intend to work in US during or after completion of your studies?
No sir, my main focus would be on the course that I will be studying and after completion of it, I
would look for an internship there to know more about the corporate world.
How can you prove you will come back after finishing your studies?
I am very careful about my goals and with my degree and skills I can join a tech giant in India near
my hometown. This way I can stay close to my family and support them.
OTHER COUNTRY RELATED QUESTIONS:
Any relatives in US?
No
Do you know anyone in your university?
Yes, I have been in contact with professor xyz.
Why should I grant you the visa?
Sir, it is my dream to achieve best valuable degree and skills from US education, so that I can build
up my career.
What if visa is rejected?
Sir, it is my dream to study in USA, still I respect the decision of your embassy and I will analyze my
mistakes and try again.
Have you ever visited any other country?
Yes, I have visited Dubai and Thailand.
Will you come back home during summer?
Well it depends on the situation, but I am more aligned towards my education so I might stay there
and work on my skills.
What will you do during off period?
I would like to visit the places around the city and explore different cultures while practicing and
enhancing my technical skills simultaneously.