At an affordable US university

Suggest me a few good universities in the US for Mass Communications and Journalism. The fee is almost Rs 16 to 20 lakh. Are there any universities with fee less than Rs 6 lakh? - Anisha Iyer, Sainikpuri

American education is believed to afford the best preparation for the future and out of the several hundred universities in the United States that offer various degrees in Journalism and Mass Communication, only 111 universities are accredited by ACEJMC. The cost of education in USA varies from state to state, type of university and course of study. Universities in US are divided into two categories: Public/ State Institutions and Private Institutions.

Depending upon which university you study at, an average tuition fee or cost ranges from $15,000 to $30,000 approximately per year for private universities, $10,000 to $ 20,000 approximately per year for public universities and $8,000 to $12,000 approximately per year for community colleges. You can refer link, http://eaudacia.blogspot.in/2011/05/accredited-programs-of-journalism-and.html, to get the list of accredited Mass Communication and Journalism universities. And this is the link to information on 50 reputed Journalism schools at US colleges and universities.

Research on the facilities and admission policies of the universities, funding, and practical opportunities, along with their academic credibility are also there. These are the universities with lesser fee structure: Utah State University, North Carolina State University, San Diego State University, Oklahoma State University, Wayne State University, Minnesota State University, California State University, Montana State University, San Jose State University and Kansas State University. Check out if they have courses in Journalism and Mass Communication.

For funding, generally a combination of loans, work-study and private scholarships works well, as students are allowed to do part time jobs up to 20 hours per week as a full time student. During holidays this is extended up to 40 hours per week. International students are provided with scholarships by the universities to support their educational expenses. This range from a few hundred dollars to full scholarships.

Private scholarships are also available. Indian students looking for USA scholarships in order to study abroad may apply to the subsequent associations and trusts, Indian plus International, USA scholarships for Indians or fellowships as the case may be. Most of these programs are either need-based, merit based or a mix of both. When you apply for a scholarship, make sure your application for a scholarship stands out, refer link, http://www.mycollegesabroad.com/scholarships/usa-scholarships/.

All the best.

Which colleges do accept ICET score?

I appeared for my ICET exam and bagged 11,500th rank. Suggest me a few good colleges with affordable and nominal fee structure? - Harikrishna Mamadipudi, Marredpally

2.5 lakh students had appeared this year for ICET which is an integrated Common Entrance Test for admission into MBA and MCA courses of all universities in AP and their affiliated colleges. The counselling process has already started on June 8 and to get an idea of your chances of admission this year, the information about previous year's last rank details can come in very handy. You can refer this site that provides the ICET Rank Wise Colleges List: www.andhracolleges.com. You can also check the mock counselling for an idea in which college you can get a seat according to your rank before going in for the web counselling.

Based on the rank you secured, I suggest you apply in multiple colleges, so that you stand a better chance in seeking admission. Colleges you stand a chance of getting an admission are: Guru Nanak Institute of Technology, Manchala, Ibrahimpatnam; DVR Institute of Comp Applications, Sanga reddy (for MCA); Telangana University, Nizamabad; Kakatiya Institute of Technology, Warangal; Colleges in Hyderabad; Pragati Maha Vidyalaya Degree College; St Francis Degree & P G College; Aurora's PG College; T K R College of Engineering and Technology; Deccan College Of Engineering & Technology; Shadan College; Bhoj Reddy Engineering College for Women; M J College of Engineering & Technology.

Based on the MCA/MBA demand, there is always a fluctuation in the admission process. To browse through the information about previous year's last rank details and also get a clear picture you can subscribe to icetcounselling.com and get the latest information.

Best of Luck!