This website is intended to offer what I think is the right education we should get. I am neither the smartest student nor the person who know best about U.S. education. But I think I can share some of my experience as a student, TA, RA, Tutor, phone operator, and traveler with anyone who is interested. If you wanted to know more about me, please click here. Or if you wanted to know more about my life here all these years, please visit here.
I got my bachelor degree from faculty of commerce and accountancy at Thammasat University. I am just an average student, GPA almost 3 (as I told you, I am not the smartest person). I was very bad in English; indeed I failed the English exam when I enter. So I end up took English 040 in my freshman year. It took me 3 times to get 570 for my TOEFL, and I have to take GRE twice just to get 1,760. It’s not easy for me and for most of people. But one thing that never crossed my mind is to get better score by memorizing exam, or cheat.
I have spent most of the past 8 years here in the U.S. struggling with my study. I have seen lots of things both good and bad. Not everything here is good. Study in the U.S. is neither a privilege nor necessity. For those who have the opportunity, you should learn as much as you can and try to keep only the good things back to Thailand and use that knowledge to help develop our country. It is sad that so many people only care about how to get into school or how to get a degree rather than what can they learn and how will they use that knowledge to make our country stronger. I have a friend who asked someone to fax her answers for GMAT from Thailand. My other friend used to complaint to me that at her University lots of Thai students cheat in the exam (copy each other exam). Another friend of mine used to ask me for my paper to submit for one of her class. It’s not that they cannot do it by themselves; they are much better students than me. They just wanted to find the easy way out, with minimal effort. But is this the right way of education?
I have read some student questions (from an information web site for Thai student) about Chinese, Indian, etc. students got very high score in TOELF/GMAT/GRE. Some students only wanted to know how to get the score like them rather than how to be as good as them. Some even ask for a web site where they can get the copy of the exam (and answer) so that they can memorize them for the exam. They only care to get that score, they don’t care how to get it, and what do they know. I think it is important that we try to improve ourselves to be as good as others rather than a short cut to be the same with them without quality.
Every year, Thailand has spent millions of dollars importing number of diplomas that have contributed very little to our human capital. I am worry for the future of our county and our next generation. Countries can only develop on high level of human capital and high level of knowledge, not on pile of papers. If we were to include these type of degrees in the balance of payment, Thailand will have a lot more deficit than we reallized. I think these diplomas should be considered as luxuary goods and those people who import them should pay taxes, as they put burden on our country as a whole. I just hope that this message will give some students some thought and change their attitude from getting a degree to getting educated and knowledge. There is nothing too much or too difficult to do, but it need courage and determination. And don’t afraid to be different.
It seems that we, Thai people, tend to pick up more of bad things from westerner than good. It make me feel sad everytime I visit Thailand. All kids dress like they have nothing in the body that need to be covered. Kids who have no job and make no money use all the expensive cloth, bages, drugs...Why don't we pick up other thing, like these American kids they also work between parties. They don't ask parents for money to get a fancy brand bags. People here are very comply with the law. The country are very organize and clean, because people has decipline.
Keep in mind that study in the U.S. is neither privilege nor necessity. I don’t think U.S. (or any foreign) degrees are superior to a degree from universities in Thailand. And in many cases I know it is true. So for those of you who feels like you cannot effort to come study here, don’t feel discourage. There are many other ways to get good education (without robbing the bank) beside study in the U.S. And sometime, study here is not as expensive as you think. If you read the section about my life here, you will see that if you work hard enough you can effort to study even at one of the most expensive public university in the U.S. (and still have some money left for travel, I don’t know about private university though). You can get it without doing anything illegal or unethical. Remember that there are more things in life than just a degree or study. Sometime what matter most is not where did you graduated?, which degree you have? or how high is your score?. It comes from what you have achieve in life as a human being. And sometimes you can be at your best by just being yourself. So be and proud of who you are, even if you didn’t study in the U.S. or get only 500 on GMAT. That is you, and in the entire human history, there have never been another you.
More information about education in the U.S.
High school and Undergraduate studies (Not recommend)
Graduate Studies (In Canada and the U.S.)
Good Education in Asia You may not realize that there are several excellent Universities in Asia that are better than many U.S. universities (even my University). So don’t be fool by ‘Study in the U.S.”. These universities use English, they have high quality, they are cheaper and closer to home (with plenty of assistantship too).
e-MBA, long-distance learning, or whatever you call it. (Strongly not recommend)
Better alternative for online learning. For those of you who thinking about long distance leaning. Why don't you try MIT OpenCourseWare. MIT is now making some courses material available on-line for self-study absolutely free. All classes material including homework and exam are available for wide rang of courses. You may not get a degree, but you may get more knowledge than e-distance learning. And it's free.
Sample recommendation letter and Statement of purpose.
Some changes regarding Social Security Number
Funding and Scholarship information from NASFA.ORG.
Know where you wanted to be.
Average temperature for each state (for the last 12 months)
Average precipitation (amount of rain or snow, for the last 12 months)
How much is the apartment in your state? Choose your state and apartment type to see list of apartment available.
What to do beside study?
Watching UCONN HUSKIES!!! and NBA
Reading Here is list of books that I like and some of you may like them too. I also list some books that you should bring from Thailand to save money.
Stay Connect with friends and families
Cheap Air ticket (Domestic U.S.) I recommend you to use this web site to check for best fare, and then go to the airline web site to buy ticket. By doing so you can take advantage of any airline frequent flyer promotion and you can select your seat.
Please e-mail me only if you are serious about study. I am familiar with Economics, Finance, GIS, and Statistics. But I can also give you some info and suggestion in other issues as well.
BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF YOU WHO WANTED TO LEARN.