A 26-year-old American woman recently shared her views on Reddit about the rising number of Indian students enrolling in Master’s programs at U.S. universities. In a post that garnered significant attention, she voiced concerns that many of these students might be unknowingly pursuing a path she described as misleading.
Drawing from her experience working at a U.S. university, where she used employee benefits to pursue a Master’s in Computer Science, she noticed that nearly all of her classmates were Indian. “I immediately realised that the students in the programme were 99% Indian,” she remarked, noting that such a high concentration of international students was unusual for a school that wasn’t considered a “target” institution.
Through conversations with her peers, the Reddit user learned that many Indian students were motivated by the belief that an American degree would secure them a visa and job. However, she expressed doubts about the feasibility of this route, given the already competitive job market. “I kind of feel like it’s going to be really hard for all of these kids to get jobs in the US—it’s already hard for American kids,” she said, emphasizing the challenges that international graduates face.
One of her main concerns was the financial burden these students carry. She wrote, “They are coming here going into debt, the professors aren’t even good, and they probably won’t be able to get a job in the US.” She described this pursuit as a high-risk venture with uncertain rewards, likening it to a “scam.” “I feel bad for them, honestly,” she added, acknowledging that many students might not fully understand the difficulties they’ll face after graduation.
Cultural Differences and Classroom Etiquette The Reddit user also touched upon the cultural differences in the classroom. “The other thing is the Indian kids have brutal classroom etiquette; they are loudly talking while the professor is, which would never ever be tolerated in a typical American classroom,” she noted, pointing out another layer of complexity in studying alongside a majority of international students.
Her post sparked a heated debate, receiving nearly 590 upvotes and over 200 comments. Responses varied, with some users agreeing with her concerns and others defending the ambitions of international students.
One user commented, “The situation is complicated, but you have to admire their drive.” Another added, “Debt and visa issues are a harsh reality, but it’s not all doom and gloom for everyone.” A third user remarked, “It’s not a scam but a self-reinforced delusion that many Indian students go through. Come to America for MS, any university, work 3 years on OPT, make tons of money. Get the H-1B, make more money. If no H-1B, go back to school or go to Canada. And then rinse and repeat. If only it all worked this way.”
