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Saudi Gazette
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
'Scary and stressful': Indian students reconsider plans for US education
DELHI — When 26-year-old Umar Sofi received his acceptance letter from Columbia University's School of Journalism, he thought the hardest part of his journey was over. After trying for three years, Mr Sofi had finally been admitted to his dream university and even secured a partial scholarship. He quit his job in anticipation of the big move. But on 27 May, when the US suddenly paused student visa appointments, the ground slipped from beneath his feet. "I was numb. I could not process what had happened," Mr Sofi, who lives in Indian-administered Kashmir, told the BBC. Some 2,000km (1,242 miles) away in Mumbai, 17-year-old Samita Garg (name changed on request) went through a similar ordeal. A day after she was accepted into a top US university to study biochemistry — her first step towards becoming a dermatologist — the US embassy halted student visa appointments."It is scary and stressful," Ms Garg told the BBC over the phone. "It feels like I've been left in the lurch, not knowing when this will end."Both Mr Sofi and Ms Garg now have only a few weeks to secure their visas before the academic year begins in August, but little clarity on whether they can go ahead with their month President Donald Trump's administration asked US embassies across the world to stop scheduling appointments for student visas and expand social media vetting of wider move followed a crackdown on America's elite universities like Harvard, which Trump accused of being too liberal and of not doing enough to combat decisions have had far-reaching repercussions in India, which sends more international students to the US than any other the last month, the BBC spoke with at least 20 students at various stages of their application process, all of whom echoed deep anxieties about their futures. Most chose to remain anonymous, fearing retribution from the US government and worried that speaking out now could hurt their chances of obtaining a visa, or renewing than 1.1 million international students were enrolled in US colleges in the 2023-24 school year, according to Open Doors, an organization that collects data on foreign a third of them, or more than 330,000, were from consultants report that applications to US universities for the upcoming autumn semester have dropped by at least 30% because of the uncertainty."Their biggest fear is safety — what if their visas are rejected or they're deported mid-term?" said Nikhil Chopra, founder of TC Global, an international education say many students are now either deferring their plans or switching to countries perceived to be more "stable" like the UK, Germany, Ireland and Unni (name changed on request) was accepted into three US universities for a master's in data analytics. But instead of preparing for the move, he decided to forgo the opportunity altogether."There's uncertainty at every step — first the visa, then restrictions on internships and part-time work, and the constant surveillance while on campus," Mr Unni said. "It is very stressful."The halt on visa interviews is the latest in a series of policies tightening immigration rules for students. A few weeks ago, the US warned that students who drop out or miss classes without proper notification risk having their visas revoked, and could be barred from future decisions have come around the time of the year when 70% of student visas are issued, or renewed, sparking great unease among Indian students."No student wants to go to a country and then have the visa policy suddenly change," Chris R Glass, a professor at Boston College told the BBC. "They need stability and options."The uncertainty will have long-term consequences — both for the aspirations of Indian students, but also for the US's future as a coveted higher education hub — says Prof student enrolment in US universities was slowing even before Trump's latest to The Indian Express newspaper, the US denied 41% of student visa applications between the fiscal years 2023 and 2024, the highest rejection rate in a decade, and nearly doubling from from Student and Exchange Visitor Information Systems (SEVIS), which tracks foreign students' compliance with their visas, showed a nearly 10% drop in international student enrolments as of March this year compared with the same period in students are a financial lifeline for many US colleges, especially regional and state universities offering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and other master's students pay significantly higher tuition fees than US the 2023–24 academic year alone, foreign students contributed $43.8bn to the US economy, according to Nafsa, an association of International educators. They also supported over 375,000 jobs."This really isn't about a short-term disruption of tuition revenue. This is about a long-term rupture in a strategic relationship that benefits both countries," Prof Glass decades the brightest Indian students have depended on an American education in the absence of top quality Indian universities or a supportive research turn they've helped plug a skills gap in the land highly sought-after jobs after they finish their courses — in particular, representing a significant pool of skilled professionals in sectors like biotechnology, healthcare and data science — and have even gone on to lead iconic from Google's Sunder Pichai to Microsoft's Satya Nadella went to the US as this has often led to concerns of a "brain-drain" from India, experts point out that India is simply unable to solve the problem of quality and quantity higher education in the immediate future to provide a domestic alternative to these say it will be a lose-lose situation for both countries, unless the cloud of uncertainty lifts soon. — BBC
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Scary and stressful': Indian students reconsider plans for US education
When 26-year-old Umar Sofi received his acceptance letter from Columbia University's School of Journalism, he thought the hardest part of his journey was over. After trying for three years, Mr Sofi had finally been admitted to his dream university and even secured a partial scholarship. He quit his job in anticipation of the big move. But on 27 May, when the US suddenly paused student visa appointments, the ground slipped from beneath his feet. "I was numb. I could not process what had happened," Mr Sofi, who lives in Indian-administered Kashmir, told the BBC. Some 2,000km (1,242 miles) away in Mumbai, 17-year-old Samita Garg (name changed on request) went through a similar ordeal. A day after she was accepted into a top US university to study biochemistry - her first step towards becoming a dermatologist - the US embassy halted student visa appointments. "It is scary and stressful," Ms Garg told the BBC over the phone. "It feels like I've been left in the lurch, not knowing when this will end." Both Mr Sofi and Ms Garg now have only a few weeks to secure their visas before the academic year begins in August, but little clarity on whether they can go ahead with their plans. Last month President Donald Trump's administration asked US embassies across the world to stop scheduling appointments for student visas and expand social media vetting of applicants. This wider move followed a crackdown on America's elite universities like Harvard, which Trump accused of being too liberal and of not doing enough to combat antisemitism. Trump's decisions have had far-reaching repercussions in India, which sends more international students to the US than any other country. Over the last month, the BBC spoke with at least 20 students at various stages of their application process, all of whom echoed deep anxieties about their futures. Most chose to remain anonymous, fearing retribution from the US government and worried that speaking out now could hurt their chances of obtaining a visa, or renewing it. Trump's battle on international students explained... in 70 seconds Students say they 'regret' applying to US universities after visa changes Trump suspends foreign student visas at Harvard More than 1.1 million international students were enrolled in US colleges in the 2023-24 school year, according to Open Doors, an organisation that collects data on foreign students. Nearly a third of them, or more than 330,000, were from India. Educational consultants report that applications to US universities for the upcoming autumn semester have dropped by at least 30% because of the uncertainty. "Their biggest fear is safety - what if their visas are rejected or they're deported mid-term?" said Nikhil Chopra, founder of TC Global, an international education consultancy. Experts say many students are now either deferring their plans or switching to countries perceived to be more "stable" like the UK, Germany, Ireland and Australia. Prema Unni (name changed on request) was accepted into three US universities for a master's in data analytics. But instead of preparing for the move, he decided to forgo the opportunity altogether. "There's uncertainty at every step - first the visa, then restrictions on internships and part-time work, and the constant surveillance while on campus," Mr Unni said. "It is very stressful." The halt on visa interviews is the latest in a series of policies tightening immigration rules for students. A few weeks ago, the US warned that students who drop out or miss classes without proper notification risk having their visas revoked, and could be barred from future entry. These decisions have come around the time of the year when 70% of student visas are issued, or renewed, sparking great unease among Indian students. "No student wants to go to a country and then have the visa policy suddenly change," Chris R Glass, a professor at Boston College told the BBC. "They need stability and options." The uncertainty will have long-term consequences - both for the aspirations of Indian students, but also for the US's future as a coveted higher education hub - says Prof Glass. Foreign student enrolment in US universities was slowing even before Trump's latest salvo. According to The Indian Express newspaper, the US denied 41% of student visa applications between the fiscal years 2023 and 2024, the highest rejection rate in a decade, and nearly doubling from 2014. Data from Student and Exchange Visitor Information Systems (SEVIS), which tracks foreign students' compliance with their visas, showed a nearly 10% drop in international student enrolments as of March this year compared with the same period in 2024. International students are a financial lifeline for many US colleges, especially regional and state universities offering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and other master's programmes. These students pay significantly higher tuition fees than US citizens. In the 2023–24 academic year alone, foreign students contributed $43.8bn to the US economy, according to Nafsa, an association of International educators. They also supported over 375,000 jobs. "This really isn't about a short-term disruption of tuition revenue. This is about a long-term rupture in a strategic relationship that benefits both countries," Prof Glass said. For decades the brightest Indian students have depended on an American education in the absence of top quality Indian universities or a supportive research ecosystem. In turn they've helped plug a skills gap in the US. Many land highly sought-after jobs after they finish their courses - in particular, representing a significant pool of skilled professionals in sectors like biotechnology, healthcare and data science - and have even gone on to lead iconic companies. Everyone from Google's Sunder Pichai to Microsoft's Satya Nadella went to the US as students. While this has often led to concerns of a "brain-drain" from India, experts point out that India is simply unable to solve the problem of quality and quantity higher education in the immediate future to provide a domestic alternative to these students. Experts say it will be a lose-lose situation for both countries, unless the cloud of uncertainty lifts soon. Additional reporting by Divya Uppal, BBC India's YouTube team, in Delhi. Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
The Print
24-05-2025
- Science
- The Print
Migratory bird Sanderling sighted in Kashmir's Hokersar wetland
'During an evening birding section to Hokersar, we encountered various wader species. While my friends were busy capturing images of other birds, I promptly directed their attention to a specific species that I had identified instantly due to its size difference from a Little Stint,' Sofi said. Reyan Sofi, Mufeeq Ahmad Malik and Mansoor Shayir spotted the Sanderling at Hokersar wetlands in the outskirts of Srinagar on Thursday. Srinagar, May 24 (PTI) A group of birdwatchers on Saturday claimed to have sighted a Sanderling, a migratory bird, for the first time in 134 years at Hokersar Wetland in Kashmir. Shayir was initially skeptical but was convinced after comparing the sizes. This is for the first time a Sanderling has been spotted in Kashmir in past 134 years. Also, it is the first time the bird has been captured in a photograph in Kashmir, a birdwatcher claimed. 'This sighting is significant, representing one of the best records for Jammu and Kashmir and a new addition to the region's checklist,' Shayir said. He said they have submitted their record to Indian Birds, a Journal of South Asian Ornithology, for authentication. Sanderlings are small, plump sandpipers, typically measuring 18 cm to 20 cm in length and weighing between 40 grams to 100 grams. They are well-known for their behaviour of running back and forth, chasing waves on open beaches as they forage actively in the sand. They breed in the high Arctic tundra and winter on coastlines across the globe, excluding Antarctica. Outside the breeding season, they are highly gregarious, but become solitary when nesting. PTI MIJ NB This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Should You Buy SoFi While It's Below $15?
SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) stock has ping-ponged back and forth during its short time as a public company, but it made a major leap and is up 66% in the past 12 months. It's still 47% off of its all-time high and trading for less than $15. But is it ever going to get back there? Let's see if this is a huge opportunity or if investors should steer clear. Investors were enthusiastic about SoFi when it first came onto the scene because it's disrupting the huge, traditional banking industry. It's the prototypical fintech, offering standard financial products with updated technology on its all-digital banking app. It has consistently delivered strong growth, and it has reported positive and increasing net income for the past five consecutive quarters. Customers are drawn to its user-friendly interface that makes managing your money less intimidating, and it's catching on with its target market of young professionals who are starting their financial journeys. That gives it significant long-term potential as this population ages and becomes more affluent. Membership growth and product adoption have been outstanding. SoFi ended 2024 with 10.1 million members, a 34% year-over-year increase, and 14.7 million products, 32% more year over year. Revenue increased 26% year over year, and SoFi delivered $0.15 in earnings per share (EPS). SoFi stock has been less consistent. It's been up and down, mostly on updates about its lending business. That's because lending is still its core business, accounting for 51% of adjusted net revenue in the fourth quarter and most of the profits. But the lending industry is highly vulnerable to whipsawing interest rates. That's one reason management has waged a diversification campaign. Its other segments are financial services and tech platform, a white-label fintech infrastructure business. These expand its business and take some of the pressure off of lending. Financial services has been particularly strong, and together the non-lending segments have increased as a percentage of the business and have contributed higher revenue and profit. Segment Revenue Revenue growth Contribution profit Contribution profit growth Lending $418 m 18% $246 m 9% Financial services $257 m 84% $115 m 358% Tech platform $103 m 6% $32 m 5% Data source: SoFi quarterly reports. All metrics are for the 2024 fourth quarter. Growth is year over year. Offering more financial services does more than just hedge against interest rate volatility. It feeds into what Sofi calls its financial services productivity loop, which is its strategy to cross-sell new products. That generates higher engagement and revenue. Young stocks come with tremendous growth potential, but they also bring risk. SoFi is doing an excellent job of becoming a more stable company, and it's evolving into a more classically defined banking business. It doesn't have the maturity of the more reliable big bank stocks, but it also has higher growth potential. It's important to consider valuation when assessing any stock, but valuation isn't in a vacuum; any glimpse in time needs to be considered in a broader context, like multiyear averages and industry standards. SoFi stock trades at a forward one-year P/E ratio of 30, which is high for a bank stock but reasonable for a growth stock. Banks are typically valued using the price-to-book ratio, and SoFi's is high at 2.4, but not much higher than JPMorgan Chase's 2.2. I won't claim SoFi is a bargain, but it doesn't seem astronomically priced, either. Looking down the road five or 10 years, I see SoFi continuing to grow and become a more reliable banking contender. It looks like a solid buy for the growth-oriented, long-term investor who has some appetite for risk. Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you'll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a 'Double Down' stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you're worried you've already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it's too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you'd have $311,551!* Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you'd have $44,990!* Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you'd have $519,375!* Right now, we're issuing 'Double Down' alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.*Stock Advisor returns as of February 24, 2025 JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Jennifer Saibil has positions in SoFi Technologies. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Should You Buy SoFi While It's Below $15? was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
