STEM degrees are very popular nowadays since they are literally taking over the career world. The employment opportunities for this field is a lot.
But what is STEM? How should you pursue it? What are the requirements to pursue it? Curious to find out all those answers? Then no need to worry because you have landed in just the right article.
We are going to answer the above-mentioned questions and so much more. So keep on reading if you are interested and you will find out a lot about STEM.
What Is STEM?
What is STEM? It is pretty simple to understand. We are not talking about the stem of a plant or something. STEM is just an acronym. The name was given not because someone just thought it sounded good.
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It also includes the graduate degree and the sub graduation degree under these subjects. The STEM graduated people are considered in high regard all over the world and they have a lot of employment opportunities at their doorstep.
The students of STEM are trained to an extent that they develop a lot of skills like problem-solving, research and analysis, as well as critical thinking. They might just come in handy.
STEM degrees often have an interdisciplinary and hands-on educational approach. They are also known to prepare students for a world that needs more researchers, engineers, computer scientists, and other professionals from the top STEM fields.
Why Should You Study STEM?
We are going to give you a series of reasons for studying STEM and then pursuing a degree in it. If you have not been convinced that you should get in this field of study yet then you might just change your mind after this. So pay attention. They might be also the reason that you are here in the first place.
- STEM allows a wide range of opportunities for their students. They can work with the latest technology and you can work in the field that you are interested in to get an innovative solution for the real-life problems that the world is facing together.
- You can find new cures for a mysterious disease that no one has been able to cure and that will make your name immortal.
- You can also get to meet a lot of professional people and learn from their expertise.
- The hands-on approach to teaching will allow you to apply whatever you have learned in the real world too. Graduation is just for this incredible journey.
- You can learn life skills like communication, research, and taking initiative.
- You will get a number of high-paying job opportunities that just open up when you study STEM. Your efforts will be paid off.
What Are The Best STEM Careers?
Under the 4 best STEM categories there are a number of STEM careers that you can pursue. But a lot of people can get baffled by the number of options that you can have.
So you need to do your research first before you go down this road. Let’s have a look at the best STEM careers that you can get –
1. Biomedical Engineer
The knowledge from Healthcare and Engineering is needed to design new software for the medical industry. This can improve human health a lot. Average salary – 76,000 USD per year.
2. Computer System Administrator
Here you will manage computer networks, operating systems, and software. The work will be to make sure that the computers in your organization should work smoothly and without any problems. Average salary – 68,000 USD per year.
3. Environmental Engineer
The engineering knowledge is used to find solutions for environmental problems. Solution for global warming, waste management, etc are what we are talking about. Average salary – 73,000 USD per year.
4. Accountant
You will deal with the financial reports. You will uphold the law and ensure taxes are paid on time. Average salary – 56,000 USD per year.
5. Forensic Science Technician
You will work with the police to collect evidence and work in criminal investigation too. This sounds like the crime show workings that you can watch on Netflix. Although it is not quite exact, it is still a good and interesting job. Average salary – 55,000 USD per year.
How Much Does a STEM Degree Cost?
We are not going to lie, the cost of a STEM degree is a lot. The cost of the STEM degree can start from 1,000 EUR/year and reach up to 45,000 EUR/year.
However, you can get an average amount of discount from a certain university and you will be happy to know that certain universities also offer a free STEM degree. It is done to help the students. This also shows that how much STEM degree and STEM graduates are important to the world.
So look a little and do a little research and you will find the perfect university for yourself. Do not be lazy. Every university has a different kind of fee. So research is important. Good luck guys!
Top 5 University In The United States
Here are the top 5 universities in the United States where you can pursue your STEM degree. Have a look at the list. We are sure that you will like at least one of them. They are all prestigious and very popular too.
1. New York University
It has a long history dating back to the 19th This is one of the seats to have a strong standing of technology in New York city. Innovation in the field of technology is high here. This has come a long way and it is one of the best to study STEM at.
2. University of Southern California
It is one of the best places to study Computer Science or Civil and Environmental Engineering. The national and global reputation of this university is known far and wide.
3. Columbia University
This is one of the 8 ivy league universities that you can find. It is one of the best universities in the world and it is extremely great for STEM studies. It has a Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics which has a very strong presence in the realm of technological development and scientific research
4. University of California
This university is also a great option to get a STEM degree at. It has a lot of students who get successful careers. It also has an ideal environment for Aerospace Engineering or Chemical Engineering.
5. University of Texas
It provides the students with the best association with some of the biggest telecommunications companies that you can find in the world. It is one of the fastest-growing institutions in the United States. If you search then you can find several. Successful alumna from the university.
What STEM Scholarship And Financial Aid Is Available?
Both National and international universities offer scholarships and financial aid to STEM pursuing students. However, you can also get some financial aid from the United States government too.
They are offered by the government and it is for the best of students. They do it for the sake of future STEM graduates. You must know that the scholarship won’t be handed to you on a silver plate.
You have to do your own research and then find out which scholarship you can apply for and then get. The internet is the best place to search for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a lot of frequently asked questions that you can think of when it comes to STEM. We picked a few of them and answered them for you because it us convenient to have it at your hand.
In this way, you do not have to go anywhere else to get answers to these basic questions. Have a look at the lot of them. We have done this for your own good so do not skip. We are sure that it will come in handy. If you have any other questions them ask them in the comment section below.
What is STEM?
We have defined it before too but for the sake of the people who are here just to read the frequently asked questions, we are giving a list of this STEM definition again. STEM is the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
This is a very popular field of education and works nowadays. The opportunity that you can get from the degree that you get in STEM is a lot and carries a lot of weight all around the world.
What is OPT?
OPT is an acronym that stands for Optional Practical Training. It is actually a form of work authorization that allows a student to work up to 12 months in a field related to their degree of study. They can work after and upon the successful completion of their program.
How does STEM designation affect the OPT process?
Students who are going to complete a STEM degree are to be eligible to apply for the STEM extension. There is the possibility of an additional 24 months of work authorization.
If a STEM graduate student successfully applies and is approved for post-OPT then it is considered to be the OPT STEM extension.
You should keep in mind that they may be granted up to a period of 36 months of practical training in total. OGS needs to review the eligibility for the STEM extension and it must meet government regulations.
What types of jobs qualify?
When there is the standard, post-completion OPT, you will be required to be working for at least 20 hours a week. This is known to be considered full-time. The position can be paid or unpaid depending on the job that you are doing however it must be related to your field of study.
You must remember that your position title does not matter for the post-completion OPT. You can easily be an intern, volunteer, freelancer, or salaried employee.
If it is for the STEM OPT extension, then you must be a paid, full-time employee. There are several different employer obligations for which a student is on STEM OPT.
What is needed for Students to Apply for OPT?
When you are applying for OPT, then it is generally a two-step process. First, the students must apply to the OGS for the OPT I-20. Second, upon getting the OGS approval, the students will have to definitely apply for the OPT work authorization.
This can assuredly be done by sending their OPT I-20 along with all other application documents for the college to review. This should ultimately determine the outcome of a student’s application. This needs to be either by approving, denying, or requesting further evidence on the applications.
The NYU Office of Global Services has all the possible resources and all the important information available so you need to make sure that you fill out all the important and proper paperwork and then have the supporting documentation too.
Conclusion
We hope that this article has been useful for you. Education is something that is always encouraged but you need to research first before you pursue any one of them because there are so many options that you will find.
It can sometimes become baffling to choose one path when so many are available. So try to think about what you want and you will know what you want to study.
If you want to study STEM then that’s great. Be sure you know your stuff before you apply for it just anywhere. Therefore this article here is useful for aspiring students hopefully.
Do consider sharing this article with others who want to know more about STEM too. Thank you once again for giving this article a read. We sincerely wish you the best of luck and hope that you are successful in whatever career you choose. Have a nice day!
