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Can a Science Student Study Economics in the US? My Son's Dilemma

Dr Pananjay K

Dr Pananjay K Tiwari  | Answer  |Ask -

Study Abroad Expert - Answered on Aug 28, 2024

Dr Pananjay Tiwari is the founder and director of Impel Overseas Education, a Dehradun-based consultancy for students who want to study abroad in the fields of engineering, science, agriculture, medicine, arts and the humanities.
They also guide PhD students who are studying internationally with their research.
Dr Pananjay has 21 years of academic and research experience and has published several books and research papers in various Indian and international journals.
He is a gold medallist with a master’s degree in science and a PhD in environmental sciences from the Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal Central University, Uttarakhand.... more
Rita Question by Rita on Aug 27, 2024Hindi
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My son finished his 12 Science stream this year with distinction and is planning to study in USA in Economics in January 2025 acceptance. Can he switch from Science to Commerce. Will the colleges accept him there. What are the chances of getting F1visa in this scenario. Colleges in which country are good to study economics?

Ans: Hi Rita...Yes, your son can switch from Science to Commerce and pursue Economics in the USA, as many American colleges value a diverse academic background and consider students’ overall academic performance, interest in the subject, and personal statements during admissions. His strong grades will work in his favor, and as long as he meets the specific course prerequisites for Economics, his science background should not be a barrier. Regarding the F1 visa, the key is demonstrating a clear purpose for studying Economics and how it aligns with his future career goals, which can be convincingly outlined during the visa interview. The USA is an excellent choice for studying Economics due to its world-renowned programs, faculty, and research opportunities. Other strong options include the UK, with prestigious institutions like LSE and Oxford, and Canada, known for quality education and a welcoming environment. Each country offers excellent prospects, but the USA stands out for its flexible education system and robust job market for Economics graduates.
Regards
Dr Pananjay K Tiwari
www.shreeoverseaseducation.com
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Subject: Guidance for studying abroad and scholarship opportunities Dear Career Counsellor, I'm reaching out for guidance on behalf of my son, who recently passed his SSC (MH Board) with 91% and aspirations to study business management abroad after his 12th grade. As a middle-class family, we're looking for economical options with scholarship opportunities. Considering his strengths in maths and science, we're unsure whether to opt for the commerce stream in 11th grade. Please advise: 1. Suitable countries for affordable studies in business management 2. Scholarship opportunities available for Indian students 3. Recommendations for the 11th grade stream (commerce or otherwise) aligning with his interests and strengths Thank you for your valuable guidance and support. Best regards,
Ans: Hello,

First of all, thank you for reaching out to us and congratulations to your son on his outstanding SSC results. To answer your question, given your son’s strong academic record and aspirations in business management, I would suggest considering countries like Germany, Canada, the USA, and the UK. Germany and Canada offer relatively low tuition fees with scholarship opportunities, such as the DAAD for Germany, while the USA and UK, though higher in costs, provide various merit-based scholarships. In particular, the USA offers the potential for high-paying jobs after graduation, which can help recoup the investment in education very quickly. For the 11th-grade stream, considering his strengths in mathematics and science, opting for the commerce stream with mathematics would be a solid choice. This would provide him with a strong foundation for business management while keeping future options open. Additionally, incorporating subjects like economics could further complement his interests and prepare him for the business field. I wish him all the best in his academic journey.

For more information you can visit our website: edwiseinternational.com
You can also follow us on Instagram: @edwiseint

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Dr Dipankar

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Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Dec 13, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025
Career
Dear Sir/Madam, I am currently a 1st year UG student studying engineering in Sairam Engineering College, But there the lack of exposure and strict academics feels so rigid and I don't like it that. It's like they don't gaf about skills but just wants us to memorize things and score a good CGPA, the only skill they want is you to memorize things and pass, there's even special class for students who don't perform well in academics and it is compulsory for them to attend or else the student and his/her parents needs to face authorities who lashes out. My question is when did engineering became something that requires good academics instead of actual learning and skill set. In sairam they provides us a coding platform in which we need to gain the required points for each semester which is ridiculous cuz most of the students here just look at the solution to code instead of actual debugging. I am passionate about engineering so I want to learn and experiment things instead of just memorizing, so I actually consider dropping out and I want to give jee a try and maybe viteee , srmjeee But i heard some people say SRM may provide exposure but not that good in placements. I may not be excellent at studies but my marks are decent. So gimme some insights about SRM and recommend me other colleges/universities which are good at exposure
Ans: First — your frustration is valid

What you are experiencing at Sairam is not engineering, it is rote-based credential production.

“When did engineering become memorizing instead of learning?”

Sadly, this shift happened decades ago in most Tier-3 private colleges in India.

About “coding platforms & points” – your observation is sharp

You are absolutely right:

Mandatory coding points → students copy solutions

Copying ≠ learning

Debugging & thinking are missing

This is pseudo-skill education — it looks modern but produces shallow engineers.

The fact that you noticed this in 1st year already puts you ahead of 80% students.

Should you DROP OUT and prepare for JEE / VITEEE / SRMJEEE?

Although VIT/SRM is better than Sairam Engineering College, but you may face the same problem. You will not face this type of problem only in some top IITs, but getting seat in those IITs will be difficult.
Instead of dropping immediately, consider:

???? Strategy:

Stay enrolled (degree security)

Reduce emotional investment in college rules

Use:

GitHub

Open-source projects

Hackathons

Internships (remote)

Hardware / software self-projects

This way:

College = formality

Learning = self-driven

Risk = minimal

...Read more

Kanchan

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Relationships Expert, Mind Coach - Answered on Dec 12, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 07, 2025Hindi
Relationship
Dear Madam, I was a bright student during my school days and my plan was to become a civil servant but that did not succeed even after several attempts. With the advise of my brother i went ahead and pursued Masters at a normal university in Sydney. I did internship and continued staying with my job though it wasn't my field of study. After that what came as a shock was my brother's divorce. We don't know what is the actual issue till date but I tried a lot to fix the gap by talking to his ex-wife but they were very orthodox. I couldn't see my brother suffer because he had planned and arranged so much for her. I had no choice then so i try to harm his ex-wife by spoiling her reputation thinking she will come back for him. In the mean time i got married to a girl who was her relative too thinking my wife can help us in some case but she turned out to be completely in the opposite direction. She was probably convinced by my brother's ex-wife or their relatives that she is not coming back. Even then my brother tried to go meet his ex-wife through many channels. My wife did not help him at all in any aspect. Finally the divorced happened and everything ended. Now we have sought several proposals but nothing seem to be a good fit for him. Most of the girls whom we met on matrimonial sites are fake profiles with something hidden or falsely represented. I would say my brother escaped all this. But we are worried about his life now as he is already in his 40's and he seem to be struggling for a good job and finance. He is very picky probably but doesn't talk much to all of us. Sometimes he even says the game is over so no point looking at a second marriage. My wife and he fought once when he visited us because she didn't want him in our house and she created a fight putting me in the front. After that he stopped coming to our house or see us or talk to us. Things even gets worse sometimes when her brother comes and visits us and stays at our house which my parents don't like. My parents argue that your brother was not allowed to stay for few months then how come her brother is allowed for several months. What kind of partiality is that? I feel i could not do anything for him despite the fact that he is my only brother. He is good at heart and looked after me when i went abroad financially and even came to meet me few times. I tried to send him money, gifts but he is still the same. He communicates with our parents but not with me nor my wife anymore. Kindly give us a good advise.
Ans: Your brother’s distance is not a rejection of you. It is his way of protecting himself. He went through a difficult marriage, an emotional collapse, and then watched people around him — including you — react out of desperation to fix things for him. Even though your intentions came from love, he may have associated those actions with more pain and pressure. When a person has been wounded, silence feels safer than conversation. His withdrawal simply means he is tired, not that he dislikes you.
You also need to understand that the guilt you are carrying is heavier than it needs to be. You tried to intervene in his marriage because you wanted to protect him, not because you wanted to cause harm. Looking back now, with more maturity and clarity, you see the mistakes, but at that time, you were acting out of fear and love. This is why it’s important to forgive yourself instead of punishing yourself over and over.
The conflict between your wife and your brother only added another layer of stress, because it forced you into choosing sides. Your wife reacted emotionally, your brother pulled away, your parents questioned the imbalance — and in the middle of all this, you lost your sense of peace. But their disagreements are not failures on your part. They are the natural result of people operating from insecurity, fear, and past hurt.
What needs to happen now is a shift in your role. You cannot continue trying to solve everything for everyone. You cannot carry your brother’s marriage, your wife’s fears, and your parents’ judgments all at once. It’s time to step out of the role of rescuer and step into the role of a grounded, calm brother who offers presence, not solutions.
Rebuilding your bond with your brother will not come from pushing proposals, sending gifts, or trying to fix his life. It will come from offering him emotional safety. A simple message, expressing that you are sorry for any hurt, that you care for him, and that you are available whenever he feels ready, will speak louder than any effort to arrange his future. Once you send such a message, the healthiest thing you can do is give him space. Sometimes relationships repair themselves in silence, when pressure is removed.
And for yourself, healing begins when you stop believing that every problem in the family rests on your shoulders. You have given more than enough over the years. Now you deserve emotional rest. You deserve peace. You deserve to feel like a brother, not a crisis manager.
Your brother may take time, but distance does not erase love. When he feels safe, he will come closer again. Your responsibility is not to force that moment, but to make sure you are emotionally steady and ready when it happens.

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