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The Graduate Student Interview - Greece
For the April edition of the QS World Grad School Tour, we travel to Greece and the 2006 event held in Thessaloniki where Dragana Radisic came in search of advice on her graduate program options. Dragana, currently a management student at the American College of Thessaloniki, tells us her story.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
I am currently a final year undergraduate student at American College of Thessaloniki, pursuing a degree in management and business. I am originally from Serbia and came here to study and expand my opportunities.
What and where do you want to study?
I have enjoyed my bachelor’s degree and would like to pursue a graduate program in a similar field. I will be graduating this summer with a specialism in finance and would like to expand my knowledge, particularly in the area of investments and risk management. In terms of where I might want to study, I am ready to consider most destinations around the world because I see a great opportunity in meeting and learning about other cultures, peoples, societies and traditions. My preferred destinations for study are Italy, Spain and Singapore.
Why do you think studying abroad is important?
As I am already studying away from my home country I have found the experience to help me learn about other cultures. It is not only that I am studying in Greece but also that there are many students from other countries that tell me about where they are from and help me understand the world from their point of view. Studying abroad is important because it is a good way to open your mind to other ways of thinking and other viewpoints.
How do you choose a university to study at?
The first thing that is important to me is that the university I go to is well-known. I need to make sure that people have heard of the university and the degree that I want to obtain so that it is recognised and gives me the best chance to start a career. Because of my financial position I will also choose my university based on the kind of financial arrangement that they can offer me or perhaps whether they can offer me the chance to study and work at the same time.
How will you fund a postgraduate degree at an international university?
I do hope to get a scholarship or a fellowship. Without some kind of financial support it will be very difficult for me to do a graduate program. At the education fair many of the schools I spoke to offered scholarships for students with excellent academic records so I am hopeful that I will have a good chance.
You attended the QS World Grad School Tour event in Thessaloniki last year. Did this help you in finding out about universities abroad for your graduate program?
Generally speaking, the whole organization made it very easy to find out about the universities I spoke to. It was excellent to have the opportunity to speak to representatives from Bocconi, Webster, the London School of Economics and Hawaii Pacific University and discuss in detail the masters programs they have. I had already looked at some of their brochures and websites, but speaking to people was much better. I met the appropriate people, like deans, teachers and representatives, from these universities and enjoyed asking them questions face-to-face.
Did you find the QS World Grad School Tour event useful?
Yes I did. I registered for the QS World Grad School Tour in order to gather a "fresh" view of some universities and find out some appropriate information about masters programs because of the interest I have in enriching my knowledge. It was a particularly good event for meeting new people and to learn and experience new approaches and experiences and exchanging opinions.
Thank you Dragana for your time, good luck in your applications!
