Frequently asked questions

    FAQs     General Information and Things to carry     Visa Documents & Interview     Health Insurance and Registration

Hello,

I am putting up this "informal" page in order to make your life a bit easier once u get ur VISA and start your journey to San Diego. I don't want you to face the same problems as I did.

Anyways, let me get to the point.

Things To Carry-:

1) Documents

Remember to carry all important documents in a neatly arranged folder.
Make 3 copies of the documents. Leave 1 copy at home in India and carry 2 copies with you.
Carry the originals (especially PASSPORT &  I-20  etc.) on person (or in your cabin baggage) during travel.

• Passport (with stamped VISA)

• I-20

• Admission letter for SDSU

• International Driving Permit and Indian Driving License (yes I will recommend you to carry both the documents)

• Transcripts/Mark-sheets of previously attended schools/ Degree Certificate
   (don't worry about it if u have graduated recently, the school officials will check it after 1 year)

• Medical Certificates/Prescriptions - Hep B/ Typhoid vaccination / MMR / Dental Checkup (it's better to get them fixed in India...u can get a cheaper treatment in Mexico as well.... )

One more important thing once you are in the plane they will give u a form to fill up. That's called admission form. It's a very important document. Believe it or not it happened with me that I filled it, got it processed and then forgot about it. And when I was asked about it almost a week later I didn't even remember where I kept it. After processing they give u back a piece of paper that is of the size of a visiting card and my reaction to that was "ek piddasa paper tha" ! ..that "chhotasa" paper is a proof of your admission to USA and being an international student all your records will be checked against this piece of paper. Be sure to staple it inside your passport.

2)  UTENSILS:

I still remember I had brought hell lot of stuff from India and a lot many cooking utensils. I had carried too much of waste with me that I never used. Let me tell u one thing, everything that's on this list is available here and u can buy them ,except the "small glass tea cups" from AmrutTulya..if  u r Maharashtrian u will understand what i mean by that. My experience says the only utensils that you are going to need in day to day life are -:

• Three/Four Plates

• 2/3 small plates

• 1 kadhaii ... (should be big enough to cook food for at least 2/3 ppl)

• A cooker (i would suggest that u look for the roomies once u r here and then buy an electric cooker here ..u will get it for $20 to $30..don't convert to Rupees.. it's much better and makes ur life easier ...if u are not very sure about the roomies go ahead and buy one...again shouldn't be too big... 3ltrs should be ok ! )

• 1/2 kitchen knives

• 2/3 glasses/mugs (... may be a coffee mug ..they r expensive here)

• Tea strainer (optional... u will get it here for $5 in indian store)

• Peeler

• Holder (to move hot vessels)

• A couple of vessels (1 small / 1 large / one for microwave too...it's a must )

• Cooking spoons

• Plastic bowls

• Eating spoons/forks

• Non-stick pans ..and their spatulas ...

• Normal cooking pan / Frying pan

3) Clothes -

• 6/7 Jeans

• 3/4 Shorts

• 10/15 T-shirts

• 2/3 Formal Shirts + 1/2 Trousers

• 1/2 Jackets

• 2 Sweaters ( u need them in winter)

• A cap

• Undergarments (after 6 months of stay it happens with everyone that the number of days to postpone washing the clothes depends on the number of undergarments u have ... i know a person with 60 undergarments ..... u don't want to wash clothes once in two months especialy when u have only 20/30 shirts.. hahaaa)

• 2/3 towels

• An air pillow .. (u can get good cotton pillows here  for $5 to $10)

• Blanket ..(get a good one... )

• 2 sports shoes (if possible formal leather shoes. Carry shoe polish too)

• Traditional dress (for cultural programs. We do arrange some programs here on SDSU campus)

• Bed Sheets

• Formal blazer or suit (for interviews, etc.)

• Belts (formal and informal)

• socks (6/10 pairs)

• slippers/sneakers

• Leather wallets (preferably with pockets for lots of plastic cards)

4) Etc etc -

• Stationary (ruler, pencils, pens, stapler, cello tape, scissors  etc.)

• Screwdriver

• Can-opener

• Book-Bag/Backpack ( please please ..don't forget this ...they are really expensive here)

• Scientific calculator (a must for engineering students)

• Watch / Alarm Clock

• Toothbrushes

• Toothpaste

• Talcum powder

• Razors / Packets of shaving blades ( - expensive here !)

• Shaving cream

• After-shave lotion

• Shampoo

• Soaps

• Deodorant/perfume

5) Medical -

You are paying $675 for ur medical insurance. We are offered really good health services here at SDSU. So I will recommend that you just carry the drugs for temporary problems like fever/cold/loose motions etc.

Vicks, Iodex, vitamin tablets, Crocin, Disprin,  Burnol, Soframycin, Crepe bandage (1" and 2" size), band-aid assorted box. Also personal medication (if on any) and medical history papers. Antiseptic cream, relaxyl etc. ..

6) Food Items -

• Spices (all the varieties and as many as u can)

• Tea Powder / Coffee

• Pickles

• Pulses ( all types of pulses are available here.. )

and get whatever your mom says u should carry.....Don't bring Rice ...

7) Airport Pickup -: (By Mayank Jain)

The first thing you should do is inform us about your Flight Details. Please send a mail to sdsusanskriti@yahoogroups.com and check if you find anyone to pick you up from the airport. The next thing you should do is send an email to Emily Maxon at emaxon@mail.sdsu.edu and tell her that you need someone to pick you up from the airport.She will definitely arrange your pickup. The last thing should be to drop me a mail in case nothing works out for you. I do not have a car myself but will try to arrange something. In case I don't, you will hear from me and in the worst case you will have to take a Cloud 9 shuttle (available at the airport) or take a cab (probably easier). A cab will be around $40(including the tip).

( Driving directions - take 5 North , 8 East and then College Avenue Exit -> Make a right to reach SDSU).

If you have informed us at Sanskriti about your arrival, 99% of the times there should be someone to receive you at the airport. In case the person who is there to receive has no choice but to take a cab please have courtesy to pay for the taxi.

8) Temporary Accommodation -:

Again your best bet will be to drop an email on Sanskriti and get some responses. Please do this at least 2/3 weeks in advance. Let me know if you don't get any responses. Do tell me the place or the state you are from, usually some people do change their mind if they hear that the new student is from the same part as they are. If someone denies to help you, don't panic. Let us know. We will try to figure out something.

9) Books to Bring -: There is no comprehensive list of books as such. It will be better if you decide the courses you are going to take in the first semester and email the professor asking him about the books. Here is a list of books that you should be carrying.

Computer Science -:

•  OS - Siberschatz and Galvin (preferably the latest edition)

•  Networks - TCP/IP Illustrated Vol 1 - Stevens.

•  C - Kernighan and Ritchie. Suggested for C++ - Stroustup / Dietel and Dietel

•  One reference book for C, C++ and JAVA

•  It is good to have Unix Network programming and Advanced Unix Programming, both by Stevens.

•  Software Engineering - Pressman  OR Larman

•  Computer Networks - Andrew Tanenbaum

•  Algorithms - Cormen

Electrical and Computer Engineering-: (suggested by Jay Kothari and Deepthi)

•  Computer Networks - Andrew Tanenbaum

•  Random Processes - Papoulis

•  Estimation and Detection Theory - Vincent Poor

•  Data Networks - Bertsekas-Gallagher

•  Digital Communication - Proakis

•  Elements of Information Theory - Thomas & Cover

•  Algorithms - Cormen, Rivest, etc

•  Probability and Random Processes - Paupolis (must)

•  The Fundas of Information Theory - Thomas and Cover (must)

•  An undergrad book on signals and systems / DSP eg. Oppenheim

•  Wireless Communication - Sergio Verdu (grad level - must)

•  Theodore Rappaport (undergrad level - handy)

•  DSP - Praokis (reference) while Sanjit K.Mitra (for course)

•  VLSI - Weste and Eshragian - Basics of CMOS circuit design (for CompeE 572)

•  MIcrowave Engg- David M Pozar

Some important relevant stuff you would like to read (different univ but it should be helpful ..and basically I am bored of typing now) :

http://www.iit.edu/~isa/isa_students_new.htm