By Mayank Jain:
The board results are out and after multiple trolls on the topper, it is time for you all to give a concerted thought to the admission process which has already begun (or already over). Your scores are here and you know what you want to pursue; but the important point is choosing a college from the options that you have. Before you go for the college that advertises the most on radio or the one which serves ‘the best noodles in town’, consider these points and make an informed decision:
1. Teaching Faculty: Presumably, the major reason you are going to college is to graduate with a degree in the discipline of your choice. Hence, it goes without saying that the most emphasis should be laid on the teaching quality of the college. Research at your level over the internet or visit the colleges if you have to, but make sure you go to a college with a respectable quality of teaching imparted and no major lack of libraries and equipments to support it. The best way to determine this is to hunt down alumni of the college and ask them about it. They have been there and done that.
2. Extra-Curricular Activities: Now that you have satisfied yourself with the quality of education, it is time to look beyond and check out the opportunities for extracurricular activities in the college. A college is the place you will spend most crucial years of your overall grooming and the more experiences you have, the better. Consider the quality and frequency of the events a college organizes and research about its societies. You don’t want to end up in a college that feels like school.
3. Proximity: The good thing about college is that it is one place you don’t want to miss. Even if you miss the classes, there’s so much in the college to do that you would go there religiously, no matter if it is at 2 PM in the afternoon. An important factor for you to consider before choosing one is the distance of the college from your residence. Choose a college which is at a reasonable distance from your home so that you don’t feel like you changed hemispheres when you commute every day. It will save you both money, and time.
4. Infrastructure: A college of the 21st century should not look like a relic from the 1900s. Give a considerable weightage to the college infrastructure when you hunt for the place you are going to study for the next 3 (or more) years. A strong enough college building that houses at least basic amenities and equipments is a must. Nobody likes to go to a smelly college or the one which is dangerous during rains.
5. Courses: You might have chosen the most snazzy college in the city with all the right things in place but you shouldn’t end up studying something completely irrelevant there. A degree in a relevant discipline should be your first priority and always consider the courses a college is offering and determine if it fits your future plans or not. Don’t compromise with the course you want to pursue for the want of a better college or you will have 3 good years possibly followed by multiple bad ones, full of regret.
6. Fee: A college is the place to get education and not increase your debts. Consider the amount of money you will have to shell out in the name of ‘development funds’Â and the likes of it, before signing that admission form. It is advisable to inquire about the fee of all the years of your course before taking admission since the college might give you steep surprises as you move to the next year.
7. Placements: We all study for a reason (or in the hope to find one). If you are looking for a job after you finish your course, it is recommended that you choose a college with some record of placements after graduation. Most of the colleges have placement and career development cells these days and you can directly contact them to inquire about the opportunities available after you are done with your course. A great course from a respectable college amounts to too less if you have no interviews lined up when you graduate.
The list above is neither definitive nor exhaustive. Please suggest other factors which you think one should consider.
To know more about this story and what I think, follow me on Twitter at @mayank1029