As school students, it's natural to be confused about selecting the right college and course. This article will share tips and insights to help you choose between multiple options and answer the basic questions we all have as students.
How to make the selection (step-wise process):
Identify a few fields/areas you are interested in
Narrow down to a few courses
Identify the colleges that offer these courses
Segregate these college+course combinations into three categories (A, B, and C). A is top tier/premier colleges, B for Tier 2 colleges, and C for back-up colleges, as a last resort
Choose whether you want to focus more on group A or group B colleges based on your caliber and confidence
Look up the colleges, their application requirements, procedures and deadlines on the respective college websites
Start your preparation and applications accordingly
Factors to keep in mind while selecting courses and colleges:
Primary Factors:
College reputation and rank
The faculty
Course structure and curriculum
Placements and job prospects
Location of college
College fees and scholarships
College Alumni and what students typically do after graduating from that college
Secondary Factors:
College life, activities, clubs & sports
Lodging facilities on and off-campus
Whether it's a fully residential campus or not (will impact your experience of college life significantly)
Atmosphere of college and student mentality (for example, highly academic vs non-academic orientation, or sports orientation, highly ambitious students vs. more laid back students, etc.)
Courses offered apart from what you’ve applied for (will indicate more about the peers you’ll be interacting with)
How to get data on the above factors:
Source 1: The respective college websites - a good starting point
Source 2: External sources such as:
College portals (eg: Shiksha.com)
Q/A Forums (eg: Quora)
Career Counsellors
Source 3: Talk to current and pass-out students from that college - this is essential and will help you get authentic firsthand information
Caution: Remember that every source will be biased in its own way. Thus it's best to use all the 3 types of sources above to get a more holistic picture.
Suggestions on how to connect with students from a particular college (source 3):
Connect through your friends and family
Connect with your school seniors
Search on Quora
Search on social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram
Search on the college’s website
Can e-mail the college requesting them to connect you with an alumni
FAQs
When should I start researching colleges?
The earlier the better. Ideally, you should start at least at the beginning of class 12. If you’re already past that point, start ASAP. Keep in mind, certain colleges have their application deadlines and tests before your board examinations, so you don’t want to miss them.
By when should I have narrowed down to a single course/college?
You should narrow it down to around 3-4 options mid-way through your class 12. Don’t have to rush zeroing down to a single option. You could do that even after you’ve applied and received offers from multiple places. Your final choice at the end of the day will also depend on the offers you receive. So don’t stress too much on zeroing down to the one perfect course or college.
Why do I need back-up options? I am a bright student.
If you are a bright student, you should know that keeping back-up options is the smartest thing to do. Even if you’re very confident about a Tier I college, apply to 1-2 Tier-II colleges to safeguard against certain exceptional or unpredictable circumstances. If you don’t apply beforehand and things don’t work out, you’ll be left with zero offers.
How do decide between a better college vs. a better course?
This is a very tricky question. Here is my take on it: if you have a special inclination towards a specific course/subject, and you know you definitely want to study only that, then pick course before college. In this case, don’t compromise on your course choice. If you aren’t very particular and are still open to pursuing multiple courses then you can pick a better college. Keep in mind, your course doesn’t define everything about your college life. There are several other aspects that determine your experience of college life (as mentioned above).
Additional points to bear in mind:
It's very natural to be confused or unsure. So try not to stress over it. At the same time, put in sufficient efforts and do your research to make this choice
Don’t hesitate in applying to premium colleges due to a lack of confidence. There is no harm in applying. Give it your best shot
Conversely, don’t apply only to premium colleges. Keep a back-up option(s)
Apply to as many colleges as you feel necessary. It’s good to keep your options open. At the same time, avoid applying to too many colleges. (Ideally more than 3 and less than 10 college applications).
This will be a tricky and challenging phase in your life. Carefully weigh your decisions based on concrete research and findings. You don’t want to end up making the wrong decision because you were relying on incorrect data. Talk to and take guidance from seniors and elders.
Wishing you all the very best as you map out the next few years of your life!
Check out my blog for articles on areas such as CV building, interview preparation, internships, examination, meditation, and many more areas.
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