The 11 Step Guide to Choosing The Right College For You

Selection of the college can be really stressful for most of the students. Moreover, taking the right decision can often be a daunting task. Rarely it’s an unquestionable “Yes” when it comes to selecting the right college. But, despite this anxiety, the rigorous selection process can be made fun if planned well.

Here are a few tips to choose the best institute:

• Identify Your Goals:

Everyone has different goals and priorities in life which is absolutely okay! Now is the time to sit down and think about what you want to do with your life in the next three or four years. What do you want to study, and which subjects? Do you want to get a job as soon as you graduate from college, or do you want to further do a post-graduation? Once you decide, look for the top colleges in the area of your interests.

• Graduation Rate:

While considering a college, analyze the following –

• the percentage of students who complete the full program
• the top scores in the college
• the overall percentage of passed students

Studying these factors will give you the performance graph of students in that college.

• Student to Faculty Ratio:

Of course, it is difficult to find colleges which give one-on-one assistance, but do examine the student to faculty ratio very closely. You can check the number of professors in each department against the number of students per class (if they have mentioned the data). A lower number of student allocation to each professor is always a plus.

• The Quality of Department:

How does the college rank in the major you want to study? Universities/ colleges are stronger in some areas and not equally good in the others. So explore the department – When was it formed? The professional background of head of the department? How long has it been functioning? All this will help you know the state of the department in that college.

• Campus Recruitment:

If you are aiming at a job soon after graduation, then it is definitely important to look at the college placement department. Investigating things like – the number of students getting placed each year and the companies which come over for recruitment, will give you a fair idea about college placements (Most of the colleges mention this in their brochures/websites).

• Meet the Students & Alumni:

We live in a social networking era, most of the colleges have their alumni and students group on social network websites. Post your concerns there and look out for their opinions on the college and department. If possible visit the college and meet a few students to enquire about the faculty and department you are willing to apply.

• Affordability:

Do check out the fee ranges and compare it with other colleges, see if its worth the cost and is affordable.

• Location:

Think thoroughly where you would like to go to college. It is important to choose a location which you will be happy and comfortable with. This may be a big city or a small town, same country or a foreign land.  Check out the hostel facilities before you decide to enroll. The location should only be one of the factors in choosing a college and not the sole decision maker.

• Curriculum & Internship:

Check out the course curriculum and compare it with other universities and colleges. Ensure it is covering and teaching you the major aspects of the subject. Most of the courses have at least a month of internship, which will help you understand the work culture and nature of the job {In case the college/course does not have such a program you can always do it on your own during vacations}

• Accreditation:

Look if the college is accredited by NAAC. Most of the universities in India are accredited by NAAC. The NATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND ACCREDITATION COUNCIL is an autonomous body established by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India to assess and accredit institutions of higher education in the country.

• Extracurricular Activities and Facilities:

If you are interested in extracurricular activities or would like to learn something new (which can be swimming, dancing, music or anything else), make sure you check out the facilities for the same as provided by the college. Do they have suitable infrastructure? Do they have a trainer/coach for the activity?

Your college education is one of the most important investments both in terms of time and money. It’s worth putting in the extra effort to make the right decision. If you need any kind of guidance or support in choosing the best institute for you, talk to YourDOST expert.