You’re done with your SEE, and you’re looking for your next big venture that’s going to take you further in your life, and most importantly, your career. The most significant thing coming your way is your 11th and 12th standard, and it is certainly going to be different from your school education. It is the official beginning of your college life and your first step into adulthood.
It is crucial that you take these two years seriously, as it is a period of transformation in a person’s life. It can either make you or break you, and that makes it vital that you the make the most out of it. Not just excel at academia but also uncover a range of talents and interests—music, dancing, communication, leadership, sports and so on! Such all-round development will ensure that you have the right mindset and attitude to get what you want in life. And please do remember to have fun too!
Now, since your first step into college life is so crucial, you need to choose a college that’s right for you. And that brings me to my question: how to choose the right college?
This blog is meant to guide students who are unsure what college to go to in order to get the kind of higher education that they want. For your ease, we’ve divided our suggestions into five important factors in choosing a college; go through them, and hopefully by the end of this blog, you’ll have your answer.
Look Inside Before You Look Outside
It is crucial that you know yourself very well—the kind of person you are, your likes and dislikes, and so on—before you go about looking for a college to study in. There are colleges that are too strict, and there are ones that are not. Few colleges offer only academics, while others offer academics plus extracurricular. Some colleges have great infrastructure, while others may not be as sophisticated or capacious. There are colleges that offer amazing personal care to the students, and there are others that don’t. These colleges are what they are, and it’s entirely up to you to choose the college that you want to be a part of.
If you like freedom, you might prefer a less strict college. If you like personal attention, you might want to enroll in a college where there are few students so that you get great care. If you don’t like extracurricular, then going for full-on academics should be your goal. You need to be comfortable with the environment you’re in so that you can give your best. So find out how various colleges hold up on these aspects to be able to pick the right one for you.
Are The Colleges Really What They Claim To Be?
When you go for counseling sessions, you’ll find the colleges making all these claims and promises about how good they are and what their students have been able to achieve. What you need to understand, as a student, is that no matter how good a college is and no matter the kind of dedication and hard work that they put in to help their students grow, the success depends entirely on the students. So be wary of such claims and promises that colleges make.
However, you can inquire about the efforts that they put in, i.e. the different programs and facilities that they have for the welfare of the students. Also, try your best to get reviews about the institution. The best people to get reviews from are former students and parents. Through them, you can find out how genuine their claims are and if they actually offer all those programs and facilities that they claim to. You could also come to know how good the faculties and the administration are; these two aspects of a college have the biggest impact on a student’s life.
Finance Is The Key
You may want to study in the best college in the world, but your finances need to support your dream, and as an adult, you need to understand your financial situation before you make a decision. However, it doesn’t mean that you should compromise with the quality of education you might be offered. There are numerous colleges out there that are looking for talented students, and provided a financial problem, would also be willing to offer scholarships. You just need to look for such institutions.
Also, if you have a great SEE score, are good with extracurricular and are confident about what you can achieve, go on and talk to the counselor about any other miscellaneous funding, discounts or scholarship that they can offer you. Be frank, be confident, and express yourself freely—if they like you, they will want you in their institution regardless of the costs. If they don’t, well, that just means you were never gonna be there anyway. And finally, be conscious about any extra penny that you can save, as you must know already, money saved is money earned!
What Are The Students Like?
Friends and companions are a major part of a teenager’s life. They can be your support system through times thick and thin. So just be sure that you’re with the right people, people that understand you and accept you for who you are.
Since these two years are crucial for you, you have to be careful about the kind of friends you make. In the process of inquiring about the teachers and administration and getting other college information, do try to find out about the students as well. And assess for yourself if it’s possible for you to grow as a person in their company.
Oftentimes, we come across amazing colleges with extraordinary features and the only downside happens to be the students. Bad students don’t just negatively affect other students they also impact an institution’s reputation and overall quality. And believe me, if you’re looking to achieve your dreams, you don’t want to be around any negative influence. So try and be a good judge when it comes to choosing the right college.
Figure out The X Factor
All the colleges offering 11th and 12th standard education in Nepal offer the same syllabus, which is prescribed by Nepal Education Board (NEB). So, technically, no matter the college, ultimately, you’ll be getting the same degree, with the same level of recognition. What is then the benefit of studying in a better college?
The answer is the experience. Good colleges offer good experience and bad colleges offer bad experience. Also, good colleges always work towards offering something extra to the students—an extracurricular activity, a program, or a different teaching methodology—directed at ensuring that the students have a really good learning experience. They do this because they truly care, and this particular feature could also be named their ‘X Factor’.
For instance, Samridhi School is dedicated to producing exceptional leaders in the field of management and commerce. Their education system and teaching methodology is designed to help students explore the practical aspects of commerce along with theoretical ones. They motivate students to use their insight to pick the field best suited for them, and influence them to learn through action and implementation. It is their X Factor; it is what makes them different from their counterparts.
So go on now and make a list of all the colleges you see yourself studying in, and then, start your research. Remember, the more effort you put in this process, the better your experience is going to be in the next two years of college. Best of luck, and congratulations on your SEE results!