Gone are the days when you could get hooked up to a decent workplace with secondary or higher secondary education. Today, graduation is the minimum requirement to gear up for professional life. Therefore, nailing the right college or university is critical. Earning a degree from a mediocre institution will do no good to boost your career. Going for any insignificant option will only end up wasting precious resources like time and money.
However, being fair to the undergraduates, picking the right university is easier said than done. Youngsters get often enticed by the lofty promotional campaigns, which cloud their judgment to a great degree. But that does not mean one can’t avoid getting misguided. We have compiled a list of fundamental questions. By throwing the following questionnaire to the administration, you can paint a clear picture of the respective institution. The insights will empower you to take the pitch-perfect decision:
- Do you offer the program I want to study?
What is the point of going to a college or university that does not offer the course you like? So it would help if you asked this question right off the bat. Though you can get this information on the official website, it does not harm to double-check. Admirations typically have numerous plans in the pipeline that do not get updated on the websites. What if they introduce some changes in the course down the road or remove it altogether? Hence, you are better off warding off all the confusion right from the get-go.
In case you have not yet outlined the final course, you must have some options buzzing in your head. For example, you are interested in social sciences. However, you may face difficulty making up between political science, anthropology, and social work. It would be wise to inquire about all the possible choices of the future. Sometimes, the admission staff’s explanation could help decide what could be the best fit for you.
- What are the requirements for admission?
Students can quickly dig up questions like how long does it take to get a bachelor’s degree or what measures they need to take to secure good grades. But they remain aloof about admission criteria. Depending on the university and course, they could slightly or drastically vary. A specific percentage from the previous qualification, test, and interview are generally the prerequisites of admission at this level. Knowing the admission benchmarks beforehand can come in handy in the preparation process.
- Why should I opt for your university?
Most of the students refrain from asking this question because it triggers the staff to activate PR mode. But you can catch them off guard through follow-up questions and extract honest feedback. If you find the information unreliable, turn to the current or old students. Their experiences will enlighten you about underlying factors.
- Can I take online classes?
Online classes have hit the helm of popularity. More so, after the surfacing of the infamous coronavirus. If you are doing a part-time job or engaged in other commitments, attending physical classes may be a challenging task. Thus, asking this question is pertinent.
We know that more and more educational institutions are tapping into e-learning of late. But not all universities or colleges utilize top-notch technology to get the job done. Consequently, students end up getting lackluster online classes with poor visuals and distorted voice quality. Make sure you request demo classes to evaluate standards.
If you can’t make yourself physically available in the class even once in a while, ask whether the management undertakes assessments online or not.
- How much do you charge for rent?
A vast proportion of students are not fans of online classes. They would instead enjoy the campus life. If you are one of them, coming to terms with the accommodation costs is very important. It usually happens to be a decisive factor.
Not all institutions provide accommodation facilities. In that case, look for a place that is not too far from the university. If you live far away from the university, travel costs could balloon up quite significantly.
- How often do you allow access to the university resources? What measures do you take to keep them up to date?
Every science student has to go to the lab frequently. If the university does not offer a flexible schedule to use the lab supplies, it is a red flag. Likewise, suppose a social science student does not have access to the library 24 hours. In that case, it could cause inconvenience, especially during the exam phase. Furthermore, it would help if you also asked about the budget that management spends to upgrade these facilities.
Back in the day, libraries received as much as nearly 2.84 percent of the overall university budget. But the amount has shrunk in the recent past. According to experts, if a university spends less than 2 percent of its budget on the library, it will fail to meet students’ requirements. Being well-versed with the figure could complement the decision-making process.
- How culturally diverse is your university?
A culturally diverse atmosphere offers multiple benefits to students. For example, it shapes up your personality to adjust to people having different opinions. This quality will prepare you to lead employees coming from various backgrounds in a professional setting. Under a comprehensive study, a multicultural environment sparks creativity, which is the essence of every profession.
That is why you must give weightage to the diverse environment while cherry-picking a university. It is good to ask this question upfront. That said, you should roam around the campus personally to observe the level of diversity.
- What employment opportunities will this course open for me?
It all boils down to the career prospects. The management has a knack for answering this question unrealistically. So, you may be aware of the job opportunities that might have nothing to do with your course. For proper validation, you should ask the management to provide the employment record of those who have graduated from this course.
- What support services do you provide?
Support services refer to platforms that cover loopholes of students. For instance, if you are eager to get admission in arts but do not feel confident about writing skills. The support services tend to bridge such academic gaps.
The Final Verdict
Going to a college or university is hands down one of the pivotal decisions for any individual. It has the potential to influence our entire life. So, you can’t afford to set a foot wrong here. By walking the tight line of the questions mentioned above, you will surely increase the chances to stumble upon the ideal institutions.
Leave a Reply