Choosing the right college can be a tedious process. There are times when your application gets rejected by your favourite college. MUSBA HASHMI speaks with Gurdarshan S Kochar, who shares tips to simplify your decision making

Most students would remember the advice they got from their parents the time they got promoted to Class X. Beta abhi padh lo, aage maze karna (Study hard this time, you can have fun after this class). That wasn’t the end, the same was repeated when you got promoted to Class XII too. However, it seems like the advice was put on loop and actually the time for fun never came for some students. But, students should take this advice forward even to the college. The right choice of subject, stream or college will define the career growth to write their life history.

With that being said, choosing the right college can be a tedious task. And if not done wisely, it can leave you in an unpleasant situation.

“My advice to students is they should shortlist the best-suited colleges according to their fields of interest. As traditional educational practices are becoming obsolete, it is important to look at institutes that provide a futuristic course design and contribute to shaping up the career trajectory. Next, students should gather some data points about who is teaching their discipline of study at the prospective college and also acquire an understanding of the peer group that would be eventually contributing to their growth,” Gurdarshan S Kochar, Project Director — Strategy and Marketing, Masters’ Union, tells you.

Often students and parents get carried away by the facilities provided by the college and its infrastructure. However, this should be the last criteria while hunting for the right college.

“More than the facilities being provided by the college, students should focus on the unique offerings which increase their opportunities to learn hands-on skills. Go to a college which organises bootcamps, one-on-one mentorship programmes, encourages students to become a member of various student-led clubs and helps them gain a holistic perspective during the course,” Kochar adds.

However, not all goes smooth in the process. There are times when a student is left disheartened and demotivated upon not landing an admission in his dream college. The way out here is to not dwell on rejections.

“While seeking admissions, every student wants to go to the best college. Finding out you weren’t accepted to a preferred college can be hard, but I would encourage students to try not to dwell on the rejection. The truth is that everyone faces some form of rejection at some point in their lives, but failure to get admission to a dream college doesn’t depreciate one’s worth or competence as a student. It only implies that the application didn’t meet the college criteria and there’s the scope of improvement in your efforts. It’s easier said than done, but the healthy way to move forward is to accept the rejection,” he says.

If students let disappointment hinder the decision that they still have to make, that will be an even worse outcome. It is important to buckle up, focus on the broader career objective and acknowledge that rejection from one college doesn’t mark the end of their journey. At this point looking out for alternatives is just a tad diversion from their Plan A, but always remember that when one door closes, it directs you towards a thousand other opportunities. Sometimes, rejection can also turn out to be a blessing in disguise or a drive for students to apply to another college that is perhaps more fitting to their long-term career goals.

While looking for a college, there are students who plan to take a gap year to prepare. There is often a clash of opinion between the student and the parents. However, it is not as bad it may sound. “When it comes to taking a gap year, it is a matter of personal choice. The youth is now more open to the idea of taking a year off for a growing number of reasons — some long for a breather between two phases of education in the anticipation that it can help them to clear the head, it sometimes provides an opportunity to figure out exactly what they want next or it can be utilised to explore career options, working on an intriguing project or acquiring a new skill like learning a new language. The most important aspect here is to take a break for the right reasons,” Kochar says.

Taking a break just so you can re-apply to another college without a clear vision about what you’re going to do with your time can be a bit challenging at times. One should also be prepared with suitable alternatives in case the outcome after taking a gap year doesn’t turn out in their favour.

“If we take inspiration from developed countries, career counselling at the school level acts as the backbone of their education system and empowers students to make the right career choices early on in their lives, not limited to just selecting the right college. This definitely helps them avoid any wastage of time and understand their field of interest. But, career counselling in India is still not the most preferred choice for students and parents alike, especially at the school level. The sheer lack of awareness and comprehension of the value and benefits of career counselling is one of the many reasons why it is still not an integral part of the Indian education system,” he says and adds that it is high time we act upon the significance of career guidance and equip our youth to make an informed decision about their career progressions.