Making the Right Choice!

To do or not to do. This is a million dollar question every one of us has come across multiple times in our lives. What makes this question interesting is not just the task of taking a decision. The real challenge is in taking the right decision.

Students preparing for their final year graduation examinations have this additional task of planning for their higher studies. In this era of intense competition it is important for students to carefully plan their choice of courses. Choosing the right institution which offers such courses is equally important. Students aspiring for management studies are not an exception to this situation. There are many institutes and colleges in Nagpur, offering management courses. This is why the question of choosing the right institution gets highlighted. Here are some points which students should consider while making their choice.
Does the college offer the specialization of your interest? How many electives the institute is offering and at what stages of the course? What is the examination pattern? Does the college offer the appropriate training? What is the average number of students in each class? Will you get enough contact/attention from the Faculty? What kind of career planning services are available? Does the college impart training in soft skills? What activities the college conducts for proper grooming and personality development of the students? Does the college offer placement assistance? If yes, what percentage of students get jobs on campus? What is the course fee? What does that include? Are their any payment plans available? Do banks offer education loans for the course? Does the college offer any scholarships? How is the infrastructure of the college? How good is the college library, computer lab and the internet connectivity? Are there any sports & recreation facilities? Visit the college campus. Try to meet the Faculty members. Test their attitude towards the students. Decide whether u feel like belonging to the place. Check the admission requirements. Decide on the distance and location of the college.
Finding a proper institution is one area where students should exercise utmost care. Due to lack of knowledge and information about the colleges in the country compounded by the barrage of often misleading and false advertisements, students opt for colleges claiming foreign affiliations. An exorbitant fee is seen as a guarantee of a premium education. Students should analyze carefully as to how such foreign affiliations are useful in imparting quality education and enhancing career prospects. Or they are just the tags used as marketing gimmicks to attract students. There is also a trend of students seeking admissions in colleges of Pune or Mumbai without giving proper thought. Agreed, these cities are ahead of Nagpur as far as higher education is concerned. But every institute in these cities does not guarantee quality education. Studying away from home involves a lot of additional expenditure towards housing and food. If you have a tight budget, you may end up compromising on these two aspects which may affect your general health and subsequently, studies.

The students should also seek knowledge about the teaching methodologies of various colleges. It is important that the teaching methodology should foster learning and not just memorizing. For example, the teaching methodology at ICFAI National College, Nagpur, emphasizes learning. The teaching methods are designed in such a way that the students are required to apply their theoretical knowledge to real life business situations on a continuous basis. Besides the use of case studies and technology in the classroom, students are encouraged to do outdoor activities like Live Projects, Operation Workouts, Seminars, Paper Presentations, Interaction with Industry Experts and Short Selling Assignments. The 4 months Summer Internship Program of ICFAI National College is like a jewel in the crown. These activities not only give the students an opportunity of experiential learning but also help in confidence building and personality development, thereby grooming them for the corporate life. Even the Faculty Members at ICFAI National College, Nagpur, are formally trained to apply various teaching methods. “The application of above 25 teaching methods, benefits of smaller groups, more individual attention and an effective working relationship with the Faculty Members really creates a learning atmosphere,” says Prof. Shashikant Kashikar, Soft Skills Trainer, INC Nagpur
Finally, don't be shy about asking questions and look for answers in more than one place. The college authorities can answer your questions about policies and resources, while students and alumni will let you know about the learning activities on a day-to-day basis. So ask away and make the right college choice!!!