5 Steps to Choosing the Right College
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5 Steps to Choosing the Right College: Choosing the right university is the most important decision when choosing to study abroad. A good university, with good rankings and which also matches your preferences, has a big role in fulfilling your career aspirations. Many big companies in the world specifically prefer graduates only from certain universities to hold leading positions in their most productive departments. Read this article to learn about the 5 steps to choosing the right university.
Enrolling in a college and studying for a degree abroad can take anything between one to four years, depending on the university and duration of the entire course, and it is sure going to be an expensive affair. Hence, it is extremely important for students and parents alike to choose the right college to make the investment worthwhile and the experience life-changing. With the vast number of universities offering multiple course options to choose from, this is often perceived as a tedious and exhaustive task to perform. To make this simple and effort worthwhile, we have enlisted a set of parameters, which would help candidates weed out the unnecessary and choose from the most worthwhile of institutions for higher education.
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How to Choose the Right College to Study Abroad?
The points given below should be remembered while choosing the right college to study abroad.
1. Shortlist the college
While shortlisting the college, consider the location, majors and programs offered, people on campus, and the opportunities available outside your classroom. Then, take time to make your own rankings and weigh the pros and cons of a particular college. Make sure your educational needs are being met while taking the decision to study in a particular college. All colleges require candidates to appear for an eligibility test, such as SAT/ IELTS/ TOEFL/ GMAT/ GRE to be considered for admission. Hence, it is extremely important for the student to have his / her goal in mind and know what he / she really wants from studying abroad. It is a one-way ticket and there is no coming back halfway. It is important for the candidate to understand that studying abroad for a degree is a huge commitment and he would have to go through the entire process. There is no quitting half way.
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2. Go through the Course Curriculum
This is another important area that determines the college of study for candidates looking to travel abroad for higher education. Candidates should be clear about the course that he would like to pursue and choose the colleges offering the same. Candidates should go through the available programmes on the official website of the university to be doubly sure. He should also verify the language of study and should be an expert in the field. Other important information to keep in mind would be the admission procedure; application start and end dates; campus life; extracurricular activities; accommodation options; the size of the college and above all the ranking of the institute and the course on a global platform. Candidates should always refer to unbiased college and course rankings to see where their choice of college is placed. Candidates should also join internet forums and get in touch with student counselors who could provide them with more information on the same.
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3. Make a Budget and Stick to it
Another important aspect of zeroing in on the right college would be knowing the amount of money required as tuition fee for the particular course in a particular college. Most official websites of colleges provide a detailed breakup of the tuition fee required for admission on a yearly basis. Students are advised to select colleges that fit their budget. Students can apply for an Education Loan through various banking and non-banking financial institutions that would help them with the tuition fee for higher education. Students who excel in education could also opt for the numerous scholarships and grants that are available on the official website of colleges to ease their financial pressure. It is always important for a candidate to choose the college that provides the maximum return on investment.
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4. Location
This is another important deciding factor, as a part of your budget would also be allocated to the living expenses that are directly affected by the location of choice. It is important for students to keep the location, security, climate, and ease of transportation in mind before deciding on the location as these elements would affect them on a daily basis. While the living costs of some countries are higher than others, however, how much you actually spend every month depends on the lifestyle of every student. For example, a student staying in the metropolitan part of the country would pay a higher rent than a student staying in the suburban areas. The weather is another important factor as extremely cold countries could make living very difficult for Indians traveling for the first time as major parts of India enjoy tropical climate all-round the year. Safety and security, easy visa facilitation and duration of stay after the course are over are major factors that should be carefully weighed before finally choosing the location of study.
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5. Preference and Social Ties
Past work experiences and extracurricular knowledge also shape one's preferences for deciding on the right college. A lot of times, personal preferences of having family or relatives residing in a particular country take precedence in choosing the right college for an education. This is misleading and should be avoided. Course preferences, college ranking, tuition and living expenses should be the determining factors in choosing the right college for a candidate wanting to travel abroad for higher education.
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This was all about the top 5 tips for studying abroad.
How to Choose the Right College FAQs
Q. What are the steps involved in choosing the right college?
A. To find the right college, first of all, do some research about the colleges in which you want to take admission. Think about the location, majors and programs, opportunities available outside of classroom, etc. Then, rank your priorities as per the pros and cons of a particular college. Also, keep in mind your budget. For this, you have to check the tuition fee of the college. You can also investigate about the job connections of that particular college.
Q. Which factors should one consider while choosing the right college?
A. The top factors in deciding the right college to study are location and distance from home, class size, tuition fee, majors and minors, athletics and extra-curricular activities, campus life, safety, academic support and career services, and internship opportunities.
Q. What 5 major factors you should consider while finding the right college fit?
A. The 5 major factors that you should consider while finding the right college are - career aspirations, campus setting, weather, determining your budget, and college culture. These are further explained here below:
- Career Aspirations: This is the most important part before choosing the right fit. Choose what you wish to do for the rest of your life and make money out of it. Then, choose the course that best fits with your goal. Following this, start looking for countries and colleges that are renowned for providing these courses.
- Campus Setting: Upon finding the best college for you, check the types of courses it has to offer, the specialisations, the teaching methods, the teachers, technology advancements and more to see if the college meets with your requirements.
- Weather: Don't underestimate what extreme weather can do to you. If you live in a country that has a moderate climate, then you must choose an alike country to study abroad. Choosing a country with very harsh heat or cold temperatures can waste a significant amount of your time in adapting to the local climate.
- Determining the Total Costs: Check the total associated costs of living and studying at that university's location and then accordingly, plan your budget and finances.
- College Culture: Read about the college life, culture, and atmosphere by connecting with the college's alumni, joining student forums and seeking reviews from the existing students (if you can). It's always a good idea to get well-versed with the local culture of the country/city you're going to study at to avoid culture shock.
Q. How do I know if I have selected the right college or not?
A. It is the right college if it matches you academically, if it is affordable for you and your family, if it will help you in achieving your life goals. Furthermore, you can also take into account the campus diversity, sports, and distance from home into account.
Q. What do students look for in college while taking admission?
A. While taking admission, one should look for affordability, availability of desired program, career outcomes / job opportunities, reputation / academic quality, proximity to home, etc.
Yes, all the graduates receive a British degree irrespective of the campus locations. Programs follow similar patterns and examinations on all campuses. The degree awarded is even recognised by the reputed institutions and also approved by Royal Charter in UK.
The University of Hertfordshire has a 70% acceptance rate, making it easy to get into and having simple admissions requirements. Academic achievement, English language proficiency, references, and many other factors are taken into consideration while making the selection. At Hertfordshire, some programs may require four to five years of experience. To enroll in any programme at Hertfordshire University, students must meet the qualifying requirements. In addition, students with average performance can showcase their relevant experience or extracurricular activities participation to increase their selection probability.
According to an unofficial source, NTU has been placed at #1 in the UK for employability. In addition to this, as per the details available on the web, some of the top companies where NTU UK alumni work are Deloitte, Microsoft, Tesco, Turner & Townsend, The Access Group, etc. Some of the industries where the alumni work are Operations, Business Development, Arts and Design, Sales, Marketing, IT, Engineering, Finance, Media & Communication, etc.
The English language test score required at the Univerisyt of South Wales are mentioned in the table below for the international applicants whose first language is not English
Exam | Minimum Scores |
|---|---|
IELTS | 6.0 with at least 5.5 in each band |
TOEFL | 72 overall and a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing |
PTE | a score of 59 overall and 59 in each component. |
England Newcastle University is one of the top choices among international students due to the university's world-class programs, an impressive return on investment, vibrant campus life, and more. As per the reviews posted by students on Shiksha, the university has obtained the following stars:
| Parameters | Stars (Shiksha Reviews) |
|---|---|
| Overall | 3.7 |
| Public Transportation | 4.5 |
| Safety | 4.4 |
| Quality of Faculty | 4.4 |
| Student Life | 4.1 |
| Value for Money | 3.6 |
| Indian Food | 3.4 |
| Permanent Immigration | 3.4 |
| Post-study Jobs | 3.4 |
| Part-time Work | 3.3 |
| Internships | 3.0 |
With a 70% acceptance rate, the University of Hertfordshire is not hard to get into and follows easy selection criteria during admissions. This does not mean the university accepts all the students applying for different programs. The selection is based on academic performance, English language requirements, references, and many more. Some of the programs at Hertfordshire even demand an experience of 4-5 years. Students must fulfill the eligibility criteria to enroll in any programme at Hertfordshire University. In addition, students with average performance can showcase their relevant experience or extracurricular activities participation to increase their selection probability.
The University of Kent ranking in the UK is among the Top 100 Universities. Also, in UK, this university ranks at #60 in the Guardian rankings and #51 as per The Complete University Guide rankings 2025. In comparison to the rankings of the previous years, this university's position has slightly declines in the UK rankings.
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Hello Sathwik. You can get in touch with our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/apply They will be happy to assist you with your university admissions.
International students whose native language is not English must meet the University of Essex English language requirements to get admission. The university accepts IELTS scores as proof of English language proficiency. Mentioned below are the IELTS scores required for UG and PG admission at the university:
English Language Test
Score
IELTS
Overall score of 5.5 to 8.0 with minimum of 5.5 to 7.5 in each section
The university also accepts the score of other English language tests such as TOEFL and PTE for admission to undergraduate and graduate programs:
English Language Test
Score
TOEFL iBT
Overall score of 72 to 114
PTE
Overall score of 59 to 84 with minimum of 59 to 80 in each section
Also read: Required IELTS Score for UK Universities