How to choose the perfect university or college can be quite a daunting task. This is one decision that can shape the entire course of your career. Deciding on a course you want to pursue is quite challenging and confusing.  Once you have decided on the course, there are numerous steps involved in selecting the right university or college. It’s important to compare various universities to find the one which is best aligned with your academic goals.

How to choose the perfect university or college: What to consider

How to choose the perfect university or college requires due diligence on multiple levels. Students must make all efforts to ensure that they take into account all factors before making their decision. Here are the top 10 parameters to consider:

Accreditation

This is the first thing to consider on how to choose the perfect college or university. Accreditation ensures that the institutions maintain high standards of education. Knowing whether the institute is accredited by a licensed body is important as your diploma or degree should be recognized by future employers as well as other institutions providing higher education. Prefer selecting a university that is internationally recognized. This information is normally available on the website or the admission brochure of the institute. If it is not available you can email the admissions department and seek clarity.

University rankings

You can take the help of university rankings that are released every year by different global ranking systems. These rankings judge the various universities on several performance indicators both quantitative and qualitative. Apart from the overall ranking, you should also look for the subject-specific ranking. This will give a better idea about how your chosen university compares to others in terms of the subject you plan to study. How to choose the perfect university or college must take into consideration where the university ranks.

Placement and internship opportunities

Check out the past placement and internship statistics of the university. These are easily available on the website of the university. Look at the number of companies that visit the campus every year for placements. Colleges that have career counseling sessions can help you in planning your career and provide you with better internship and job opportunities. A college that has an active alumni network further enhances the prospects of placements.

Faculty

Read about the faculty of the department you wish to study as well qualified professors increase the academic quality of the university. Also, try to find out the student-teacher ratio and whether the professors teach most of the classes themselves or delegate this task to their graduate students. If you get a chance to visit the campus, try to meet the faculty members.

Campus life

As you would be spending four years of your life in the college you choose, it’s important to personally visit the campus if possible. Physically going to the campus gives you a better idea about the campus life, the culture. You could even talk to the students and ask questions to better understand the overall vibe of the place. 

If visiting the campus is not possible you can take the help of student reviews and testimonials about the colleges available on various websites. How to choose the perfect university or college will definitely depend on the campus life offered.

Cost of education

You need to calculate how much you can afford to spend on your college education and keep that budget in mind while shortlisting universities for yourself.  While calculating the cost include the accommodation and other living expenses along with the tuition and other academic costs. Try to shortlist the ones that fit your budget so that you are not burdened by huge student loans when you graduate. The cost of education has a direct impact on the answer to how to choose the perfect university or college.

Look for financial aids such as scholarships and education loans that are available. Try to find out how many students who apply for a scholarship receive it and what types of expenses are covered under financial aids provided by various universities. This needs to be researched early on as many scholarships and grants have application deadlines that have to be met.

Location

You need to decide whether you want to live close to home so that you can make frequent trips home or do you wish to move far away. There are many other things you need to see in terms of the geographic location of the college, whether it is urban, rural, semi-rural, what is the weather like in that area. The availability of local transport in the town or the city if you do not own a car.

The crime rate of the area is very important as you will be living on your own away from your family. 

Amenities

The facilities and amenities provided by the colleges can help you narrow down your search. Many colleges offer top-notch facilities to attract students.  Some amenities you should look at are the classrooms, the laboratories, library, cafeteria, fitness center, laundry facilities, sports grounds, and any other recreational center the university may offer. How to choose the perfect university or college must take into account the basic and advanced amenities offered, in comparison to the fees.

Opportunity to grow beyond academics

College life should not be just limited to academics. College provides you with ample opportunities in the form of clubs, sports, volunteering opportunities, etc. While choosing a college, learn more about the social life and the extra-curricular activities that are offered. Consider the different co-curricular and extra-curricular activities before answering how to choose the perfect university or college. The extracurricular activities help you acquire skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, communication, etc which are looked for by potential employers. These activities not only make you grow personally but help you in building social relationships with your peers. It makes meeting new people and forming friendships easier as you share common interests.

Accommodation

For most of you, this would be the first time you would be living away from your home. You need to find out if the university provides on-campus accommodation. If yes, then will that accommodation be available to you throughout your course? To answer how to choose the perfect university or college, definitely consider the available accommodation options.

You would need to look at off-campus accommodation as well in case the on-campus accommodation is not available or does not suit your budget or other requirements. If you plan to stay off-campus, do consider the distance from the university campus and the availability and frequency of local transport.

How to choose the perfect university or college: Take help to make time

How to choose the perfect university or college requires considerable time and effort. In such a situation, students may not have enough time to work on their essays and assignments. In such a situation, reaching out to platforms like TutorBin makes a lot of sense. With a network of expert tutors, TutorBin can help the process. Therefore, the answer to how to choose the perfect university or college should also consider the support system available.