HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT UNIVERSITY FOR STUDY ABROAD

Anyone who has done even a little research will know how important it is to choose the perfect place of study. There are hundreds of universities abroad, each one of which has its own perks and disadvantages. Some have beautiful campuses, some are known for their sports and extra curriculars, and some offer a plethora of recreational activities in close proximity and some offer research options. The perfect university depends on your preferences. What do you expect from your education and college life? What are the outcomes you want and goals you want to achieve? Once you have the introspection part of the process clear in your head, you can move on to actually shortlisting universities that best suits your needs. 

RANKINGS AND STATISTICS

For a vast majority of students, a higher rank on the QS list simply translates to a better education and experience. While this may not be completely untrue, these rankings must be taken with a grain of salt. Each publication publishes rankings based on various categories that are given relevant weightage. These categories and respective weightage differs from company to company. Before blindly following a list, learn about the process they use to rank universities. See, if it matches your priorities. They might give research more importance than you want instead of the vocational training you’re looking for. 

LOCATION

Do you prefer a rural setting with nature reserves and swathes of grasslands around you or an urban hot pot of culture and activity? Rural campuses offer a more close knit student community with more adventure activities around while urban campuses are typically smaller, easier to navigate, and have close proximity to industries and workplaces. Some universities are set in cold regions while some are near the coast with a tropical climate. If weather is priority for you, research the year round weather of the universities on your watch list. 

YOUR COURSE

This is where rankings come in more handy. Check to see where your university is ranked for the subject you want to study. Moreover, not all universities offer all courses and subjects. For example, students looking for a co-op program in mechanical engineering might need to search for niche schools. Subjects such as creative writing, poetry, drama are not popular and very few schools offer them. Therefore, it is absolutely crucial for you to research your university beforehand.

COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS

Different colleges have different requirements for different courses. Sounds confusing? More prestigious universities have higher educational requirements for admission. They might not explicitly list them out but checking their average class profile will give you a good idea. Some countries have typically higher cutoffs for IELTS. For instance, Canada needs a minimum of 6.5 bands. Fortunately, IELTS score can be improved unlike your school marks. Consider going to IELTS coaching to get better. IELTS preparation is not that difficult if done smartly.

If your profile doesn’t meet their minimum requirements the applying there will be useless because you will be rejected outright.

These are just a few of the most basic questions that matter most when shortlisting a college for applications.

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