Global higher education has a lot to offer, not only in terms of majors but also exposure. However, students tend to get fixated on a handful of universities and schools, which leads to a significant amount of competition within those few universities.
While creating a university list, students should ensure they are taking multiple factors into account to build their list. They should not get fixated on getting admission into their dream universities only; they should build a list that comprises different schools and universities in different categories.
The myth that you must attend a highly-ranked college to receive an excellent education is far from true. A school’s ranking often depends on factors that have little to do with the classroom experience. Therefore, it is important for students to look beyond just these factors and view a university holistically for what they have to offer.
Even before you begin to evaluate universities, ensure that you evaluate yourself first. There are a lot of internal factors you must consider before applying to a university like your academic, financial, social, and environmental factors that are important to you. Once you have those priorities clear in your mind, begin researching universities that match your criteria.
Yes, there will be highly selective and competitive schools that will catch your eye almost instantly, and you will picture yourself on the campus, but try to go beyond just that. Go above and beyond in your university research. It is essential to conduct in-depth research to ensure that you are confident in your college selections. Look for things like courses, majors, curriculums, campus environment, student mix, school size, opportunities for employment, alumni network, etc.
“There are over 4500 colleges and universities in the US, but most international students apply to the same 3 percent of those institutions, which only increases the hyper selectivity and competition. My advice for students is that once they are ready to apply to their list of universities, half of those should be universities they hadn’t heard of before they started the process. Otherwise, they haven’t done their research or considered their own fit and may be setting themselves up for disappointment. There are hundreds of excellent institutions, if not more, and students need to open their eyes to wider options to truly find the place where they will thrive not just survive”
Claire Wilkins
Director of International Admissions, Temple University
There will always be universities that have a lot of specialties to offer but might not show up on the top searched pages. This does not make them any less credible or competitive. There are various ways for you to conduct in-depth research about universities to make sure your list is exceptional! Some things to consider and keep in mind are:
Expand your research resources
When you begin your research, you might skim through a few resources that are really credible and highly ranked. Beware, most students would be doing the same, thus, contributing to the increasing competition within those universities.
Do not limit your research to a few websites, explore other options like college fairs, college representative visits, road shows, newsletters, etc. Some of these options also allow you to directly interact with college representatives or alumni which could be a good way for you to gather credible information while also resolving your queries that you might not find the answers to on the web.
Figure out what’s important to you
Universities have a lot to offer in a lot of aspects. It’s up to you to decide what’s of significant importance to you and what isn’t. For example, for some students, their religious values might be of utmost importance, therefore, it wouldn’t make a lot of sense for them to get admission into a Catholic university if they do not belong to that specific religious group. They might end up feeling like a misfit or have trouble fitting in within the culture if they do enroll in it.
There could be a lot of other factors that might influence your decision like your environmental, academic, social, and financial preferences, etc. Have your factors mapped out before you shortlist universities. A lot of schools could be the right fit for you when you map your factors out with precision.
Explore options
There could be multiple universities that you might feel are the right fit. Dig deeper to find the best information about these universities to ensure whether or not they offer exactly what you’re looking for. For example – You might be looking for a B.Sc degree in Management or BA degree in Computer Science. Not a lot of universities allow you to pick your majors that way, but some US universities do.
Only when you gather information, would you know about these minute details about universities. Talk to alumni, attend college fairs, and independent counselors, and subscribe to newsletters that provide you with details about universities.
Be open
While the idea of attending a prestigious and reputed university is ideal for most students, your experience might not necessarily be as vivid as you imagine it to be. These schools are highly competitive and rigorous in nature and matching those standards and practices might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
Keep yourself open to options and look beyond just a handful of universities to ensure you’re building a balanced college list that ensures your admission.
You can resort to our resources to find tips on building a balanced college list https://www.theheadmaster.in/post/how-to-build-a-balanced-college-list
If you’re looking to apply to international universities or exploring overseas higher education options, The Headmaster Consulting can help you narrow your selection while also giving you an overview of what life at university would be like. We help you decipher what the universities seek from their candidates through our Dean’s Desk. If you’re unsure about your applications, get in touch with one of our consultants to help you build an extraordinary application and profile.
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