How To Pick the Right College During This COVID-19: College is nothing less of a dream for every student passing out of senior secondary school. They fantasize about that campus life as they pass class 10 and start picking their choice of college right from then. This gives them ample time to prepare for the two years. But this year, it’s not the same as before. Everything is unprecedented.
In fact, class 10 and 12 students who were supposed to appear for their boards in March last year haven’t even gotten a chance yet. The exam was rescheduled for feb this year but then again got cancelled due to the triggering second wave in India. This has even affected the current college goers, as they are having to go through a continuous online curriculum. In this state of never before seen confusion choosing a college for fresh class 12 pass outs can be a daunting task. Although the process of choosing the college might be a lot different from what it used to be but just by asking a few questions you might be able to pick the ideal one.
What is the class curriculum like?
You cannot ignore this when choosing a college in the covid-19 era. Due to the online learning system many colleges had to make changes in their curriculum. Make sure you gather all the information regarding the curriculum of the programme you desire to apply to. Get in touch directly with the admission team of that particular college to refrain from getting any false information. This will help you give a quick check whether the curriculum offers you what and how you are intending to study. Get all the information regarding how the classes are being conducted, given the present situation. Ofcourse, online class facilities are a must, also consider if the college is conducting hybrid classes or not. Hybrid class will give you a chance to be on campus sometimes and attend classes physically. Also, make sure to check the technical details while going for online classes i.e. if the institute is making use of the latest technology to bring ease in the education process.
Can I have a tour of the Campus?
Looking at what the world is going through today, gone are the days when we used to go for campus visits before picking a college. No matter the name and fame of the institution visiting a campus to check if it fits the description of the student and their parents is a big deal. Check to see if the institution has provided any alternative to bridge this gap, like virtual tours. Being physically present in the desired space and gathering a crowd may not be an ideal situation today so virtual tour would be one of the best options. At Least you would be able to check out the campus and in campus facilities.
If your desired college isn’t offering any virtual tour, you can call or send an email to the admissions team asking about whether they can arrange a tour for you.
What are the Covid-19 regulations?
Dig some information on what the covid-19 regulations are in the college. Along with information on how the institute handled the first wave of covid-19. This research will give you an idea of the functioning and administration of the college. It will also give you a heads up on what you have to do apart from following the SOP when you finally visit the campus. Overall, it gives you a view of what your college life would look like.
What are the services and aides being provided?
The pandemic has taught us how to come together as a community more than ever. In times like this every little help equals the biggest help anyone ever offered. Make yourself aware if your desired college in any way extended a helping hand in fighting the covid-19 battle. This aid can be to anyone, the community, the city, any healthcare institution, students and their families, employees etc. Also, in these trying times this help can come in any form whether financial or food supply, medical care, volunteer etc. Make note if there were any special care for students as times have been very stressful for students. It is important to keep their mental health in check and if the institute responded to the needs of the students, this tells a lot about the college. Also study how the college helped affected students, if there were any. The involvement of the college in this kind of work gives you a glimpse of their vision and identity as an education institute and at times inspires you.
