It is admission time for colleges and students often follow a variety of websites with suggestions on how to choose the right one for their purpose. Their choice is mainly determined by location, courses offered, fee, and cultural issues.
All these factors are important, but these criteria are changing considerably with students looking for other
The Universities and Colleges Admission Services (UCAS) in England is said to remove the mandatory personal statement essay from the next academic year, replacing it with multiple choice questions. This is because the essay format is seen to favour students from privileged background, and more specifically, also to native speakers. It is “less about growth and exploration and more about checking boxes and fitting into a narrow definition of success,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
Even without this criteria, students find applying to the right colleges challenging and daunting. There are the usual tips to look out for: college rankings, accommodation for international students as well as other provisions like multi-faith centres.
Research shows that students are looking for more than rankings and course offerings while looking for the right college. This is because international rankings are based on specific data which is not applicable to everybody, such as research of faculty in English language and student teacher ratio.
The focus on mental health has also ensured that students look for institutions which are now reputed to have a congenial atmosphere and empathetic faculty. The stress of a new place, people and curriculum is already heavy for new university entrants and being bogged down with other issues like social adaptability is not suggested.
Instead, students are looking for a convivial campus and one with opportunities for diverse social interaction, aspects that will add to their network as well as develop soft skills. They are also looking for spaces for cultural interaction and engaging in activities which help them to keep in touch with their homes.
For international students, the challenge of choosing the right university is more complicated. They have to factor in other issues like visas, cost of travel from home, cost of living and their own capacity to adapt.
Times Higher Education, a British journal specialising in tertiary education, has shown that students used to rely on teachers and family to decide on the university to pursue their studies. Now, the trend is changing, with students taking their own decisions based on university websites, career counsellors in schools, and friends.
Applying to university and college can be a long and arduous process, but it can be immensely satisfying if done in the right way. There is a lot of material digitally available and having to sift through all that to pick the right institution can be daunting. It is clear that new entrants are looking for more than subjects to study and future placements. Larger issues like opportunities for networking, developing soft skills and ensuring mental health are on top of the list for new applicants.
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