Choosing the right engineering college is quite a big task for you and your parents. It’s one of those times when the entire family gets involved in the decision-making process.
Engineering colleges are many and the choices are vast. So, lets lay down a few basic guidelines that can help you zero in on the right engineering college for you
9 Expert Tips to Choose the Best Engineering College:
1. Do You Have It in You?
Embarking on the journey of an engineer means that you will have to have the aptitude towards science as your core subjects.
You need to have the skill and aptitude towards technical and practical knowledge of science.
Ask yourself if you really have it in you to achieve the goals of engineering.
2. Ensure Industry Relevance
A survey conducted by AICTE CII, published in the Hindustan Times stated that there is a mismatch between what the engineering colleges provide and what the industry actually needs.
The survey pointed out the inconsistency between the skills of engineering students and the actual needs of the industry.
So, while choosing an engineering college, it is important to find out if the college provides relevant skills to its students.
For this, it is necessary to speak to students who have graduated from colleges to get the right kind of feedback about engineering and its courses.
3. Core Subject Selection
Before you get to the stage of narrowing down your choices of engineering colleges, you must know which stream of engineering you would like to pursue.
This is the first step of how to choose a college for engineering.
Advancements in technology have brought with it several newer streams in engineering.
A few decades ago, computer science engineering was almost unheard of, but today, it is one of the most popular streams of engineering.
So, you need to know which stream of engineering interests you the most. After all, you will be in this course for four long years. Therefore, it is advisable to choose a stream that ignites your curiosity the most.
The choices in engineering streams are vast and we can summarise them as follows
- Computer Science Engineering
- Robotics Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Industrial Production Engineering
- Agriculture and Food Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Marine Engineering
- Automobile Engineering
- Aeronautical Engineering
These are just some of the many engineering streams available today.
Students must look at the subjects under each of the streams and note which subjects truly interest them.
4. Don’t Bow Down to Pressure
When choosing the stream that interests you shouldn’t get influenced or pressurised by others around you. To be encouraged is different from being pressurised.
Family elders may want you to take up a particular stream because it has more scope in the future and may earn you good returns.
However, it may not be the stream you are interested in. The very fact that the stream does not interest you itself goes to show that you may not be able to sustain a great career in it either.
Great careers are churned out when you are interested in the field. As the saying goes, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
5. List out the Colleges
Now that you have made your decision on the type of stream that interests you, you can now make a list of colleges that offer your course.
Divide this list into two or three sections. The list I should contain the list of colleges that have your first stream preference. List II should contain your second choice and so on.
This may take a while, but do not haste. Take time to do this.
Browse through the internet and visit each college website. Note down what else the college has to offer other than your choice of subjects.
This way you make a comprehensive list of colleges. You have now demarcated them according to particular streams and noted many other particulars.
Another thing to keep in mind while making your list is to not consider college image as a deciding factor. Although you must graduate from a premier institute, graduating from the second-best is not bad.
It does not hamper your chances of a great career. If the stream you prefer is available in a particular college that is not the best college in town, do not hesitate to apply in the stream of your choice rather than the college with the better image.
It is your ability and to put skill and knowledge together that finally tests your career capabilities later.
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6. What Are the Different Criteria that Are Important to You?
Another important part of how to choose an engineering college is to list out all the criteria that you are looking for. It may be a long list or a short one depending on many factors.
Here are some of the important points that you should look out for before selecting an engineering college.
- Type of engineering stream offered by the college
- Location of college
- Transport available to and from the college- Public or private transport and feasibility of daily travel
- College fees
- Extra-curricular activities
- College reputation
- Campus placements
- Internships
- Student crowd
- Accreditation and licenses
- The reputation of college teaching faculty
Though this list is not exhaustive, it can give you an insight into what you should look for when choosing the best engineering college for you.
7. How Do You Rank Your Criteria?
From the list you have made above, you now have to prioritise them. This is because you may not find a college that fulfills all the above criteria.
While one college may have everything but may lack in one thing or vice versa. So, now it’s time to mark your priorities.
Do you want a college that is closer home? Do you mind relocating to a different city to pursue your stream of engineering? Are you going to be able to pay the college fees?
These are the questions that may come up while weighing the pros and cons of all the colleges on your list.
8. On-Site Visits
Another step you can add on how to choose the best engineering college is to make an on-site campus visit. Getting a first-hand feel of the place gives you the first impression.
You can even talk to some students there and get information on the faculty and student facilities.
Usually, on-site visits give you a sense of belonging. At times you might get a feeling that this place is right or wrong for you. Listen to your first instincts.
9. Research the Eligibility Criteria
Every college, university, or state governments may have different eligibility criteria to be able to join their college.
For example, admissions to the Indian Institute of Technology have separate entrance examinations called the Joint Entrance Examination or the JEE-Advanced.
Karnataka on the other hand holds the annual KCET or the Common Entrance Tests to be eligible for admissions into engineering colleges in Karnataka.
Apart from these tips on how to choose the best engineering college, also try to keep this in mind:
Focus on your grades. Engineering entrance examinations are very competitive. Scoring high in these examinations allows you to be the master of your choices.
The lower your scores, the narrower your choices get. So, concentrate on your grades and scores and ensure you have the upper hand in making the right choice for the engineering college you aspire for.
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