Answer ‘What’ and ‘Where’ early, in order to get admitted to your Dream University.

It was a surprise that the Year 2020 admissions cut-off marks for several of Delhi University’s colleges were in the range of 99% to 100%. This highlights the demand and the intense competition for high quality education. Additionally, if the primary evaluation criteria are only the Grade 12 marks, admission to their dream university could be a hit or a miss for most students. Fortunately, in todays' world there are several options for high quality education within the country as well as overseas.

As parents and educators, we have a responsibility to make our children and students aware of this competition in a timely manner and let them know about the available options. An early understanding of their interests, available opportunities, admission criteria and the effort required are important for a student to secure admission into their dream university. 

A reputed university and a perfect choice of subjects is every student’s dream. Over the years, I have noted a strong correlation between the class / grade in which a student decides the stream they would prefer to pursue and the quality of university they eventually get admitted to. I have observed several of my classmates, juniors and students who had the requisite focus, achieve admissions to top engineering colleges, medical colleges, and foreign universities. In my view, an early awareness of ‘What’ and ‘Where’ and the associated effort are the key factors that determine admission to your dream university. Many students only develop this awareness and focus quite late, in 12th Grade. The later the awareness is achieved, later their preparation starts, and may result in the student lagging behind their peers.

Speaking from my personal experience, I decided in the middle of Grade 12 that I wanted to study engineering. The engineering exams in India are extremely competitive and it was not a surprise when I did not get admitted that year. I took a year off after Grade 12, worked hard and fortunately got admitted to IIT Delhi the next year. However, it was stressful, and things could have turned out unfavorably. Looking back, my admission to IIT Delhi was ‘the crucial first step’ that defined my career, future education, and professional network. If I could advise my younger self to do something differently, it would be to commence the preparation for IIT JEE in earnest after the Grade 10 board exams. In other words, my younger self would need to have clarity in Grade 9 and 10 about ‘What’ and ‘Where’ and start preparing accordingly. 

A student may choose to study engineering, medicine, law, economics, study in India or abroad. However, the sooner they have clarity about what they want to study and kick-off their preparation, better their chances of getting into their dream university. There is intense competition for the top colleges and institutes across the world and there is a strong correlation between quality college education, career trajectory, and lifetime income.

Studying at institutions like IIT, AIIMS, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, University of Pennsylvania, Oxford, Cambridge, INSEAD, IIM etc. provides a lifelong advantage to the student. In today's globalized world, I would specifically call out the US education system for the flexibility, holistic development, and opportunities it offers. It is helpful if the parents are aware of all available options and can work alongside their children to identify their interests. In case the parents do not have the necessary knowledge or time, it is valuable talking to an expert counsellor and developing a roadmap. A knowledgeable counsellor would be able to advise regarding study options in India or abroad, scholarships and the courses that best match the student’s interests. Multiple university options are available in today’s day and age and depending on the child’s interest, academic performance, extracurricular activities, and financial ability suitable alternatives can be developed.

As a parent of a teenager, I understand that forcing the child in one direction or other can be counterproductive. However, making the child aware of various career options and having conversations about their interests and future is an important responsibility of parents and schools. Conducted at the right time such discussions can pique the child’s interest and help develop an awareness about what kind of career and education they would like to pursue. Once the child’s curiosity is kindled, the basic information can be gathered over the internet, from school, education fairs or from webinars.

To summarize, the key for the students seeking admissions to top universities is to start early, answer the ‘What’ and ‘Where’ question and work towards their target. The decision about what you want to study in college and backing it up with a disciplined effort and time investment defines the student’s future education and career.

Preparation is the key to success, and this is possibly the most important investment a student can make. Getting admitted to the dream university is a family effort and the parents have a crucial role in developing this awareness among young students.

Vivek Bhandari

Vivek Bhandari is the Chief Executive and Co-founder of Scholarly. He holds a B.Tech from IIT Delhi and a MBA from IIM Calcutta. Vivek has worked extensively in financial services, real estate and mortgages space in USA, Europe, and India. He is passionate about education and use of innovative technologies to make best education accessible across the globe.