Parents of children in plus one and plus two have more in their kitty than just coaching, studies and exam fevers.  True, parents undergo the pressure of all this more than the students.  Though the fact remains that there are things that go overboard in this process, we cannot totally ignore the parents’ interest in ensuring their children get the best and the onus of choosing the right area of Study, college weighs heavy on them.  Technology has evolved and so do the areas of study. The options we had were limited to being a doctor, engineer or a lawyer and it was much simpler to choose a professional area of study.  The same cannot be said about the options in front of a student today.  It is no simple task for a Parent to know the various areas of study and so the pressure builds on as they begin to look for various disciplines of study applicable to their child.

Zeroing on an area of study can be done only on a broader perspective since there are many grey areas that determine the chances of the child in procuring a seat in that area of study.  Marks, entrance exams and counseling sessions also have a role to play in this process.  Parents into this process scout for information from every possible source and word of mouth to ascertain if the choices they have selected for the child will deliver their expectations.  Parents’ responsibilities do not end at this. Parents have to think through the entire studies of the child and also assess the chances of entering top firms through campus interviews or the capability to pursue further studies. So it is nothing surprising if you come across a parent of a Plus 2 student highly stressed and concerned projecting an over worked individual taking things too far.

Let us see the concern areas for a parent –  Shortlist the area of study,  identify the courses,  list out the institutions, check the performance and also critical information such as accreditation, fees and above all the rating given to the institution by past students.  We all know there is hidden agenda behind the fees structure but the other aspects give an idea about what to expect from the institution at large.

In Under graduation, it is always better to choose a good institution over the course. In other words, where the student studies matters over the choice of study.  For example, if you want to know the best engineering colleges in Chennai, all we have to do is get on the internet highway and  throw in our question and we get the results. Yes, we agree that search results may not be specific to our requirement and address our concerns.  We can also check out websites such as CollegeDunia who do a wonderful job of collating information and presenting it to us in a comprehensive manner.  The site also has information on entrance exams and other relevant information as well.  Do check it out.

Parents, a small suggestion – Be sure to give a skill test to the children to assess capabilities and interest and allow them freedom to choose the area of study.  It is their life and we parents are facilitators to help them lead a life they love, so please avoid thrusting your choice of study on them.