Lesser-known (and more important) factors to be considered when applying to university:
1. Understand abbreviations
Know the difference between the BA (Bachelor of Arts) and the BSc (Bachelor of Science) or the MPhil (Master of Philosophy) and the MA (Master of Arts), even if both precede the same subject. Arts or Philosophy titles tend to be more theoretical, whereas a Science title usually includes more practical application of the subject. It’s also important to note that abbreviations may differ across countries.
Some common British degree abbreviations:
BEd or EdB: Bachelor of Education
MSc: Master of Science
LLM: Master of Laws
MB or BM: Bachelor of Medicine
LLD: Doctor of Laws
It may sound simple but it’s the difference between a course heavily focused on research that leaves a graduate with no practical experience (or qualification to work), and a program that gives students work experience, co-op programs, and other opportunities to enter their career path straight after graduation.
2. Consider the aftermath
It’s well and good to be part of a great program, but also pretty useless if you can’t do anything with it once you’ve graduated.
Check out the statistics on percentage of previous graduates who gained employment upon completion of the course;
Talk to professionals in the industry about whether the course is catered to train a student in working within the field;
Or simply look at course modules in detail to understand what exactly it is your child will be studying.
Oftentimes, ‘fluff’ programs are disguised with fancy names and abbreviations, but don’t actually provide much educational or career value. Just because it’s a Bachelor in Psychology, doesn’t mean your child can become a psychologist with it (in most cases it means they’ll have to continue to go through higher levels of education before ever being able to practice).
3. Unhappy equals unsuccessful
You might force your child to attend a school and study a program of your choice (although you probably shouldn’t), but you cannot force them to be happy with it. Other factors will influence how well they do in university, and those factors are crucial to consider:
Environment
Is it a campus college, or disparate buildings within a city? What suits their personality? Are there things to do in the local area they’ll enjoy?
Activities
Are there sports clubs or dance groups or art appreciation societies they can join to fulfill interests other than academics? This can help them adjust to a new environment and feel more secure and confident.
Family
As South Asians, we tend to lean towards schools in towns where we know a distant uncle, family friend, or uncle’s family friend’s uncle. Before you jump the gun, ask yourself whether you’re sending your child to university for independence, or to transfer their dependence from you onto someone else.
It’s probably better they learn how to:
cook their own food;
do their own laundry;
and open their own bank accounts.
Providing a comfortable safety net is not always the smartest option for their overall development. Worth a thought.
4. Rankings
There’s a reason this is placed last. Not because rankings aren’t important (they are), but because parents tend to place too much importance on them in a way that hampers all other factors.
Overall university rankings are good, but it might be a better idea to look at rankings of the specific program your child wants to study. The difference between program rankings and university rankings are significant.
Click here to find university rankings by region and subject.
