Signs of Dubious Colleges

Some tell-tale signs of dubious institutes. These signs may not be as stark as black and white but you will sure smell something fishy. Listen to your instincts then.

• If an advertisement (of a college or a programme) is too colourful, too big, too catchy or too promising, it should ring an alarm bell. Well, don’t just jump into getting admitted. Firstly, good colleges rarely advertise (They inform) And their information is not colorfully played-up. Secondly, good colleges rather pay handsome salaries to rope in reputed professors whose services come at a premium, rather than use their finances to splurge on adverts.

• If you visit an institution and treatment meted out to you is no less than a 7-star guest’s treatment, your alarm beeper should be on. If you find the infrastructure as swanky as of a luxury hotel, don’t fall for it just yet. Peep in the library, check out the quantity of books, the title of books, the number of students present there- seriously referring to books. Take a walk in the cafeteria or branded coffee shop in the premises- as the case may be- then assess between these two ‘hang-out zones’. What does your sense say? Also as parents, don’t forget to closely observe students' body language. There is a lot of take away from this observation.

• If you ask for faculty details- their academic background and years of experience in teaching, and college refuses to handover the details,  point blank. Chew- Why? Ideally, all their information should be on the college’s website or in the brochure or should be available on request. I mean, what’s there to hide? After all, teachers are responsible for shaping up young minds and so they better be of good quality. Or at least be of the quality that matches the fee you coughed up on the assumption. 

• Smell a rat if  selection criteria is very liberal in a college. If a student's intelligence is not teased, tested, academically ripped apart or stimulated to the hilt through a rigorous entry process, then it’s too small a challenge for your kid, and certainly not as good enough.  Good institutes have strict code of selection.

• If you see a college is flaunting its foreign collaboration. It calls for identifying the credibility of the partnership. Students can mail the foreign partner their queries directly or call them. If deem necessary, check up with Education Council or write to High Commission. Be informed that such external associations of your college could be with a sub-standard institution, illegal colleges or even with defunct institutes! You don't want to stain your resume!

• If the institute is not AICTE or UGC recognized, find out if it is industry recognized. For instance, Sun Microsystem’s (computer software and services giant) certification program in Java technology is industry recognized. Also check if the certification is ‘transportable’(i,e. the knowledge gained and certificate obtained is recognized by other companies within the industry). This transportable can atleast assure you of a good job in a good firm. 

• Be informed that .edu extensions are not hallmarks of 'pure' quality. A college may have .edu extension website but it may be involved in unfair practices.

• Lastly, enroll in a course where your skill matches your interest or experience - keeping the wish factor aside- that is. I mean lot many would want to be Miss India. Please take a reality check. Your skills may be far valuable than struggling for a short shelf life and fading away into oblivion soon after 15 minutes of fame! Work towards a direction where fame chases you and refuses to leave you!