Nehemiah Rong
Seeking for admission in school or college becomes a big headache for both the children and parents especially after matriculation and intermediate examination. Tugging a war for choice of college, many children and parents usually caught up in misunderstanding and confusion. “I want to study in that college but my parents forced me to study there”, “We want to let her/him stay near us so that we can be best guardian but s/he went there to study” “I am not very good in science subjects but my parents forced me to take up” “We want her/him to pursue studies in commerce but s/he chooses arts or science stream”. These are common complaints one frequently hears.
The conflict of choices for schools and colleges between parents and children which is the ultimate deciding factor of defining life’s career is very common and needs a balanced view to tackle. An attempt is made here so that somehow students or parents may think together to come in common meeting ground with mutual understanding and agreement to better decide the choice of school/college and define life’s career.
As in our society the divide between the haves and have not is widening day-by-day, haves group children spend money luxuriously and stay anywhere they like. When the children of have not want to be like their counterpart, many parents make big mistake sending their children to far off place in metropolitan cities spending lots of money without much fruit from the children, at the end. In this case both become the losers at the end. Parents love their children; children take it for granted and squandered life when s/he has to hammer home with good end result.
Instead of sending children off to far away places for further studies they can keep their children nearby schools and colleges so that parents can visit, access, control, and better evaluate their wards from time to time. The expenses also can minimize and thus save for further studies also. When a have not parents sent their wards to places like Delhi, Bangalore etc. there is not chance of the former to visit the later and check out what their wards are doing exactly over there.
The sad malady today is that many parents living in villages never know which college their children are studying. The more sorry side of the story is that many children squandered away their lives when they once landed up in the metro cities. Most youth reach to the point of no return, where they spoilt themselves in drug abuse, living promiscuous lives for want of pleasure and for material needs. Ironically, many live with an illusive dream of sitting for IAS (UPSC) exam without even been admitted to a college.
When opinion is sought about Delhi, a student who is pursuing studies in Delhi says, It is never a good place anymore because most people are bad. Many students sidetracked from their aim when they landed up here seeing people living luxurious life with easily available part time job such as Call Centre Job in MNCs, in Showrooms etc. “Delhi has got the right environment and facilities for any sincere students who have determination and the will to succeed in their live career” says a student who is preparing for the civil service exams. It depends on a person whether one is determined or no, the place and environment cannot shape one’s career” a journalist friend remarked.
A senior citizen opined that when youth from the villages/small towns landed up in the metro cities seeing the very liberal living lifestyle they are confronted with a sort of cultural shock and many could not recovered from that and end up spoiling their lives at the end. He continued saying that these days’ moral values are not longer revered and thus many students studying out of their hometowns or villages ended living very low moral lives. A young computer student in Delhi reveals that it’s so hard to uphold one’s belief of uprightness when people around you just enjoy away their lives like anything. Until you are committed you are very liable to fall easily.
A student leader remarked that it is the hardest job for seeking the admission for a student. Quality education at a reasonable and affordable price, education with social and moral values, education with dignity and discipline, education with humanity are needed in our society today. Parents need to know well where they are sending their children. Parents need to listen to passion and interest of their children. Parents need to keep their children where they can access and monitor their children or even if sending far off place proper guardian must be kept. Don’t longer trust senior friends or friends’ guardianship until s/he is a person of integrity and character. As peers they can influence your children wrongly. Inculcate the children the value of hard earn money. Many children lives an illusive live with a mindset of ‘my parents give whatever I demand so who cares.’ Persons with such mindset often they landed up becoming a drug victims or failure in career.
The sadder thing of our young people when once they landed up in the metro cities is that they are carried away by the material wealth of the mainlanders and become the victims or easy prey of the latter when it comes to cheap and temporal relationship. Also the economic problem is one of the big issues, which confront with the students from the poorer economical background. With the hope to study outside and when they couldn’t live with the money which parents send from home, that makes many to look for alternative part time jobs and oftentimes landed up in the wrong side of the fence. Having said that it doesn’t mean the wealthier children are holier or all the poorer students are bad.
Mentioned also may be made here that due to the expensive room rental in the metro cities, many people live together. As a result of which even many once sincere students are also spoilt when they join bandwagon of ‘partying and winning’ culture. However, the brighter side of the stories of people succeeding their career how hard their lives are also not absence. Stories of persons having hard lives during the college days could become top officer someday.
Also students must try to focus and make careful self-assessment by seeking experts’ opinions. The experts give top 10 reasons not to choose a college; 1.Your boyfriend/girlfriend is going there. 2.Your best friend is going there, 3.It’s a party school, 4.The student body is attractive, 5.Your mom and dad are alumni, 6.It has good football team, 7.Your guidance counselor told you to pick it, 8.The School is prestigious, 9. The tuition is low and 10. It looks good in the guidebook. Then how to go about it, how to choose one? Here is what the experts say, ‘When it comes to choosing a college, students can give many good and bad reasons why they picked a certain school. Instead of choosing a college for the reasons listed here, take the time to research schools and find out what they have to offer. You want a school that will get you well prepared for the future, as well as one where you feel comfortable.
When come to choosing subject combinations or a major subjects Dr. Randall S. Hansen in his article “Choosing a College Major: How to Chart Your Ideal Path” gives six pointers and direction which he called ‘Stop on Your Journey’. The first one he called it Examination or self assessment of your interest, second as examination of your abilities (strength and weaknesses), third as examining what you value in work (values including helping society, working under pressure, group affiliation, stability, security, status, pacing etc.), fourth as career exploration, fifth as reality check (to honestly evaluate one’s options) and lastly the sixth one he called as task of narrowing your choices and focusing on choosing a major.
Choosing college can be as much as important as choosing career. For there much of one’s academic knowledge and personality will be shaped. Here may I concluded with these sets of questions for you to ponder. How serious you give a thought in choosing your college? How aware enough you are when you choose your major or subject combinations? How serious are you when come to choosing your children’s college, major, and career?
