India is the second largest student market in the world for overseas education. Therefore, every year foreign universities conduct events at various cities in India to promote their schools and programs. These events are excellent opportunities for prospective students to explore and discuss career and admission chances with representatives from a variety of universities and colleges. They also provide a chance to develop valuable contacts with key individuals.
We at Leverage always encourage students to attend the fairs and interact with schools as much as possible. Most of the students are confused about “what questions should I ask the school?”
To get the most out such events, however, you should first solidify your motivation and plans for applying to schools, and second, prepare to ask relevant and targeted questions. We advise students, before going to the events, prepare to answer questions, not just to ask them. You need to identify your goals for obtaining higher education. Doing so means simply doing a realistic assessment of where you are now and where you would like to be after graduation.
Make a general plan about when you want to enter school for higher studies and which countries interest you most. So be prepared to quickly answer questions about your career to date. A representative may be genuinely interested in your background and want to see whether you are a good fit for his or her school, but he/she won’t have time to hear a ten minute, detailed explanation of your career or wait while you formulate a question in your mind. So, plan how to communicate your most relevant experience and concerns in one or two sentences.
Suggested Questions to Ask:
- Would you tell me about your school and the types of skills and experience you are seeking?
- How does this school differ from other schools?
- In which specialisations are new college grads most likely to be hired?
- What advice would you give to someone who wants to get admission into this school?
- With what professional associations do you suggest I become involved?
- What publications or periodicals should I be reading in order to acquaint myself with what is happening industry-wide?
Ultimately, obtaining higher studies in abroad is an investment, the post-graduation goal is employment and dissecting the numbers is a big part of deciding to apply. Many schools and media publish statistics on their students’ post-graduation employment. International students should ask if the school has separate statistics for international students.
Admissions representatives can also be asked about admission statistics like the ratio of acceptances to applications, for example, whether is this ratio same for international students. Knowing what percentage of a school’s admittances consists of international applicants, and more specifically, what percentage is from India, can help you assess your chances for admission. Also, high GMAT/GRE/SAT/IELTS scores are usually stated in ranking statistics, but the admission representative can tell you what scores are realistic for international admits. Such admission statistics might not be easily available elsewhere.
Asking intelligent questions makes an impression and an impression made at school event can lead to a smooth application procedure later. Ask for a business card and follow up with additional questions you might have. In the end, after submitting a strong application, the impression you made at the event may prove to be a significant factor in your admission.
Happy Admissions!!!
Bidyut Dutta,
SVP & Head-Admissions,
India is the second largest student market in the world for overseas education. Therefore, every year foreign universities conduct events at various cities in India to promote their schools and programs. These events are excellent opportunities for prospective students to explore and discuss career and admission chances with representatives from a variety of universities and colleges. They also provide a chance to develop valuable contacts with key individuals.
We at Leverage always encourage students to attend the fairs and interact with schools as much as possible. Most of the students are confused about “what questions should I ask the school?”
To get the most out such events, however, you should first solidify your motivation and plans for applying to schools, and second, prepare to ask relevant and targeted questions. We advise students, before going to the events, prepare to answer questions, not just to ask them. You need to identify your goals for obtaining higher education. Doing so means simply doing a realistic assessment of where you are now and where you would like to be after graduation.
Make a general plan about when you want to enter school for higher studies and which countries interest you most. So be prepared to quickly answer questions about your career to date. A representative may be genuinely interested in your background and want to see whether you are a good fit for his or her school, but he/she won’t have time to hear a ten minute, detailed explanation of your career or wait while you formulate a question in your mind. So, plan how to communicate your most relevant experience and concerns in one or two sentences.
Suggested Questions to Ask:
- Would you tell me about your school and the types of skills and experience you are seeking?
- How does this school differ from other schools?
- In which specialisations are new college grads most likely to be hired?
- What advice would you give to someone who wants to get admission into this school?
- With what professional associations do you suggest I become involved?
- What publications or periodicals should I be reading in order to acquaint myself with what is happening industry-wide?
Ultimately, obtaining higher studies in abroad is an investment, the post-graduation goal is employment and dissecting the numbers is a big part of deciding to apply. Many schools and media publish statistics on their students’ post-graduation employment. International students should ask if the school has separate statistics for international students.
Admissions representatives can also be asked about admission statistics like the ratio of acceptances to applications, for example, whether is this ratio same for international students. Knowing what percentage of a school’s admittances consists of international applicants, and more specifically, what percentage is from India, can help you assess your chances for admission. Also, high GMAT/GRE/SAT/IELTS scores are usually stated in ranking statistics, but the admission representative can tell you what scores are realistic for international admits. Such admission statistics might not be easily available elsewhere.
Asking intelligent questions makes an impression and an impression made at school event can lead to a smooth application procedure later. Ask for a business card and follow up with additional questions you might have. In the end, after submitting a strong application, the impression you made at the event may prove to be a significant factor in your admission.
Happy Admissions!!!
Bidyut Dutta,
SVP & Head-Admissions,