Higher education analytics firm QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) recently published a report on what students in South Asia look for when choosing universities abroad. The report surveyed 29,000 students from across South Asia on their preferences when it comes to picking international universities.  Cost and Funding For the majority of students from South Asia cost of living was the number one concern when choosing colleges and universities to apply to. 67% of the respondents said the cost of living was their main concern and this figure goes up to 76% for students from Sri Lanka, 70% for those from India, and 63% for those from Pakistan. Consequently, the availability of scholarships and funding is also a major concern for students when applying abroad. In Pakistan especially this was the number one concern (66%). Future Employability The rate of employability was the next biggest factor for students from South Asia when choosing universities abroad with 58% of students citing it as their main concern. 55% of students said links to industry and information about work placements was the most important factor when choosing a university. In South Asia, this was the most important criterion compared to other regions of the world. Teaching Quality The quality of teaching was one of the top three factors for students from South Asia when it came to choosing an international university. 56% of students said this was their most important concern. Important factors when assessing a university’s teaching quality included up-to-date technology (63%), the university being nationally recognized for its teaching quality (59%), the university’s teaching staff (57%), and the university organizing work placement as part of the course (56%). Environmental Sustainability The next most important factor for South Asian students when choosing a university abroad was their environmental sustainability efforts with 51% of students saying it was a big concern. Interestingly, English Language course students and postgraduate research students were most likely to look at a university’s environmental sustainability efforts (55%). And 74% of students who looked into their university’s sustainability efforts said they were somewhat or extremely satisfied. University Responsiveness Prospective students said they expect a complete and personal response to their queries from universities within three days (66%). However, only 53% said they received a complete response from the university within three days. Email is the most preferred form of communication with 86% of students saying that’s how they want to communicate with their university, followed by WhatsApp at 67%. International universities have to be cognizant of the type of messaging they are sending to international students. It is important that they stress funding and scholarships along with future work opportunities and highlight their teaching credentials when engaging with students from the South Asian region.  Author, Fatima Burki Fatima Burki is a graduate of the University of Sussex in the UK. A former editor at The Daily Times in Lahore and research editor at Imagination Publishing in Chicago, with 20 years of experience in writing and editing, Fatima currently works with students as an editor at Eye on Ivy.

Now that you’ve made it to college, it is time to start thinking ahead to entering the workforce and establishing a career. And you don’t have to wait till your college graduation to get started. According to career counseling services, one of the most effective ways to get a jumpstart on your career is through college internships. Most employers also look for prior internship experience when hiring. College Internships: Usually, students start looking for internships in their junior or senior year but there is no reason not to start as early as the freshman year. There are multiple reasons why starting internships in your freshman year is a good idea for your career development. It can help you rack up relevant experience, build more connections and help you decide on a career path early in college and select a major and courses accordingly. One of the best ways to get good internship recommendations is by building a relationship with the college career counselor. Almost all colleges have one and they are well connected with local companies. Other ways to find out about internships include job sites, college career site, college career fairs, seminars and workshops. Building Connections: College internships not only help you beef up your resume but also help build critical connections with people who can later on help you in your career. Make use of your internship to get to know your co-workers. These are people who have critical experience and insight into your career field. They can help guide you and even help you get a job down the road. Be active and participate in all company events. Most companies arrange post-work events, especially for networking purposes. It is worthwhile to take part in these and get to meet people you may not normally interact with in your daily work but who can help you in your career later on. And let’s not forget about the all-important alumni network. Ask around and find out if there’s an alumnus from your college working at the company you’re interning with. If there is one, connect with them. Most will be willing to look out for you based on your shared interest in the same college. That’s not the only way to connect with an alumnus though. Your college may also have mentorship programs where you can be paired with an alumnus. Look into it and find one you can be paired with based on similar career interests. Personal Growth Internships can help you discover yourself. Through them, you can find out your strengths weaknesses and interests in a particular career path. Starting early will give you ample time to decide on a suitable career and help plan your college accordingly. Internships can also build your interpersonal skills which will help you in the workplace. They are also useful in making lifelong connections.  LADDER INTERNSHIPS 8 weeks, 1 company, the internship of a lifetime. AcademicQuests offers a competitive internship program, Ladder Internships (by Lumiere Education). This program connects talented college as well as high school students with ambitious start-ups from around the world. Ladder Internships was founded by entrepreneurs from Harvard and focuses on nurturing students by providing top-notch training and pairing them with world-class start-ups. The program offers students a unique learning experience with founders from prestigious backgrounds like Harvard Business School, Y-Combinator, McKinsey, Google, and Microsoft. More information about them can be found here. Author, Fatima Burki Fatima Burki is a graduate of the University of Sussex in the UK. A former editor at The Daily Times in Lahore and research editor at Imagination Publishing in Chicago, with 20 years of experience in writing and editing, Fatima currently works with students as an editor at Eye on Ivy.

All your high school has been culminating towards getting into the college of your dreams. You have worked hard to make sure your application stands out. Securing good grades and building a portfolio with carefully curated extra-curricular activities. You got your applications sent well in time and now all that’s left to do is wait for the acceptance letter. Except you end up getting a college rejection letter instead. Isolating as it may seem, the first thing to remember about admissions rejection is that you’re not alone and academic setbacks happen. Many people have received college rejection letters and managed to move on and continue with their alternate plan. An admissions rejection may in fact turn out to be a good thing as perhaps you’ll realize that plan B worked out better for you. Maybe you didn’t get into your target school but got accepted into other schools that may prove to be a better fit. The second thing to remember is that it is not personal. A lot goes into a university’s decision to admit a student and sometimes it can be just a numbers thing. It could be that the university simply received too many applications. Other reasons for possible admissions rejection could include a low GPA or SAT score or perhaps a documentation error. The important thing to remember is not to dwell on the reasons for the college rejection but to move on. Moving on can come in many forms but first, it’s also okay to let yourself wallow. Allow yourself time to grieve, acknowledge your feelings, and then move on. Your next step can entail any one of the following: The College Appeal Process: Another route you can take, which may or may not yield results is appeal the rejection. Each college has a different policy on appeals and you would need to look at the particular college you’re interested in. Most colleges will also give you a timeframe to appeal within. The letter of appeal should ideally include new information that wasn’t in your original application. These could be updated test scores, a higher GPA or a new extra-curricular activity. One way to improve your chances of acceptance is to consult with an educational counseling service like Eye on Ivy. These are professionals dedicated to breaking the code to what colleges require and helping their clients get into their target and even reach schools. Author, Fatima Burki Fatima Burki is a graduate of the University of Sussex in the UK. A former editor at The Daily Times in Lahore and research editor at Imagination Publishing in Chicago, with 20 years of experience in writing and editing, Fatima currently works with students as an editor at Eye on Ivy.