Completing class 12 is one of the initial and most crucial milestones in life. The choice of what must be the next step forward does cause anxiety to both students and their parents. The decision to choose the most appropriate course should be zeroed in after evaluating not just ambitions and interests but also aptitude and willingness to commit to the demands and requirements of the course.

Most people think the biggest influencer to choose a course is the score or rank obtained and the difficulty is when the grades are low and students’ compromise to choose any college that offers their preferred course or take up any course offered by the college they want to be in.   

Here are five criteria that must be evaluated before choosing a course for yourself:  

Subjects of interest – in class 12 you have a clear idea of what subjects interest you, if you have an aptitude for the same and you are willing to pursue a career in that subject.

Course availability – on concluding which subjects to study, do a search on courses that offer the subjects of your choices, some courses have a combinations of subjects, ask  

Look for the course worthiness – check career opportunities the course offers, if they are stable as per the market trends and predictions, the monetary packages they are likely to offer, the possibility of switching on your own venture, if the course requires you to study further etc.

Finding the right college – to select the college check for the institute rank, accreditations received, reputation, eligibility criteria and cut off.  

Expenditure – criteria like fee structure and location of the college, expenditure on travel and hostel accommodation are also determining factors. You will have to consult your parents if they willing to take up the expenses or if you can take up an education loan for yourself.