Career Planning
As the choices of careers increase, the career planning becomes more and more important at the same time more and more complex. In such a situation, information is the key. If you have all the information, or know where to collect it from, your job is half done. The other half is to be in a position to analyze the information and make a decision. FACT has been helping the students in collection as well as analysis of the information. This book is yet another initiative of FACT to reach out to the students and parents to help them in their decision-making.
At every milestone in the academic career of a student, he has to take a career decision. The choice of career you make at this stage determines your entire life ahead. Now, this choice of career is determined only when all the following factors exist simultaneously:
- You are clear of what you want to do. (Field of Study)
- You have all the information about the availability and acceptability criterions for this field in India and abroad.
- Your academic performance is acceptable for admission into the field
- Your family can afford to finance the education in the field
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Now, let us look at each of these factors in greater detail to arrive at a proper decision:
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Most of the students are clear on their major field of study. However, it is always a good idea to identify top three fields of your interest instead of just one. If you have a difficulty in making a choice, FACT conducts aptitude tests to scientifically identify the fields that you are best suitable for.
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Once you are clear of the field of study, start collecting information about where is it available, what is the condition of acceptability and what is the cost of education. This book will give you answers of these questions for opportunities in America. You can collect information for opportunities in India through various sources.
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You can then take the relevant entrance tests for these courses conducted for different courses in India (GATE, CAT, CET etc.). or USA (GRE, GMAT, SAT & TOEFL).
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If your performance is acceptable in the entrance tests, you have to make arrangements for the funding of your career. But since you must have already collected information about the cost of education in stage a) above, you are already aware about the budget and so you start with your chosen career.
These steps may be simple to read, but we all know that there are so many factors, which make these simple looking steps extremely difficult at times. We therefore recommend that you be prepared for alternative plans if the main plan fails at any stage. This book is an effort to give you one such alternative.
The most significant limitation of Indian education system is the uncertainty of admissions to certain select careers like engineering, medical etc. Even the most capable students are not assured of their seat in the desired college in spite of working hard for the entrance tests.
Every year we come across number of students who could not get through the Indian entrance examinations or who are not enjoying their current jobs. They decide to pursue the option of studying in America. In the whole process, they lose valuable time.
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We strongly recommend that the students and their parents should collect all the information about educational opportunities in America. If they find these opportunities suitable, they should take the GRE/ GMAT/ SAT & TOEFL tests one year before their intended term in USA begins. This will ensure that they get a career of their choice in America, immediately after their academic year in India is over.
Also, students who do not make it to the final list of selection of a course or a job in India, should think of pursuing careers in the field of their interest in America rather than studying a subject, or taking a job, which is not of their interest in India.
Finally, the students who have made up their mind to study in America because they are convinced about the advantages that it offers, should complete the preparation in their last academic year of India in order to ensure that they don�t lose time after their results.
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