'What is right for me?'

The PUC and CET exams are over, the results are also out, but the students still cannot sit back and relax. Reason: Most of them are trying to figure out which is the best college to go, so they are double-checking on all the relevant colleges. Whether to opt for a free seat or a paid seat; whether they have the correct documents – these are just some of the problems, there are many other questions that the students have as they wait for the CET counselling to begin.

Saveen Hegde, who has attended counselling sessions earlier, says: “It is very important to do a proper research about the probable colleges which might come to you in your marks range. Also one needs to pay frequent visits to the counselling centre and keep a check on which colleges are left. Because once the student is in front of the counsellor and a college is allotted to him or her, the student should have some information about the college, otherwise they will be dumbstruck and there is no time to sit and decide afterwards.” He also adds: “The procedure is long and goes on for hours together.”

Most students usually keep three back up plans. No one knows what will happen till the last moment, there are chances of your original plan going haywire. Sunil, another aspirant says, “Many of my cousins have attended the counselling before, so I am aware of the problems. One common problem arises when a student is seated in front of the counsellor, usually he or she tends to panic and ends up being confused. There is so much pressure that time from the counsellors as well as the parents that one may end up choosing the wrong college. There will be many people out there with different views, one should not fall prey to them.”

As for the NRIs and foreign students, they should be alert and careful about the procedures and must be ready with all the necessary documents. Yanini, an engineering student says: “I didn’t face too many problems, all I had to do was come and submit my class 10th and 12th marks cards and I had to get my other documents verified. But one important thing which has to be kept in mind is that just because we are NRI students, it does not mean we can be late and laidback. One has to come before the CET counselling starts and get things done in the right manner in order to avoid last minute tensions. If you arrive late, chances of losing the seat are high.”

Fact file

* CET Counselling starts on June 2 and will continue till July end.
* Counselling for  medical seats will start from June 10.
* Counselling for engineering seats will be from June 18.
Venue: CET Cell, opposite Aranya Bhavan, Sampige Road, 18th Cross, Malleswaram.