In modern world career is everything! And most probably a good start in a career is provided by the institute which you graduate from! May it be High School, College or university! Again, to reach that threshold you need good grades! Additionally, a good ranking in entrance exams (which are kind of tricky and hard)! Now you obviously can prepare for them in your home but coaching institutes are unique in the sense they provide you with some tips and tricks to crack examinations! In accordance with unique sample papers! And all of this methodology is well researched! Moreover, the teachers are PhDs (at least Masters) in their respective fields! But beware of frauds! Not every institute will be like this! What I have mentioned is the protocols of a professional and a genuine institute! So to save your parents hard earned money and guarantee a good start in your future career here are some tips for spotting a good institute for competitive exams like IITJEE, PMT etc.
1. Don’t be Influenced by Reputation alone!- Now, this is going to be a tricky one! yes invariably institutes with toppers (high ranking in entrance exams!), a lot of enrollment is a good sign! But sometimes reputation, shiny and large building with an efficient P.R team blinds our senses! (Trust me horror stories can also come from big names!) So go for at least two to three demo classes! Before joining and decide for yourselves!
2. Network! – ask your friends and acquaintances already officially enrolled in the institute! You can even consult students from that institute! (Often strangers give best of advices!) But in the end, formulate your own opinion (I’m going to give you a life tip on this one! The less you avoid the herd mentality, especially in teenage and this preparation phase! More opportunities you will discover! Which will lead to greater success in life).
3. Teachers/mentors/tutors/staff- ultimately an institute is composed of these entities, especially teachers! In the era of Google, you can get information on the get-go! Professional and genuine institution provide information about themselves on the internet especially teachers so check out their alumni achievements, admission records, qualification of faculty members. And remember a good institute hires teachers with years of experience in accordance with entrance tests and a series of interviews! Moreover, a good tutor is known for interacting with the student body openly and comfortably! And sometimes going out of the way to help students by inculcating and discussing moral values, self-esteem issues and imparting new knowledge and personal experience!
4. Class Size- “more the merrier” doesn’t apply in this scenario! Remember if the strength student body in one class is in that ratio of moderate to low it ensures better concentration, interaction, attention and information flow with the teachers and vice versa!
5. Curriculum- an ideal course curriculum includes a balance of CBSE syllabus with ‘special preparations’ involved in cracking IIT/PMT moreover doubt clearance classes, mock exams(and their quality!), regular assessment, homework assignments, time and quality of classroom study!
