Short Summary
THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A COACHING CLASS
BY: ANKITA SHARMA, VIDHYARTHI DARPAN
Introduction
Coaching institutes prepare children for board exams (10th and 12th), entrance exams, and various national-level competitive exams to get into the best colleges. Out of thousands of coaching institutes, it gets tedious to select the best one that suits your needs as well as pocket.
Here are eight things you should consider while looking for a coaching center in your area.
Why do you need a Coaching Institute?
Coaching institutes are the pillar of excellence for aspiring medical or engineer or any career. The need for coaching institutes has increased over the years because of the increased competitiveness among various professions. Below are some of the reasons to go for coaching classes:
i) It provides a learning environment.
ii) It encourages self-paced quality learning.
iii) It has a more individualistic approach than following the herd.
iv) It allows students to explore different career prospects.
v) Here, students learn mind-bending tips and tricks for easier understanding.
vi) Students study beyond textual concepts.
What are the things to keep in mind while choosing a coaching institute?
Below are some of the factors that parents should take into account while looking for a potential coaching institute for their ward:
1) The Reputation of the Institution
Do they hold a respectable reputation in the educational sector? Can you entirely rely upon the education administered by the institution? By carefully analyzing the previous records of achievements and competitive exam clearance ratio, you can estimate the institution’s future outlook. Inquire with presently enrolled students about the type of study, timings, mode of communication, doubt sessions, quality of study materials provided, etc. Do not rely on brochures and word-of-mouth praises. Do your research by going through the internet and educational booklets/magazines.
2) M-factor
Is it worth your money? Joining a Coaching institute for a competitive exam can cost a fortune for some parents. When exploring your options to enroll your ward, go for the most cost-effective institute that breeds excellent records. The fee structure of the coaching establishments differs by quite a margin. Prestigious institutes also conduct entrance exams to grant meritorious students a fee waiver by some percentage. For instance, Aakash Institute conducts a national level ANTHE (Aakash National Talent Hunt Examination) for students studying in 8th-12th. Qualified students can get enrolled in their chosen program with a discount of up to 100%. Make your choice wisely as you will be investing in the future of your ward.
3) What kind of Educators are hired by the coaching institute?
The faculty plays a vital role in molding the student’s mindset towards success. Before approaching the admission department of the institute, have a candid conversation with a few faculty members. To obtain more about the teacher’s way of teaching and temperament, try to connect with existing or ex-students of the institute for genuine feedback. Being mindful of the qualification of the educators is also necessary. A trustworthy teacher with an excellent history of pushing his students into merit is often preferred. A polite, friendly, outgoing teacher keeps the study environment cheerful. After all, it is the instructors with whom students spend the most time.
4) Is the institute near or far from your home/hostel?
Commute convenience is one of the factors students should keep in mind while choosing a coaching institute. The distance of the institute from your home is a deciding factor as time is an asset for the student’s preparation. Moreover, the efforts and energy one puts into commute matters. Make sure you have a comfortable mode of travel – walk on foot or buy a bicycle. If the nearest affordable coaching center is also quite far (>10km), opt for hostel facilities to lessen travel time. The hostel will ensure a constant learning and competitive environment. It will keep you motivated.
5) Does the curriculum allow time for self-study?
If a student spends more than half the time in the coaching center, he/she would not be able to arrange for self-study. Even though coaching institutes keep Sunday as a holiday, school (or other work) takes up majority of the time. The timetable should be such that students get enough time to reflect and analyze the concepts and numerical taught in the center. Talk out with the administration for a suitable and flexible schedule.
6) What are the Batch timing and Batch strength?
Along with a compulsory study schedule, students need to focus on the school’s extracurricular activities and the fulfillment of personal goals. Joining the coaching institute shall not hamper the general routine. Work out or ask for suggestions from the administration department to manage both.
As for Batch strength, smaller groups of 30-40 students in a class is satisfactory. It makes sure that the teacher addresses each student’s questions. Besides that, with fewer people around, your child will not feel shy to contact the teacher when in doubt.
7) Do they conduct regular doubt sessions?
The purpose of a coaching center is to furnish and prepare students for a career of their choice. Apart from the school syllabus, a coaching institute provides additional study material, frequently required in the competitive exams.
Since most of the stuff is new, doubts arise. Capable teachers should be able to dissolve any and every doubt in their respective expertise. Look out for regular doubt classes in the class timetable so that students are content with previous topics before moving on to the next.
8) Are their study materials easy-to-understand?
This factor is essential. The whole point of enrolling in a coaching institute is to learn and grow with updated knowledge from an examination viewpoint. Do they encourage making self-notes or stick to the course material? Does their course material contain the most-asked or related questions and answers? Do the books consist of HOTS (High Order Thinking Skills) that challenges the student’s mind? Do they conduct weekly/monthly tests and mock tests to evaluate student’s grasp of concepts? Before buying into the claims of the educator, check the notes & book provided by the center from previous students.
In Conclusion
Before getting admitted to coaching classes, it is necessary to do background research of the factors mentioned in the above list. It will give you transparency of the education, along with the satisfaction of having your ward in the right hands. A dedicated and self-motivated student make the best out of a given situation, hence flourish in competitive exams.
