Postgraduate education is the path that many students take. For some students, what seems natural may be completely wrong for other students. Gone are the days when every class had specific guidelines on where students should go to school. This seems unstoppable. If the students continue their studies after school, they have a lot of questions. What is the right option for them? Is there a difference between college and university? How do I know if I need a college or bachelor's degree? What is technical training? Let us find out in detail..

What is an Undergraduate degree

Often times, if you want to continue your education after high school, you will need to earn a degree or certification to pursue many careers. According to a survey, 86% of parents say that children need more than a college degree to achieve their professional dream. Education and / or training after high school "is more important than ever". under graduate degrees  are common for students in two- and four-year college programs.

Bachelor’s Degree

A bachelor's degree is a three-year or four-year degree, which means it usually takes three years to complete (four years for honors courses), although this is not always the case. Generally, in many areas, a bachelor’s degree is considered the minimum level of education for work. A bachelor's degree requires a variety of general and liberal arts subjects/courses. Each student must complete a particular set of subjects or courses required for higher education. These courses can include English, psychology, history, mathematics and elective courses. A bachelor's degree is not only designed to provide graduates with the skills and knowledge required for professional careers, On-site, extensive training is also provided. 

There are other certification options for students beyond an undergraduate degree pursuing education after high school. The most common bachelor’s degrees are:

1. Bachelor of Arts (BA degree)
2. Bachelor of Science (BS degree)
3. Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA degree)

 Four-year colleges and universities

Difference between a College and a University

A college is a higher education institution that usually only provides basic higher education and not postgraduate courses. This is not always the case, but it is a distinctive feature of colleges. Colleges are usually smaller than universities and the class sizes are also smaller. Depending on the number of students, small classes may be a good reason to choose colleges over universities because they provide more personal learning opportunities. Each college varies by type and region. Hence, more research is needed to find the most suitable one for you.

Universities are higher education institutions that offer bachelor's and master's degree programs. They often also have medical schools or law schools. Universities are usually larger than colleges, and due to more number of students, the courses offered are more diverse. Universities usually divide their various courses into schools, such as engineering colleges or education colleges, through which certain courses can be completed. Universities often spend a lot of time and resources on research. University professors often conduct research in teaching. Usually there will be a TA (teaching assistant) who is also a doctoral student. He will teach small seminars, and the teacher will give several important lectures during the week. Universities will work in the same way. You need to conduct additional research in order to choose the most suitable university for you. Students find a great learning environment along with a value of education in the universities.

Public and private College or Universities 

What primarily determines a public or private school (college or university) is how it is funded. In addition to paying tuition fees, public colleges and universities are largely funded by the state or central government. The total investment value of the institution can also comes from the donations from alumni and other private donors. Because of this funding structure, private universities tend to be more expensive than public universities, although this is not always the case. Due to private contributions and donations from private universities, there can often be very good financial aid packages. Four-year educational institutions vary greatly from one institute to another. So, take time to compare and contrast different institutions based on location, environment, teachers, class size, educational opportunities and best courses offered by them. There are many important things in deciding which four-year school you should attend.

Professional certification or Diploma certificate course.

Professional colleges/ Community colleges issue professional certificates in many fields. These programs can quickly help students develop their careers at a lower cost. Some of these plans are implemented in conjunction with local companies. Others are tailored specifically to the industry in the region. Some of the most popular diploma or certificate programs are in the fields of healthcare, manufacturing, business, and technology. Look for programs that meet the specific needs of business demands in the area, how past students have passed state certification tests, and whether these programs include students as interns for on-site training. Earn a degree to teach specific skills required for a specific job. Some community colleges provide this type of certification, while others do not. When students are looking for education that is more suitable for work in a short time span and at low cost, such programs are a good choice.

How can you join Defence services after high school? 

If students are interested in joining the army (any line of defense), there are many opportunities to continue their studies after high school. First, it is important to learn more about each military department and discuss where their skills and interests overlap. There are mainly three branches - Air force, army and navy. The military can provide valuable education and training for young people. Students can work towards a college degree while serving in the military, and the military will provide tuition assistance for those who go on to pursue college or certification.

For example NDA , that is National Defence Academy in India after 12th grade.

After knowing the options, how are you going to Sort through different options?

Although there are numerous alternatives to continue your studies after graduating from high school, after completing your research, you will have a better understanding of which option is best for you. This process can be challenging, but many people are willing to help you in this process. The school counselor can be very helpful and can provide you with a lot of information. It may be tempting to succumb to social pressure and get the most prestigious degree, but in the end is better than pursuing a career through education that makes you happy and fulfilling. Because that is what makes the education worthwhile. For students, the 12th grade is the threshold to enter the world of higher education. There are hundreds of degrees, diplomas and certificates to choose from. 

When passing out of Class 12, the students usually have a number of questions in mind, such as:

• Should I choose a specialised field right now or later?
• Should I choose a popular course or an emerging field of study?
• What exam(s) should I take to enrol in a certain course?

 “How to Choose the Right Higher Education Option?”

Choosing the right course after the 12th grade can cause confusion and difficulty. Students from large urban areas with more professional groups use many different resources when choosing graduation courses, while students from small cities rely more on the information they receive from their friends. And they tend to choose popular options that may not always be the best for them. Therefore, it is important to analyze each option carefully in order to make the right decision. 

Here are some important points that will help you choose the right course after 12th grade:

Identify your interests- Think approximately what's your interest and passion and whether or not you may see yourself pursuing it as a career. The clearer you are about your interests, the less difficult it will be for you to have choosing a course.

List Your Goals- When choosing the right route, it’s important to consider your goals. The goal should be the actual objective you want to achieve in the learning process. For example, your goal may be to make money, solve social problems or join a specific company/department. ...

Find Your Aptitude- You may be interested in studying history, but you will find yourself better at math. When choosing a course, it is important to consider your skills and capabilities while learning. Try psychological or psychometric tests and discover your best skills.

Understand the Course- Before choosing a course; please understand the course objectives, course plan, career field, salary information, university and other information. Find out if the course meets your needs. In short, you should have a thorough understanding of what to expect from the course. This means understanding the topics covered, what you are learning, and the teaching methods applied to a particular topic. There are many ways to gather important information about the planned final course. The most convenient and obvious way is to talk to elders, siblings or parents. People who are already working in that profession can guide you in the best way. You can also find relevant information Online or consult a professional consultant.

What are your Future Prospects- Another important factor to consider when choosing a university course is your future prospects. If you are learning a new or unusual course, it is especially important to understand your job type and training prospects. This is great, but you also need to consider the future prospects it provides. One of the most important questions you should answer is: What career opportunities will it bring after completing the course? Also find out which ideas can be used for further research in the field.

Research well- For students who do not even imagine that there is an option such as a tea management course; it is obvious that this option cannot be selected. Therefore, it is important to research and understand all the available options before proceeding any further.

Popular College Courses Available across India and the globe?

After the twelfth grade, Indian students usually face only two career choices: engineering or medicine. However, with the emergence of new and innovative course options, and the options available today, this concept is gradually changing. 

1. Engineering is one of the most popular courses after 12 years. As a professional course, it attracts almost all candidates who have completed the PCM (physics, chemistry and math) subject science course. Due to its huge popularity, it is a highly competitive course choice, requiring different entrance exams for the best engineering colleges in India. The most popular is the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), which is a general technical entrance examination, organized by the Central Board of Secondary education (CBSE) for aspiring engineers across the country. Last year alone, about 11 million students passed the JEE main exam, which clearly shows the popularity of engineering courses among students. It provides various engineering courses to science students. Machinery, electricity, computer science, civil biotechnology and biotechnology are some of the preferred engineering fields. Relatively new fields, such as nanotechnology, textiles, petrochemicals, Marine engineering is also becoming more and more popular. After graduation, it provides some interesting career opportunities. Most engineering courses require students to have a solid background in mathematics and science.

2. After engineering, medicine is the second most chosen subject for science students. Medicine is the study of life and everything around it. In short, if you dream of becoming a doctor, then medicine is the stream that you can choose. But in addition to this, you can also take up pharmacy, agricultural sciences and zoology studies also as part of your medical science studies post class 12. The Bachelor of Pharmacy Science is a very popular course for medical students. it teaches you how to make medicines, how  medicines work, drug or medicine  immunity, and the different effects of different compounds on patients. For the 12th grade PCB or physics, chemistry and biology courses, you can choose medical-related courses, including MBBS. In addition to basic career opportunities, medical research in various fields such as genetics and microbiology has high employment opportunities for medical students. Biotechnology is a relatively new course in this field, but it is rapidly gaining popularity and provides huge career opportunities for students after graduation. In addition, today's students often choose courses such as physical therapy, nutrition and dietetics.

3. For students who followed commerce and business studies in grades 11 and 12, Chartered Accounting is one of the most popular course options after 12. The course helps them learn and also covers the pros and cons of corporate financial matters in accordance with government law and subjects on taxes and financial transactions through auditing together with practical training in the preparation of audit reports, etc. In addition to Chartered Accounting, Bachelor's degrees in Business Management (BBA), B.Com, B.Com (H), Economics (H), CS, Law, Bachelor of Travel and Tourism, etc. can also be chosen. These courses can help you build great careers as an investment banker, brand manager, human resource manager and other notable positions. Those who completed Business without Math in Grade 12 may not be eligible for a course available to business students after 12 years.

4. Humanities or art teaching provides students with a variety of courses for you to choose from. Contrary to previous trends, in recent years, more and more students have chosen art courses after 12 years. There are many art courses for art students to choose from: Mass communication, news, advertising, interior design, graphic design, psychology, sociology, history, costume design, photography, drama, etc.. You can also take linguistics courses. Religious studies, art Recovery, foreign languages, film, art history and other related fields.

Why it is an important decision for a student?

For 12th grade students, choosing the right course and university is a very important decision, because the right choice will lead to career success. On the other hand, choosing the wrong choice means wasting precious time researching specialized subjects or fields that you did not do. In addition, in most cases, the decision you will make after grade 12 is the decision you need to make for the rest of your life. After joining, there is almost no opportunity to change career or the graduation course. Even if you do this, will waste the most important and fruitful years of your life.

Undergraduate Courses after grade 12th

Given below is the list of courses in the previously mentioned main streams that can help students make an informed and great choice aligning with their interest and career aspirations after passing secondary class.

The list of courses is attached as a separated document with this chapter.  The major categories are- 

• Undergraduate Courses for Arts Students
• Undergraduate Courses for Science students 
• Undergraduate course for commerce students
• Technical Courses, that is B.tech
• Apart from courses under Science, Commerce and Arts, there is also a choice  of professional certificate courses to pursue after Grade 12th

One of the main concerns of students after 12 grade is passing the entrance exam to take admission in a good college or university. Almost all courses, whether it is art, engineering, medicine, business or other majors, have their own entrance exams, and you can enter famous universities in their respective fields. Students will prepare for the entrance exam for the final course of their interest. According to students' performance in these exams, they can apply for various Courses offered by universities across the country. Due to the increase in the number of applicants and the fierce competition for admission, many well-known universities have introduced entrance exams to select and select the most suitable candidates for their courses and universities. There are also a variety of entrance exams, which can help students pass an entrance exam to enter multiple universities. 

The list of various entrance exams is attached as a separated document with this chapter. 

For More details on the following points, subscribe to “College and career Readiness Course”

• How to start your college search
• What to look for in your colleges
• How to make your college list
• What is a Career path and How to Choose one? 
• Transitioning from High/Secondary school to College 
• Skills Required for Successful Transition