Pranav Gupta is the founder of some of the most prestigious universities in India like Ashoka University, Plaksha University and Jamboree Education
Every college and university has their own vital parameters for admittance of students. There is a usual time-frame of five to six weeks on average between the submission of college applications and receiving the final merit list from the institution. In that average turnaround time, the students have to often appear in the admission tests and interview rounds, depending upon the standard operating procedure set by different universities.
Colleges and universities take into account a number of characteristics and attribute values at the time of selection, even though each application is evaluated on its own merits. Academics, co-curricular activities and personal factors are the three categories that the majority of universities focus on. The education landscape has changed significantly over the past few years, and admission counsels of higher education institutes are aware that teamwork and extracurricular activities take on slightly different forms now than they did in the past.
Pranav Gupta Ashoka University Founder shares how the admission process works in the esteemed university, “At Ashoka, we conduct holistic assessments. Weighed factors include academic performance, extracurricular involvement and leadership aptitude. During the selection process, equal weight is given to both written essays and online aptitude tests. Essays are very important for determining a student’s potential for comprehension and logical reasoning.
When a student receives a certain cutoff score in the aforementioned areas, we undertake a round of interviews. Only after everything balances out in the candidate’s favour, we select them. Our procedure is quite equivalent to that of major institutions of the United States. Academically, grades from prefixed classes as well as the 10th, 11th, and 12th internal assessment results are taken into account. Beyond school, we prioritize learning through extracurricular pursuits including research projects, e-learning, Olympiad tests and more.”
Academic institutions use a practice called holistic assessment when examining applicants. Soft factors may therefore be taken into consideration on a level with the factual information contained in hard factors. This suggests that selection committees of the institutions pay more attention to the applicant as a whole rather than just his or her academic credentials.
“Colleges examine to assess if students have drawn a link between their academic success and participation in pursuits outside of the classroom in order to discover their aspirations. Institutions get indications from students who demonstrate intellectual interest, zeal for their field of study and a healthy work commitment. Academic proficiency is the principal determinant in final admission judgments. They look for candidates that they believe will be successful at their institution. Additionally, they intend to be able to assess students’ personalities to determine how they may improve the institution overall,” highlights Pranav Gupta Ashoka University Founder.
The goal of selection committees in higher institutions is to get to know the potential students and enroll those who they believe will succeed at the institute and have a good influence on the community. Applicants who have not received the highest academic honours but who nonetheless have something valuable to offer the community might benefit from the holistic evaluation method.
Colleges aim to provide well-rounded classes with a range of experts who can offer the community more than just stellar academic achievement. A varied and well-rounded student body might not result from merely accepting candidates with the best grades and test results. Along with strong academic performance and examination results, the admissions counsel typically looks for personal traits and skills that will result in a student body with a variety of skills that align with the school’s objective.
“Students can achieve overall success and well-built future by pursuing and exhibiting their evident passion. High grades alone won’t be sufficient to do this. It entails participating in conferences, joining campus tours, get internships, partake in workshops, and other events to exhibit their ongoing, keen interest in the university.
Assuming a law student aspires to be a skilled lawyer, it is crucial for the person to engage in debates, stay current on news, and take part in educational group discussions. The societal contributions made on your own initiative or through nonprofit organizations also play a major role in the social effect category,” concludes Ashoka University Founder Pranav Gupta.
