Students see virtue in virtual information

Students prefer online communities for guidance on career issues as they are easily accessible

Devanshi Joshi. Ahmedabad/DNA

Students are increasingly turning to online communities for reliable information about different institutes and courses, and even for dependable advice on various careers. Ruchika Sarda, 21, a resident of Thaltej wanted to study design at National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad. He was plagued by doubts about her choice of career and also by many questions such as how to enroll at the institute, how to make a portfolio, and how to prepare for the studio test. All her doubts were cleared online and questions answered when she began interacting with a virtual community of NID students. She followed community members' advice in her preparations for the NID and had no trouble getting admission to the prestigious institute. "I came to know some senior NID students through the community who gave me valuable advice on many aspects of the course and also told me how to prepare for admission to the institute," Ruchika said. "Their counselling made me well informed and gave me the confidence I desperately needed." Given the large number of career options available before students today, particularly Class XII graduates, it is important that they get correct information and correct advice on various courses and institutes. Online communities prove extremely useful because information and advice offered by a community member almost always gets cross-checked by views of other members. Incorrect or inadequate information gets corrected or updated. Sunny Waghela, a resident of Paldi who has just graduated in engineering from Nirma University (NU), is seeking out and collecting information on the US universities which offer advanced programmes in his subject of specialisation. "It is important to have correct information about courses and universities in the US because a mistake may prove costly later. Many NU graduates are currently studying at different US universities. Some are studying at universities where I, too, want to go for higher studies," said Waghela. "I don't know these students personally but I have received valuable information from them, too, as they are members of different online campus communities of various US universities. Using these virtual communities and student forums, I have reliable information on the fee structure, accommodation, admission procedure and other details about various universities." Students turn to online communities because they are not satisfied with the information provided by official websites. This information, they say, is 'one-sided'. Online counselling, on the other hand, provides 'two-way communication'. Since advice and information available on online communities come from diverse sources, students say the communities are more dependable as career counsellors. Prof DV Dewani, an educational counsellor, said, "Students prefer the views of alumni and students of the institutes they want to join. Online communities can offer reliable information as they enable prospective students to establish direct contact with campus communities."