Yesterday, we had a counseling session for students joining us from the IITJEE and KVPY streams. I am compiling some FAQs and some interesting questions asked by students and how I responded to them. I hope that some of you will share how you (would) have answered these questions.
FAQs:
1) Which is the best institute from among my options? Can you suggest what should be my first choice?
Now, the official answer for such questions is that all institutes in your choice-list are equally good. Most students do not buy this answer and persist in asking their counselor to spell out which is the best institute. To the first candidate who asked me this question, I said "Whichever institute you choose will be the best for you."
The student found my answer too vague and out-there and asked me very directly, "which institute has the best facilities"? I replied that all the institutes have equally good scientific facilities [1] and course structures. I cannot make the choice for him, but if he has any specific question to help him make the choice, I will be happy to answer to the best of my knowledge.
2) What are the prospects after finishing my degree here?
My answer was that many of our students have opted to do a Phd in India or abroad, after which they can pursue academic careers. Some of our students have also joined industry and some are pursuing management programmes.
One student (from Bihar) asked if he could go into civil services after finishing our programme.
3) What kind of a "package" can I expect from a job after finishing a degree here?
I found this question very funny. Most probably, the student had been tutored by his/her parents to ask this question [2]. My answer was that if the student works hard and does well in the programme, the student can be assured of a good "package". [I hope I am not misleading these students. Since these institutes are so new, I have no idea about how they would compare with IITs in terms of industry jobs in the next few years.] One student mentioned that he is from a middle class family. He does not want oodles of money, but wants to assure his parents that he would have a reasonably comfortable income as a professor. So, he asked what my salary was and whether I was comfortable in it. I told him my precise salary and also that I "live well"! {Later, I realised that I had stated a number smaller than my actual take-home.}
Pointed Questions:
4) I have also got into the BMath programme at Indian Statistical Institute. Will this programme be better for me than the programme at your institute?
This question led to an interesting discussion. I told the student that if he wants to learn more about all the sciences before deciding what he wants to pursue, then N1's programme would be better for him. However, if he was sure that he wants to do Mathematics, then ISI would be a better choice because he will start taking rigorous courses right from Year 1. On further discussion, he revealed that he was more keen on ISI because of a fear of Physics. I explained that the course curriculum here would expose him to all the sciences so that he will have enough knowledge to make an informed choice which will not be motivated by fear of any subject. [Later, I found out that the BMath programme at ISI also has Physics in it.
I have made a mental note to be better informed about the programmes at other Indian institutes.]
5) Your institute allows one to choose a major. The other N institutes do not do that. Does that mean that I will not be able to specialise?
I explained that although we formally ask our students to choose a major in the third year, the other N institutes also give students equal flexibility and opportunity to choose more courses in subjects that they enjoy doing.
6) What is the life of a professor like? Are you happy?
I was amazed (and impressed) at the forthright and direct questions that these students were asking and decided to answer them equally frankly. I told this student what I like most about this profession, the freedom to study and think about what interests me and teaching eager and motivated students [3]. This student then stumped me by asking about work-life balance (I had never even heard about this concept when I was 17!). I said something about healthy campus living and about flexible timings.
7) [This one's really interesting] Can you tell me in which N-institute Professor Chitta Baral teaches? He has written some really nice things about new science institutes on the internet.
One student asked a colleague, who then asked all the counselors if they knew. I was very happy that I knew the answer to this one :) I told the student that he teaches at Arizona State University.
Thanks, Chitta. I think your online articles (like this one) have really motivated this student.
Two other questions:
8) I want to change my choice of institutes. Can I meet my parents before filling up the choice-form?
The answer was no! Parents were kept away from the counseling venue and students had to submit their form before leaving the counselor's desk. But, is this the best policy? Is it really that bad to consult parents before reaching a decision?
9) I have also got into a BTech program at one of the IITs. Is your institute "worth the compromise"?
A colleague sitting next to me was asked this question. My colleague handled the question very well and asked the student what he wanted to study and what he wanted to do in the future. She also convinced the student that "compromise" was not the best word to use in making this choice. But, if the student had asked me, my immediate answer would have been if he thought of doing a basic science programme as a compromise, then he is better off not doing it. But, on careful introspection, I think that the student's question is simply indicative of social conditioning. At his age, he is probably thinking in the language of a society which values medicine and engineering over and above other professions. A counselor's job is to give the student maximum information about the programme under consideration and not be judgmental about his or her choices.
[1] Fortunately, the student did not ask about non-scientific facilities (I think they find out about these things from their friends on Facebook etc). It would have been difficult to stick to the "all institutes are equally good" stand on this matter :)
[2] Parents were not allowed in the counseling venue. They were seated in another venue, far away, where two of our experienced faculty members were answering their questions. We call it "parenting the parents".
[3] I did not tell her about the boring meetings, though!
FAQs:
1) Which is the best institute from among my options? Can you suggest what should be my first choice?
Now, the official answer for such questions is that all institutes in your choice-list are equally good. Most students do not buy this answer and persist in asking their counselor to spell out which is the best institute. To the first candidate who asked me this question, I said "Whichever institute you choose will be the best for you."
The student found my answer too vague and out-there and asked me very directly, "which institute has the best facilities"? I replied that all the institutes have equally good scientific facilities [1] and course structures. I cannot make the choice for him, but if he has any specific question to help him make the choice, I will be happy to answer to the best of my knowledge.
2) What are the prospects after finishing my degree here?
My answer was that many of our students have opted to do a Phd in India or abroad, after which they can pursue academic careers. Some of our students have also joined industry and some are pursuing management programmes.
One student (from Bihar) asked if he could go into civil services after finishing our programme.
3) What kind of a "package" can I expect from a job after finishing a degree here?
I found this question very funny. Most probably, the student had been tutored by his/her parents to ask this question [2]. My answer was that if the student works hard and does well in the programme, the student can be assured of a good "package". [I hope I am not misleading these students. Since these institutes are so new, I have no idea about how they would compare with IITs in terms of industry jobs in the next few years.] One student mentioned that he is from a middle class family. He does not want oodles of money, but wants to assure his parents that he would have a reasonably comfortable income as a professor. So, he asked what my salary was and whether I was comfortable in it. I told him my precise salary and also that I "live well"! {Later, I realised that I had stated a number smaller than my actual take-home.}
Pointed Questions:
4) I have also got into the BMath programme at Indian Statistical Institute. Will this programme be better for me than the programme at your institute?
This question led to an interesting discussion. I told the student that if he wants to learn more about all the sciences before deciding what he wants to pursue, then N1's programme would be better for him. However, if he was sure that he wants to do Mathematics, then ISI would be a better choice because he will start taking rigorous courses right from Year 1. On further discussion, he revealed that he was more keen on ISI because of a fear of Physics. I explained that the course curriculum here would expose him to all the sciences so that he will have enough knowledge to make an informed choice which will not be motivated by fear of any subject. [Later, I found out that the BMath programme at ISI also has Physics in it.
I have made a mental note to be better informed about the programmes at other Indian institutes.]
5) Your institute allows one to choose a major. The other N institutes do not do that. Does that mean that I will not be able to specialise?
I explained that although we formally ask our students to choose a major in the third year, the other N institutes also give students equal flexibility and opportunity to choose more courses in subjects that they enjoy doing.
6) What is the life of a professor like? Are you happy?
I was amazed (and impressed) at the forthright and direct questions that these students were asking and decided to answer them equally frankly. I told this student what I like most about this profession, the freedom to study and think about what interests me and teaching eager and motivated students [3]. This student then stumped me by asking about work-life balance (I had never even heard about this concept when I was 17!). I said something about healthy campus living and about flexible timings.
7) [This one's really interesting] Can you tell me in which N-institute Professor Chitta Baral teaches? He has written some really nice things about new science institutes on the internet.
One student asked a colleague, who then asked all the counselors if they knew. I was very happy that I knew the answer to this one :) I told the student that he teaches at Arizona State University.
Thanks, Chitta. I think your online articles (like this one) have really motivated this student.
Two other questions:
8) I want to change my choice of institutes. Can I meet my parents before filling up the choice-form?
The answer was no! Parents were kept away from the counseling venue and students had to submit their form before leaving the counselor's desk. But, is this the best policy? Is it really that bad to consult parents before reaching a decision?
9) I have also got into a BTech program at one of the IITs. Is your institute "worth the compromise"?
A colleague sitting next to me was asked this question. My colleague handled the question very well and asked the student what he wanted to study and what he wanted to do in the future. She also convinced the student that "compromise" was not the best word to use in making this choice. But, if the student had asked me, my immediate answer would have been if he thought of doing a basic science programme as a compromise, then he is better off not doing it. But, on careful introspection, I think that the student's question is simply indicative of social conditioning. At his age, he is probably thinking in the language of a society which values medicine and engineering over and above other professions. A counselor's job is to give the student maximum information about the programme under consideration and not be judgmental about his or her choices.
[1] Fortunately, the student did not ask about non-scientific facilities (I think they find out about these things from their friends on Facebook etc). It would have been difficult to stick to the "all institutes are equally good" stand on this matter :)
[2] Parents were not allowed in the counseling venue. They were seated in another venue, far away, where two of our experienced faculty members were answering their questions. We call it "parenting the parents".
[3] I did not tell her about the boring meetings, though!
4 comments:
Very few people is doing very little to encourage study of science in India. Even now, system is not in place to judge interest in science. It is encouraging to read the views of Chitta Baral of Arizona University regarding admission, 'Anybody applying is admitted'. My one daughter is reading in IISER. second one also wants to join. She is refusing to get admitted in B.Tech. But can any one guarantee her admission in IISER although she is eligible as per norms and keenly interested in pure science over engineering and medical, following the current developments, attended INSPIRE program, dreams about stars and sky? Come July 14, we shall see whether her interest can be judged in Science aptitude Test?
That was an interesting discussion of the psyche of the incoming students and their parents :)
Looks like finally the new institutions are gathering momentum.
Also, thanks to the link to Dr. Baral's post, it was very encouraging.
As you say, " the student's question is simply indicative of social conditioning. At his age, he is probably thinking in the language of a society which values medicine and engineering over and above other professions. A counselor's job is to give the student maximum information about the programme under consideration and not be judgmental about his or her choices."
I think this was very very well put indeed. Honestly, I think it is not such a big deal if, right now, our society values the "safety" of engineering or medicine over science. Most of our middle class consists of people who have just escaped poverty in the last generation and are afraid of slipping back. Its understandable; the Chinese started out making toys and shoes and now their high grade manufactures are kicking everyone's collective a$$.
As the spectre of poverty slowly vanishes, we will see students choose more "daring" careers :) No worries :)
> right now, our society values the "safety" of engineering or medicine over science
This was the case in the sixties also, when I got my BE from IISc. [I was the first one in my whole extended family to go to college.] Like it or not, a student is perfectly right in worrying about his future.
I am extremely pleased that the author is so considerate instead of getting angry at the students. I wish I had professors like her. My thesis adviser in the US didn't care about his students' career concern at all.
I hope that the captcha lets me publish this :-)
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