Educationist Dr. Karan Gupta advices on choosing the Best Study Abroad Counsellor for You

Once you’ve decided that you would like to study abroad, and which destination that you’d like to study in, you next need to figure out how exactly you’re going to get there. Gaining admission to the study destination of your choice, as well as obtaining a student visa, is a difficult and oftentimes overwhelming process. This is why choosing a competent and well-qualified study abroad counsellor is incredibly important at this juncture. With so many education consultants available to counsel you through this process, and all of whom claiming to be the best in the field, choosing the right one is no simple task. Fortunately, there are some easy to follow guidelines that can help you to choose a study abroad counsellor that can best assist you through this complicated process.

Remember to Do Your Research

Prior to choosing a counsellor, make sure that you’ve investigated a fair amount of options. Ask friends and family who may have gone through a similar process which counsellors they used, and how their experiences with them were. Also, use the internet and try and find as many reviews as possible for potential candidates. The internet is a priceless tool when it comes to researching study abroad consultants, so make liberal use of it. Make sure that the counsellors you’re considering cover a large number of universities spread across many different countries as well. If a counsellor only covers a few countries, then they will tend to push for one of the few that they deal with, regardless of what’s best for you as a student. Remember, this is an important decision, so narrowing down a list of a few solid counsellors is definitely worth investing some time into.

Thoroughly Investigate Their Background

Once you’ve done your research and narrowed down some potential counsellors, it’s time to dig in deep and investigate their backgrounds. You only want to hire someone who is highly qualified to help you get into the best possible programme. One important thing that you should be aware of is how long they have worked as a study abroad counsellor, and how many students that they have helped. Those that have been helping more students, for a longer period of time, will be more experienced and better suited to successfully land a student in the programme of their choice. It’s also important to know their success rate, if they have a great track record of successfully placing students into their ideal programme, then chances are they’re going to also be able to do a great job helping you out as well. You also want someone that is willing to get personally involved with your case, so find out if they will have a hand in your application process, or if they generally just leave it up to staff. Those that take a personal interest in each of the applicants that they assist tend to do a better job.

Find Someone Experienced in Working with Your Ideal Location

This is an important step that can be easily overlooked. Many counsellors can have amazing track records, but their expertise may be more specialized. An example of this would be a counsellor, with an impressive 95% success rate, but only when sending students to Singapore. This may look great on paper, but may be of little use to you if you’re looking to attend a university in the United States. To overcome this, make sure that any potential candidates have knowledge in how to land students in programmes that are in your ideal location. Some countries and universities are much more difficult to get into than others, so having someone who knows how to get you into the country that you desire is incredibly important.

And Finally, Trust Your Instincts!

To trust your gut can oftentimes be one of the best pieces of advice that a person can give. If something doesn’t feel right, or you just can’t seem to be able to trust a potential counsellor, then chances are that it’s not a wise choice to continue working with them. Even if everything else seems okay, it’s best to go with your instincts when it comes to making such a critical decision. And remember that you should never go with a counsellor who aggressively pushes a specific location or university. A good counsellor is there to serve your interests, and to assist you in living out your dreams. If they’re pushing for something that doesn’t sound right to you, it’s time to move on.

Choosing the best possible consultant for studying abroad is a vital step to accomplishing your educational and career goals. A great study abroad counsellor will not only land you in your dream country, but will assist you in every step of the process. This is a vital service, but it will require some work on your part to make the best possible choice. By following the steps laid out here you’ll be well on your way to turning your dreams into a reality!