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When it comes to appearing for a national level exam be it CAT, GMAT, JEE or any other, most of the students turn to coaching centres to help them crack entrance exams. You may be caught up listing down the best coaching centres around you. We give you few tips to keep in mind when choosing a coaching centre:
Track Previous Record
It is important to look into the background of the coaching centre- when it was established and how many toppers it has churned out in the previous years. This greatly reflects on the image of the coaching centre rather than falling for false promotions done by them. Ask around and look at testimonials from other candidates who joined the institute.
Faculty and Qualification
No matter how much a coaching centre might boast about its success rate, it is important to see what kind of faculty is teaching at the coaching centre and what their credentials and qualifications are. The faculty should have good communication skills to be able to easily convey difficult concepts of the paper and find innovative ways to put across ideas. Also, check if the faculty members are also professors or lecturers at colleges and what kind of colleges they are from.
Break up of Money
The coaching centre market always faces tough competition which is why you should always do a comparative analysis of what fees is charged, how competitive it is in comparison to other centres and what their refund policy is. Do not get lured by low fees structure as it might be a strategy to gain new customers in the market. Ask whether you need to pay upfront or do they entertain instalments. Be wise about where you invest your money.
Study Material
Apart from the faculty, it is important to review what kind of study aids and materials will be issued by the coaching centre. Make sure they cover all aspects of the exam being conducted and that they conduct regular practice on this material. The material should be up to date with the latest requirements of the exam and should not be a simple rehash of older exam papers.
Study Structure
Make sure you ask how a coaching centre plans on covering its course and how many classes it conducts per week. Ask how regular they will be with conducting tests and handing out assignments and whether you will be able to take mock tests. The more thorough they are with their curriculum, the more it will help you.
Distance and Travel
The distance and time have taken to travel also play a key role while deciding a coaching centre. Make sure the centre has good connectivity and you do not end up wasting time travelling to go out of your way to reaching the coaching centre.
What are the Class Timings and if they’re flexible
It is also important to take into account what are the timings of the classes and whether they can be changed or what other alternatives they provide. Most of the times coaching centres run various batches of classes in a single day. Make sure the faculty is equally component for every batch and you are not deprived of good faculty.
Facilities provided
Last but not the least, make sure you take into account the infrastructure facilities of the institute too. Ask what mediums they use to conduct classes- whether it’s a lecture method if visual aids and videos are used and what the seating arrangement and classrooms are like. These factors too play a huge role in determining how useful a coaching centre is.