Advice on approaching Overseas Education Consultants in Kerala

Biz It School, a reputed overseas education consultant with two branches in Cochin, offered us some advice on approaching overseas education consultants in Kerala. It is rather well known that going abroad for education and the rigmarole of processes that precede it can present a number of pitfalls, both hidden and apparent, that need to be manoeuvred deftly. In all the formalities that are involved in the selection and application to universities, including loan applications, fee payment, visa assessment and aspects of life abroad, your overseas education consultant is obliged to guide you responsibly so that the process is expedited and you experience no untoward hiccups. The shocking reality though, is that quite often, the very first step itself – picking an education consultant – can be fraught.

Overseas education consultancy has boomed as a “business” in Kerala because a lot of families here take pride in being associated with western countries through friends and relatives and consider it an achievement to send their children abroad for education, especially with a chance of settlement. A high percentage of upper middle class and upper class students are leaving for countries such as the US, Australia, UK and New Zealand among others for their graduation and post-graduation studies. In this situation, certain fraudulent consultants and corrupt consultancies have cropped up to take advantage of the situation and make themselves some money.

Our advisors from Biz It School, which runs its own overseas education consultants in Kerala, at Kacheripadi in Cochin, pointed out that certain universities form a tie up with overseas education consultants in Kerala to provide them with students. If the consultant recruits a student to that university, he or she gets a fixed amount or a commission from the university that comes to around 1 to 2 lacs rupees. As a student or a parent approaching an education consultant, there are a few tell tale signs you need to look out for:

First, a consultant will simply keep pushing a particular country on you, usually before you even enquire about it. The consultant engages with the student in a jovial tone and enquires a few details about him such as his scores, what he wants to study, etc and then directly starts telling them that the UK (or whichever country the universities he is associated with are at) is the best place for them.

Another tactic is to offer free consultation for a particular country or a few of them and charge a large amount to offer consultation for any other. If your consultant is tied up with universities from UK and New Zealand, they may offer free consultancy for those two countries but charge a huge amount to consult for universities in USA and other countries. Alternatively, certain universities are presented in a favorable light while others are spoken of as being uncomfortable and generally not worth it. Your consultant will offer accommodation and part time work options at one place but nothing for the other. If you were told that the course you want to pursue is available in two equally respected universities but only one of them offers opportunity for economic accommodation and work, then chances are that you will choose that particular one over the other.

Your overseas education consultant has the responsibility to help you in all aspects of your life abroad; so be wary of those consultants that present one college/university as being extremely advantageous while offering no such help if you wish to join another. Do not be hesitant to hold your consultant to high standards as they hold your future and your family savings in their hands. Follow the link for more details: http://www.bizitschool.com/