The dilemma of choice

Over the past month or so, the only thing that has been a constant in my life is confusion. And now I have no qualms about admitting this. I have not really been able to enjoy the feeling that board exams are finally over. The fact that I have done well also has not quite sunk in. On the contrary during this phase I have discovered (much to my dismay) that passing the exams was only the first step in the impossibly long and tough ladder of college admissions.

I am also realising that having too many options is a bane. The problem really began when after writing my entrance exam for a course (that entailed mathematical formulas), I thought of enrolling in the journalism course offered by Delhi University.

Having scored a respectable 96.5% in the boards, I know that I do have a fair chance of getting into the course of my choice. Yet I am also a little apprehensive because I know that since almost everyone has scored just as well in the boards, the cut-offs are likely to be extremely high.

My conflict is obvious-though I fared well in my entrances I might not score the cut off-marks that will allow me to take the course of my choice. And this is true for many others in some form or the other. At eighteen, we can hardly be blamed for being unsure of what exactly we want to do in life. And the sky-high cut-offs are not making it any easier for us. Just a look at that sacred cutoff list can scare students into choosing a course that is not really the best for them. I guess we need to ensure that we do not hurry our decisions and access all alternatives before taking the final call.