1 Higher education aspirants have many choices — from the national open university to 14 state open varsities
2 Most of the institutes will have placement cells, so finding a job will not be a problem later
3 If you apply for a course to an open learning institute, ensure they have study centres near your place
4 The location of the university’s examination centre also counts if you are unable to travel long distances. Ensure the universities have centres in your city
5 If you have applied for a regular college and are also studying from an open university, ensure that your examination dates do not clash. You will have huge problems if they do
6 Find out when the open universities schedule their personal contact programme (PCP) classes. Most of them hand out study material and get in some of their best faculty members for lectures. Missing the classes don’t make sense
7 More on PCPs: These help you network and link with other students in your programme. Peer learning in the absence of regular teachers or classes, trading notes, chatting online with the friends you’ve made in PCP classes can aid your studies
8 Language is important: If you are applying to an open university in another state, check the medium of instruction for your course
{{/usCountry}}8 Language is important: If you are applying to an open university in another state, check the medium of instruction for your course
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