How DLRC's College Dialogue Programme Has Helped Me

From childhood, I’ve probably gone through at least 50 different dream careers. One day I was convinced I’d become a psychologist; the next I was sure I’d be working in a lab as a microbiologist. So naturally, trying to figure out what I actually want to study — and which college I should work toward — has always felt overwhelming.

But luckily, from November 3rd to December 1st, DLRC hosted a College Dialogue Programme for all of us in Grade 11, and honestly, it ended up helping me way more than I expected. Our facilitators, Swati Ma’am and Aarya Ma’am, guided us through four thoughtful sessions, each focusing on a different part of choosing and planning for our dream colleges.

Types of Colleges

The first session cleared up something I had been confused about for years: the difference between universities and colleges. We learned that universities are larger institutions offering everything from undergraduate to PhD programmes, while colleges are usually smaller, focusing mainly on undergrad degrees and often being affiliated with a university.

We also explored the different types of universities in India — central, state, private, deemed-to-be universities, and institutes of national importance. 

From Experience to Guidance

Our second session was with Mani Salgia Ma’am, a Grade 12 parent from DLRC, and she told us a quirky line that summarises the aspects of finding the right college: the three Ps — paisa, planning, and padhai.

She explained how everything matters when choosing a college: the cost, the location, the kind of environment you want, the extracurriculars, and even the lifestyle around the campus. She reminded us that applying to colleges is not meant to be easy, but with proper planning, it becomes much less intimidating. Hearing her speak from real experience made me feel less worried about the whole ordeal.

How to Build an Impactful Profile

This session stressed on something that honestly scared me a little at first — the idea that big colleges sometimes look at your profile for only about six seconds. Just six seconds! That’s all the time you get to make an impression! The session gave me the confidence that my profile will be good, as it focused on how to build a profile that actually matters. We learned how important it is to develop a theme — like a core interest or cause that ties all your activities together. Profile building also helps you explore your identity, gain relevant skills, make better career choices, and improve your chances of getting into a college that fits you. 

How to Research for Colleges

In the final session, we learned a step-by-step method to research colleges properly, and this helped me the most because I never knew where to begin.

We followed a six-step structure:

1. Listing subjects that we’re genuinely interested in

2. Exploring degrees related to those subjects

3. Researching institutions and understanding their resources and reputations

4. Checking feasibility — finances, location, and logistics

5. Understanding prerequisites and academic requirements

6. Looking into career prospects and future opportunities

This session calmed my anxiety. Instead of staring at 200 college websites and panicking, I now have a clear place to start.

When I asked my friend Ishanvi about how these sessions helped her, she told me, “They helped me research different colleges — I was able to make a list. It really helped me in making an activity list for myself. I also learned about making a résumé. It’s less of a scary and humongous thing for me now.”

I also spoke to Aarya Ma’am and Swati Ma’am about why DLRC started the College Dialogue Programme in the first place. They told me that the goal was to give students like us an early headstart — especially when it comes to understanding college expectations and building a strong profile over time, instead of rushing at the last minute. They also mentioned that universities like Ashoka and Nayanta have already connected with DLRC, which means we get clearer guidance on subject choices and a better sense of what these universities look for.

Overall, attending this programme as part of the G11 cohort was genuinely helpful. I walked in feeling unsure and overwhelmed, but I walked out feeling more confident, more informed, and genuinely excited about planning my future. It really helped me understand what I want and how to actually get there. Now the only thing left to do is to decide — do I want to be a psychologist or a biologist?

By Avani Singh, Grade 11