Classification of Students based on Purposes to study at MUIC

ID 5680063
Mahidol University International College
ICCM 104 Intermediate English Communication 1 Section 4
Dr. Anjana Warren
Due Date: 8th November 2013

Classification of Students based on Purposes to study at MUIC

Each student chooses to study at a particular college for different reasons. The universal reason is to acquire good education and a diploma at the end of the course. However, a university has lot to offer than just education. More often than not, university life is the time that defines ones future. It is a place people began to learn about themselves, their likes and dislikes. Thus students become particularly choosy when it comes to at what colleges they want spend years of their life and how such college can benefit their future. Other than the obvious educational purposes, this essay classifies students based on the reasons to study at Mahidol University International College. The three major reasons are; reputation, business connection and the university lifestyle.
Indeed, a university’s reputation matters. Every year a huge number of students apply at MUIC because of its name. “What school do you go to?” The answer of that question can make people go “WOW” if the university you go to is a reputed school. Often times people blindly judge how qualified a person is by looking at what school he or she attains. Besides the quality of the education, a university can be highly regarded for various reasons including its age. Mahidol University is one of the oldest universities in Thailand and it currently ranks 42nd in Asia (QS University Rankings: Asia, 2013, January 7). Locally Mahidol University is regarded as the third best university after Chulalongkorn and Thammasat University. There is a belief among these students that holding a degree from MUIC will place them in a superior position when applying for a job. A survey conducted by Yasmin Codron shows that 57 percent of the students agreed that university ranking broadens their job opportunities. Employers look at university ranking to narrow down their choice of job applicants. Additionally, Mahidol is a prestigious-name brand university in Thailand. Though it’s a shame, apparently MUIC students are respected and valued more than students from lower ranked universities. Thus, a high number of students choose to study at MUIC because of its reputation.
Moreover, a group of students study at MUIC to seek business connections after they graduate. Students here came from different backgrounds and since it’s a small college compared to other colleges, almost everybody knows each other directly or indirectly. Many MUIC Thai students actually completed high school abroad and decided to come back to Thailand to do their Bachelors. These particular groups of students are often business minded and their augment is that studying abroad would not help them to open up businesses in Thailand. Thailand is a country where you need important connections in order to succeed. For example, a close friend of mine, Jet Uarpanyaporn, completed high school in Brisbane. He had an option to continue his education in Australia but he instead chose to study at MUIC. “My father recommended me to study here because by the time I graduate, I will make potential connections which could be extremely beneficial later in my career. To do business, you are required to trust people. A safe way to do that is to trust people you have spent four years with. Also, here you may make friends with the son or the daughter of CEO of a huge corporation,” he said. Indeed, parents of many students at MUIC own big companies. Therefore, studying here gives one an opportunity to build significant contacts and precious relationships. Thus these groups of students go to MUIC in search for business connections.
Another group of students choose to study at MUIC because of its unique life style, a category which I personally feel I fall into. The university life is a very special time in life. It is a time you want to remember throughout your life and look back with a sense of accomplishment. It is a time for experiencing things you never experienced before. MUIC offers exactly that. For example, in the first opening two weeks of the term I had the opportunity to participate in Thai traditional freshmen orientation camp, known as “Rub Nong”. The experience students gained at the camp helped them to grow personally. This is very uncommon among other international colleges. Moreover, there are tons of clubs offered in MUIC. Students can get involved in activities that are outside of their comfort zone. For instance, the MUIC voluntary club is planning to visit a rural village in eastern Thailand to teach English to poor children. The Dancing and the Music club offered to give free lessons to anyone who wants to learn from baby-step or to play a new instrument. Some senior students threw a private Halloween party specifically for MUIC citizens. The fact that the International College at Mahidol University is a small community, implementing such activities is much simpler than from other big colleges. These activities help students to be better-rounded and less narrow-minded. It makes them competent not just academically, but also in the practical social life.
Of course there are students with other reasons to study at MUIC. There are students who study here because of peer pressure. One friend invites all his or her friends to study at the same place. There are students who live nearby MUIC, thus chose to study here. Mahidol is renowned for their specialties in medicine, which attracts students interested in biological field. Moreover, one funny reason guys choose this college because of high number of pretty girls studying in MUIC. Additionally, there are students who chose MUIC because of its international environment, foreign professors, its beautiful campus location, or for many other reasons.
In conclusion, the three main reasons students choose to study at MUIC are reputation, business connection, and the university lifestyle; hence which are exclusively classified in this essay. The essay also briefly mentions other reasons for students to study at MUIC. Apparently, each student chooses to study at a particular school for different reasons. It is very important to choose the right university as it may have significant impact on ones future.

References

Codron, Yasmin. (2013, August 8). Does University Ranking Matters 2013.Retrieved from http://www.grb.uk.com/news/does-university-ranking-even-matter-in-2013/2013/08/08/2514
QS University Rankings Asia, (2013, January 7). TopUniversitives. Retrieved from http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/asian-university-rankings/2013
Uarpanyaporn, Jet. (2013, November 5). Personal Interview.