As a student who just finished her A levels in January, it was quite a daunting task for Maliha deciding which university to join. Not wanting to wait more than six months to start her undergraduate studies, Maliha opted for a private university. The thought of convincing her parents to let her attend a private university was a major challenge for her.
There are many myths encompassing the aspect of attending a private university. Five such myths are discussed below:
Myth 1: Private university students obtain degrees in exchange of large sums of money
For private university students, the cost of education is much higher. Quite necessarily, it does not mean that they do not earn their degrees through hard work. While private universities do not have as competitive entrance exams as public universities, there is still a certain threshold of merit that is required to be met. These students have to face many hardships throughout their undergraduate life. Due to high expenses, private university students pass challenging time to attain their degrees. Many students have to maintain their grades every semester so that they do not lose their scholarships.
Samiha Ashreen, a final year student from BRAC University, mentions, "My family started to face financial problems right after my father passed away, so I had to deal with hurdles to get admitted in a university like BRAC, which, being a private university, tuition fees were high. Without the scholarship, I would never have been able to attend a school like BRAC University. Since I enrolled, I had to maintain a good CGPA to keep my scholarship."
Myth 2: Private university students are entitled youngsters with a flamboyant lifestyle
There is a common perception that private university students have quite a flamboyant lifestyle and are often involved in drug and alcohol abuse. They are thought to be "spoilt" children who only go to university to hang out with their friends. However, most of them are often involved in extra-curricular activities such as taking part in different club activities, run their businesses or do part-time jobs.
"Belonging to a conservative family, my parents have often been told by others that they should not have sent me to study in NSU, because most students there are often dressed inappropriately. But throughout the last four years, I have not seen anyone inside the campus dressed in that manner," says Sadia Alam, a student of North South University.
Sabrina Mehrin Ima, another student of North South University and owner of the clothing line Tashrina's Wardrobe adds, "It is wrong to generalise private university students and thinking that all they can do is be reckless. The reality is - some are making their parents proud with good marks, some are channelling their inner talent by joining clubs, some are making great friendship bonds to cherish for a lifetime and some are becoming entrepreneurs of their venture."
Myth 3: It is very easy for private university students to get good grades
Most private university students are tired of hearing that they hardly need to study, because it is far from the truth. Most private universities have a trimester system as opposed to the yearly system or the six-month long semesters in public universities. As a result, they have less time to cover contents compared to public university students and more frequent examinations to cement their learning. Private universities do not provide long preparatory leave. Still, private university students take four or five courses per semester and study for quizzes, midterms, while balancing extra-curricular activities (ECAs). Furthermore, students of private universities have regular assignments that require them to put in extra effort due to strict anti-plagiarism policies.
Fabliha Fatema, a fresh graduate from BRAC University remarks, "Every semester, it was a race against time; having to study for quizzes starting from the beginning of the semester. Because of the comprehensive syllabus for finals, we had to keep revising lessons from the first lecture as well."
Myth 4: Private university students are not as smart as public university students
Most people assume that private university students are those who fail to get admitted into public universities. In reality, a vast majority of the students have not even attempted to become students of public universities for personal reasons. For some, it is about studying their preferred subjects; for others, it is about completing their degrees in time. Many students shift from public universities to private universities. One such case is that of Muammer Zaman, who, after studying for two years in a public university, moved to BRAC University. Muammer says, "I believe an institution does not define the merit of a student. I have met plenty of students in BRAC University who are smarter than my previous classmates."
Myth 5: Private university students belong to affluent families
It is a common misconception that private university students belong to the upper class of society. However, only a handful are born with a silver spoon in their mouths. Many students work part-time, or tutor students to help their families and pay their tuition fees themselves. There are many students who move to Dhaka for quality education. They live in hostels, away from their families. Contrary to popular belief that most private university students reside in Gulshan-Banani and attend classes using their private cars, many travel long distances every day using public transports to reach their classes on time.
Tasnim Zaman, A BRAC University BBA graduate, says, "There are a lot of people like me, who neither belong to the upper nor the lower class. We constantly have the urge to maintain a line between the two. Not being able to be admitted to a public university, a private university was our only way for higher education. I started working in a radio station even before starting my university classes. The constant balancing between job and studies lasted until the end of my university life. It was difficult, but the sense of independence was quite liberating."
The writer is a fresh graduate from BRAC University with dual major in Finance and Economics.
She can be reached at
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