I have passed Class 12 (PCMB) with a state rank of 10 and have taken NEET 2026 and KCET. I want to pursue B.Sc. Chemistry but people say I should not do so because I have such good marks. I am also considering BDS or a B.Sc. Paramedical course. How should I choose the correct college? Name withheld
The attitude that a B.Sc. means “wasting” good marks is outdated. High scorers choose B.Sc. degrees not because they lack options, but because they want to pursue research and specialised fields. Choose a career that aligns with your strengths and interests, not other people’s expectations.
B.Sc. Chemistry can be an excellent foundation for Computational Chemistry, Molecular Modelling and even Quantum Machine Learning. An M.Sc./Ph.D. can open opportunities in global R&D labs, research and technology, and the pharma sector. Studying Python, data structures and machine learning alongside your degree. Look for institutions where science is treated as a research discipline and ones that have four-year B.S./B.Sc. (Research) programmes such as IISc, IISERs and strong universities with active DST/CSIR-funded research.
While choosing a college, examine its laboratories, equipment, computing facilities, faculty publications, computational chemistry projects and industry connections. Remember that moving into research from dentistry or allied health is relatively uncommon. Trust your instincts and invest in a discipline you find genuinely fascinating.
