Sophia College for Women B.A Review By Bhairavi Pawar

I have been studying at Sophia College Mumbai for five years. Initially, I tried to switch my college since it is an All-Girls college and also, it is far to reach from any station. So, I thought that I will not be able to adjust to this environment and I will be the only one traveling from the Virar-Churchgate local train. But the first time I went there, my opinion changed. Breach Candy is one of the richest areas of Mumbai. So the people out there are friendly and humble. What is better than just studying in one of the top 10 and the prettiest colleges of Mumbai? The first trip to this college made me feel like some celebrity. (PS: Many of the film shootings keep happening there.) Also, there are many fests and clubs that one could get a chance to get your-self enrolled with. The practical labs and the libraries are all up-to-date. The crowd at Sophia is not of a particular community or group. There is a variety of people coming from different areas and different cultures. No doubt Sophia is an autonomous college, but it is affiliated to the Mumbai University.

I did my Bachelor's in Arts from Sophia and since I was already a student of Sophia in Junior College, I easily got admission. The college is among the Top 10 colleges of Mumbai, but the cut-off is low at Sophia is low because it is an all-girls college. So, I was offered English Literature, History and Political Science as my main subjects. But getting subject combinations here is totally based on the grades of HSC examinations. Psychology and English Literature are mostly the main focus for students here. The professors are experienced and kind. Also, studying at Sophia gave me a great exposure and this experience helped me a lot, and I am so sure that the skills that I gained here will help me in coming years, too!

I did my Junior College (HSC) in the Science faculty and then did my bachelor's in Arts. So I have experienced the environment of the Science as well as the Arts faculty. Both the faculties of Sophia are as amazing as the college is! The teachers are very understanding and highly qualified. Also, teachers do offer some regular peer classes which help students cope well with their studies. The library and laboratory staffs are nice and helpful, too. Almost all the professors have a great experience and they always make an effort to pass on their knowledge to the students. Also, the faculty staff guides students if they want to pursue further education in various fields.

With time, Sophians are offered a range of internships. I secured several internships from here. Also, there are many companies having collaborations with Sophia. Some of them are Kapiva, KPMG, Leo Burnett, JP Morgan, PinkVilla, Purplle, etc. Having graduated from Sophia College personally makes me feel that I made a good call! Also, over those 3 years of graduation, we had several talks from a variety of national and international scholars. That helped me and my friends lots more than anything else could!

Sophia provides a hostel for students who are from overseas or from other states. I haven't stayed in the hostel but I had friends who stayed there. The mess is clean but sometimes the food is not up to the mark. But one notable thing about the hostel is that- It is far better, safe, and hygienic than other College hostels in Mumbai. A room is provided and is to be shared between 3 people. The rooms are big and airy. Also, non-hostilities were never allowed in the hostel premises. There is this roll call system every evening at around 7 or 8. Each student has to be present for this. In case anybody wishes to go out of the hostel, they have to give an application with the sign of a guardian or parent.

The college is huge with a central lawn, terrace area, Basketball ground, and Polytechnic section. The movies Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Main Hoon Na (2004), Ishq Vishq (2004), Murder (2002), Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), Baar Baar Dekho (2016) are witness to the beauty and vibes Sophia has to offer! Old architecture and extreme beauty are the two words that I always focus on while talking about my college. Under the spiral stairs, there is a gym with a proper trainer. This is where students can get access to indoor games. Also, Studying at Sophia is an advantage because you get a lot of aesthetic pictures with different backgrounds!

The campus is huge, too, and offers a variety of foods. The chaat stall and the Chinese section are among the popular ones. Sometimes the canteen is a little filthy, but if anybody complaints about it, the canteen staff is immediately changed. The prices are reasonable, too. The canteen is mostly crowded during the breaks but there are many options where you can sit. Also, nobody is allowed to have food in classrooms or any other areas, apart from the canteen. To all the people who are looking for admission, TRUST ME GUYS, SOPHIA IS THE BEST OPTION. No doubt the lectures (especially for science faculty) and traveling can be a bit hectic at times, but you will develop yourself in a lot many ways as an alumnus of Sophia!