u/frostedfangs07

Hey guys, I got a 169.5 cutoff and 42,048 TNEA rank. After checking previous year cutoffs, I think I have a decent shot at getting CSE-related branches in the colleges listed below.

My main priorities are good faculty, decent infrastructure, decent placements, and a good student culture. I'm ready to grind on my own—I just want a college that gives me a good environment and opportunities.

Would really appreciate honest opinions from students or alumni. Feel free to be brutally honest. Also, if there are any better colleges around my cutoff that I should consider, let me know.

Colleges:

- Erode Sengunthar Engineering College

- Hindusthan College of Engineering and Technology

- Jeppiaar Engineering College

- Jeppiaar Institute of Technology

- Jerusalem College of Engineering

- Mepco Schlenk Engineering College

- Panimalar Engineering College

- PSNA College of Engineering and Technology

- R.M.D. Engineering College

- R.M.K. Engineering College

- S.A. Engineering College

- Saveetha Engineering College

- Sona College of Technology

Hey guys, I got a 169.5 cutoff and 42,048 TNEA rank. After checking previous year cutoffs, I think I have a decent shot at getting CSE-related branches in the colleges listed below.

My main priorities are good faculty, decent infrastructure, decent placements, and a good student culture. I'm ready to grind on my own—I just want a college that gives me a good environment and opportunities.

Would really appreciate honest opinions from students or alumni. Feel free to be brutally honest. Also, if there are any better colleges around my cutoff that I should consider, let me know.

Colleges:

- Erode Sengunthar Engineering College

- Hindusthan College of Engineering and Technology

- Jeppiaar Engineering College

- Jeppiaar Institute of Technology

- Jerusalem College of Engineering

- Mepco Schlenk Engineering College

- Panimalar Engineering College

- PSNA College of Engineering and Technology

- R.M.D. Engineering College

- R.M.K. Engineering College

- S.A. Engineering College

- Saveetha Engineering College

- Sona College of Technology

View Poll

I got a TNEA rank of 42,048 this year. Since the cutoff marks dropped compared to last year, what rank range from the 2025 cutoff list should I compare with?

Should I look at 39k–42k, 40k–42k, or 41k–42k? Also, what rank shift would you realistically expect because of the lower cutoff marks?

Thanks!

So this is a bit long story which happened in my life 😭

I think writing this is my way of finally letting this chapter of my life go.

Back in Class 10, I was what you'd call the stereotypical nerd. My life revolved around studying. I wasn't the guy who talked to girls, flirted, or had school romances. If anything, I was probably the quiet kid who only cared about marks.

There was this girl in my class.

She was amazing at studies, really good at badminton, and one of those people you naturally admired. We were classmates, but we barely spoke. Not because we hated each other—we just lived in different worlds. I was buried in textbooks, and life just moved on.

Then Class 10 ended.

She joined another school for Class 11, and we completely lost touch.

Fast forward to the end of Class 12.

During our farewell, I saw her again.

Nothing happened that day, but after a while we followed each other on Instagram.

Everything started from there.

One day I replied to one of her stories with what was probably the dumbest conversation starter ever. Even now I cringe thinking about it. I honestly don't even know why I texted her. I wasn't trying to hit on her or anything—I think I was just trying to be friendly.

Somehow...

It worked.

One conversation turned into another.

Soon we were talking every day.

Then we became really good friends.

Eventually, I'd even call us best friends—but entirely online.

Then came the biggest plot twist of the entire story.

One day, out of nowhere, she told me she had a crush on me back in Class 10.

I genuinely didn't know what to say.

And then...

I said something that I've been questioning ever since.

I told her I had felt the same.

I even said that not telling her back then was one of my biggest regrets.

Looking back now...

I don't even know why I said that.

Maybe I got caught up in the moment.

Maybe hearing that someone I admired had liked me made my brain confuse admiration with love.

The weird part is...

After that confession, neither of us actually talked about what we felt now.

There wasn't a love confession followed by dating.

There wasn't a "Will you be my girlfriend?"

Nothing.

We simply continued being friends.

If anything, we became even closer.

One day I was texting her like usual.

Out of nowhere, my family took my phone.

They opened our chats.

They read everything.

I got scolded badly.

I was told to stop focusing on girls and focus only on my studies.

The thing that scared me the most was that they specifically remembered her name.

From that day onward, every notification felt risky.

I couldn't text her freely anymore.

So my long conversations slowly became dry replies.

She had absolutely no idea what had happened.

She kept texting me normally.

I kept replying with one-word answers.

Eventually she noticed.

Randomly one day she asked me what was wrong.

I panicked.

Instead of telling her the truth, I lied.

I told her I just wasn't using Instagram much anymore.

For a while..She belived it.

The day before her birthday, my parents weren't watching me.

For once, I had complete freedom.

So I wished her in advance.

I remember thinking, "At least I got to wish her."

Then her actual birthday arrived.

This time my parents were around.

I saw every single story she posted.

I opened Instagram.

I smiled looking at her birthday posts.

But I didn't send her a birthday message.

Not because I forgot.

Not because I didn't care.

Because I was scared my parents would check my phone.

The next day...

She told me she was hurt.

Not because I wished her late.

Because I didn't wish her at all on her birthday.

Then she caught me in the biggest lie imaginable.

She reminded me that I'd claimed I barely used Instagram anymore...

Yet I had seen every single one of her stories.

I got caught in 4K.

There was literally nothing I could say.

After that, things became different.

She still texted me...

I still replied...

But the conversations weren't the same anymore.

They became rarer.

Colder.

Shorter.

Then one day, when my parents weren't watching again, I sent her a random reel.

She replied,

"Looks like it's going to rain today."

It's an idiom we use when something happens so rarely that it feels unbelievable.

That one sentence hit me harder than she probably realized.

That's when I couldn't keep lying anymore.

I finally told her everything.

I told her about my parents.

Why I suddenly became distant.

Why I stopped texting.

Why I'd become so dry.

She apologized immediately.

But that wasn't why I told her.

I wasn't trying to make her feel guilty.

In fact, I lied about a few things because I didn't want her blaming herself.

Then she told me something else.

She admitted she still might have feelings for me.

Because of that...

She thought we shouldn't talk anymore.

That honestly hurt.

Not because she rejected me.

But because I felt like she was carrying all the blame for something that wasn't even her fault.

So I told her maybe we shouldn't completely cut each other off.

Maybe we could just talk rarely.

Especially once I went to hostel and life settled down.

After that...

We barely talked.

And I started thinking.

A lot.

I kept replaying Class 10 in my head.

Was I actually in love with her?

Or did I just admire someone who was genuinely impressive?

The more I reflected...

The more I realized I honestly don't know if I ever had a crush on her.

I definitely admired her.

That much I'm sure of.

But admiration and love aren't always the same thing.

I think when she confessed, I answered in the heat of the moment.

Not because I wanted to lie.

Not because I wanted to lead her on.

But because I hadn't truly understood my own feelings.

Now I'm entering college.

I'm not looking for a relationship.

I want to focus on my career, my studies, and building my future.

More than anything...

I want to move on from this chapter.

Not because I hate her.

Not because I regret meeting her.

But because this story has lived in my head for long enough.

The only thing I'm still wondering is this:

Should I tell her that I've realized it was probably admiration and not a crush?

Or should I leave things as they are and let both of us move forward?

Part of me wants complete honesty.

Another part of me is scared that bringing it up now would only reopen a chapter that's finally beginning to close.

So...

If you were me...

What would you do?

​

I think writing this is my way of finally letting this chapter of my life go.

Back in Class 10, I was what you'd call the stereotypical nerd. My life revolved around studying. I wasn't the guy who talked to girls, flirted, or had school romances. If anything, I was probably the quiet kid who only cared about marks.

There was this girl in my class.

She was amazing at studies, really good at badminton, and one of those people you naturally admired. We were classmates, but we barely spoke. Not because we hated each other—we just lived in different worlds. I was buried in textbooks, and life just moved on.

Then Class 10 ended.

She joined another school for Class 11, and we completely lost touch.

Fast forward to the end of Class 12.

During our farewell, I saw her again.

Nothing happened that day, but after a while we followed each other on Instagram.

Everything started from there.

One day I replied to one of her stories with what was probably the dumbest conversation starter ever. Even now I cringe thinking about it. I honestly don't even know why I texted her. I wasn't trying to hit on her or anything—I think I was just trying to be friendly.

Somehow...

It worked.

One conversation turned into another.

Soon we were talking every day.

Then we became really good friends.

Eventually, I'd even call us best friends—but entirely online.

Then came the biggest plot twist of the entire story.

One day, out of nowhere, she told me she had a crush on me back in Class 10.

I genuinely didn't know what to say.

And then...

I said something that I've been questioning ever since.

I told her I had felt the same.

I even said that not telling her back then was one of my biggest regrets.

Looking back now...

I don't even know why I said that.

Maybe I got caught up in the moment.

Maybe hearing that someone I admired had liked me made my brain confuse admiration with love.

The weird part is...

After that confession, neither of us actually talked about what we felt now.

There wasn't a love confession followed by dating.

There wasn't a "Will you be my girlfriend?"

Nothing.

We simply continued being friends.

If anything, we became even closer.

Then came what I call...

One day I was texting her like usual.

Out of nowhere, my family took my phone.

They opened our chats.

They read everything.

I got scolded badly.

I was told to stop focusing on girls and focus only on my studies.

The thing that scared me the most was that they specifically remembered her name.

From that day onward, every notification felt risky.

I couldn't text her freely anymore.

So my long conversations slowly became dry replies.

She had absolutely no idea what had happened.

She kept texting me normally.

I kept replying with one-word answers.

Eventually she noticed.

Randomly one day she asked me what was wrong.

I panicked.

Instead of telling her the truth, I lied.

I told her I just wasn't using Instagram much anymore.

For a while...

She believed me.

The day before her birthday, my parents weren't watching me.

For once, I had complete freedom.

So I wished her in advance.

I remember thinking, "At least I got to wish her."

Then her actual birthday arrived.

This time my parents were around.

I saw every single story she posted.

I opened Instagram.

I smiled looking at her birthday posts.

But I didn't send her a birthday message.

Not because I forgot.

Not because I didn't care.

Because I was scared my parents would check my phone.

The next day...

She told me she was hurt.

Not because I wished her late.

Because I didn't wish her at all on her birthday.

Then she caught me in the biggest lie imaginable.

She reminded me that I'd claimed I barely used Instagram anymore...

Yet I had seen every single one of her stories.

I got caught in 4K.

There was literally nothing I could say.

After that, things became different.

She still texted me...

I still replied...

But the conversations weren't the same anymore.

They became rarer.

Colder.

Shorter.

Then one day, when my parents weren't watching again, I sent her a random reel.

She replied,

"Looks like it's going to rain today."

It's an idiom we use when something happens so rarely that it feels unbelievable.

That one sentence hit me harder than she probably realized.

That's when I couldn't keep lying anymore.

I finally told her everything.

I told her about my parents.

Why I suddenly became distant.

Why I stopped texting.

Why I'd become so dry.

She apologized immediately.

But that wasn't why I told her.

I wasn't trying to make her feel guilty.

In fact, I lied about a few things because I didn't want her blaming herself.

Then she told me something else.

She admitted she still might have feelings for me.

Because of that...

She thought we shouldn't talk anymore.

That honestly hurt.

Not because she rejected me.

But because I felt like she was carrying all the blame for something that wasn't even her fault.

So I told her maybe we shouldn't completely cut each other off.

Maybe we could just talk rarely.

Especially once I went to hostel and life settled down.

After that...

We barely talked.

And I started thinking.

A lot.

I kept replaying Class 10 in my head.

Was I actually in love with her?

Or did I just admire someone who was genuinely impressive?

The more I reflected...

The more I realized I honestly don't know if I ever had a crush on her.

I definitely admired her.

That much I'm sure of.

But admiration and love aren't always the same thing.

I think when she confessed, I answered in the heat of the moment.

Not because I wanted to lie.

Not because I wanted to lead her on.

But because I hadn't truly understood my own feelings.

Now I'm entering college.

I'm not looking for a relationship.

I want to focus on my career, my studies, and building my future.

More than anything...

I want to move on from this chapter.

Not because I hate her.

Not because I regret meeting her.

But because this story has lived in my head for long enough.

The only thing I'm still wondering is this:

Should I tell her that I've realized it was probably admiration and not a crush?

Or should I leave things as they are and let both of us move forward?

Part of me wants complete honesty.

Another part of me is scared that bringing it up now would only reopen a chapter that's finally beginning to close also scared would she do anything wrong.

So...

If you were me...

What would you do?

So I've been into computers since childhood and I'm actually decent at bio too. Now I'm stuck choosing between CSE at a tier 2 college or biotech at a better one.

Honestly, my goal is just to make good money and eventually go abroad. I like both subjects so either could work.

Which one gives me better chances? Anyone done this choice before?

So I've been into computers since childhood and I'm actually decent at bio too. Now I'm stuck choosing between CSE at a tier 2 college or biotech at a better one.

Honestly, my goal is just to make good money and eventually go abroad. I like both subjects so either could work.

Which one gives me better chances? Anyone done this choice before?

So I've been into computers since childhood and I'm actually decent at bio too. Now I'm stuck choosing between CSE at a tier 2 college or biotech at a better one.

Honestly, my goal is just to make good money and eventually go abroad. I like both subjects so either could work.

Which one gives me better chances? Anyone done this choice before?

17M from India with 2A wavy, medium-length hair. Used to just ask my barber for whatever and didn't care. Recently tried a textured fringe but people said it looked messy, so that killed the vibe. Now I just do a side part.

Want something that actually looks clean and decent without using products every morning though. What cuts should I be asking for? And how do I even explain it properly?

Also any tips on how to actually get the barber to understand what you want?

TLDR: Have wavy, medium-length hair, tried textured fringe but people said it looked messy. Need a cut that looks put-together without products. What should I get and what do I tell my barber?

I got a TNEA cutoff of 169.5 (BC category) and I'm interested in Computer Science. I've been using computers since I was a kid, so I'd really prefer a CSE-related course.

The problem is that I don't know whether I should wait for counselling and try for CSE in whatever decent colleges I can get, or whether there are private colleges worth joining directly.

My family's budget is roughly ₹10–12 lakhs for the entire 4 years, including tuition, hostel, and other expenses. We can stretch a little if the college is genuinely worth it.

So I need practical advice:

- With a 169.5 cutoff, what are the best colleges I can realistically get for CSE through TNEA counselling?

- Should I wait for counselling, or are there private colleges that offer better value for money?

- Which private colleges have good academics, decent placements, and a good reputation among students?

- Are there any colleges available through management quota that fit within my budget?

- If you were in my position and your goal was to study CSE and get a good software job, what would you choose?

One more thing: my best friend recently joined Chennai Institute of Technology (CIT), Chennai through management quota. His total cost for four years, including tuition, hostel, and food, is around ₹20 lakhs. He has suggested that I join him there. However, CSE seats are already full, and only IT seats are available.

I'm confused about whether Chennai Institute of Technology, Chennai is actually worth that amount of money and whether choosing IT there would be a better decision than waiting for counselling and trying for CSE elsewhere. If anyone has studied there or knows about the college, I'd really appreciate your opinion.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I'd really appreciate any advice or suggestions that could help me make the right decision.