One of the most significant questions facing anyone about to enter a college is the choice of what to study. There are so many factors that determine what you would eventually study, and considering these factors can make your decision easier.
Except you are one of those kids who grew up knowing what they wanted to become in the future, you can understand the confusion when anyone asks you what you want to study in college, and you cannot quickly come up with a suitable response.
It may be daunting to decide what you would like to study. But by taking your time to ask yourself a few questions and doing some research, you will be able to make the right decision easily.
How do I know the best course for me?
The choice of a course depends from person to person mainly based on previous background and the prevalent societal situation. Specific courses trend at a specific time while others remain in high demand almost at all times. Here are a couple of factors that will help you weigh your options and narrow down your choices.
Passion
Some people like to take care of others. These types of people may do well studying a medicine-related degree or something in the hospitality field. The social science and humanity fields appeal to people who are naturally creative with different forms of art or would like to deal with social issues such as politics, justice and the likes.
For those who spent their childhood fixing broken game consoles, a degree in engineering and technology-related courses may naturally appeal to them. Others like designs, which could lead them to something that relates to architecture, fashion and art.
Sometimes, your passion may not even be something that you grew up with. A love for numbers can translate to degrees in courses like banking, accounting, mathematics and statistics. Though, an analysis shows that the love for numbers does not always turn into love for mathematics.
If you have a passion for something, it is easier to follow a path related to that thing. This is because the passion that you have will most times translate to an interest in learning more about the field, and possibly building a career in it.
Academic ability
One of the most important things that should drive your choice of which degree to study in college, is your academic ability. If you do not like a course, it may not be advisable to take a major that includes the course. This is how Kevin S. McGrew of the Institute of Applied Psychometrics views academic ability.
Despite the argument about academic ability, you should remember that you can always excel in whatever you put your mind to it, and no matter how good and flexible you are with something, you cannot make a difference if you don’t put any effort.
Therefore, always try to understand the course component of the degree that you are considering to study, and be sure that they are courses that you can understand and excel in. Here is a thoughtful analysis of how students could improve their beliefs about academic abilities, which made reference to the prevalent African-American high school dropout rates.
Attending college open days in preparation for the start of your college degree is an important thing to do. Ask a lot of questions and be sure that you understand what each degree entails.
Sometimes though, it is possible that you find a degree that you would like to study, but with course contents that you have no certainties with your academic ability. If this happens, and you are sure that you would want to choose the degree, commit yourself to improve your knowledge of the unfamiliar subjects. A degree with courses that seemed challenging at first may well turn out to be the best choice for you.
Also, the more challenging a course could be, the more opportunities it will present when eventually you’re able to study it. This brings us to the relevance of the course in the society.
Global trends
The world has seen a serious shift in the demand for certain careers in the last two decades. Where accounting and law degrees used to be the more popular choices, research has shown that careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) now have a higher demand. Not only that, software development, digital marketing, and courses that were not traditionally offered in colleges have now become the leading career path for graduates.
Global trends play an important role in selecting a degree to study in college because the increase in demand for some degrees has led to higher earning potential and more job opportunities for those who study them.
Therefore, while you are trying to choose as a degree to study, remember that the higher the demand for graduates of a degree, the higher the earning potential and career success of that degree.
Social demand
A lot of people go into professions to fulfil certain needs in their community or to solve existing problems. Your choice of degree to study could be driven by your desire to provide your local community with their only neurosurgeon, their best mathematics teacher, or the architect that transforms the city landscape. Study a course not just for your convenience and desire, but also as a goal to help humanity.
If there is a local demand for some careers, it can make it easier for you to narrow down your choices and select a suitable degree to study. Also, the advantage of studying a degree with social demand is also that it becomes easier for you to find employment after your degree.
Making the choice of a degree to study in college is not an easy decision. Whatever degree you study marks the first step towards building a future career, so it is crucial that you carefully consider all options available to you, as well as the factors that can help to make the decision process easier.
