Going to college is an incredibly exciting time for any student, and picking the right course is the key to getting the most out of this experience. During that time in my own life I was really struggling regarding what course I should take, and was conflicted by what I wanted and what others wanted for me. Thankfully we had a great neighbor in Professor Harvey Shapiro, who offered me some great advice on which path I should choose. If you get the course right, you will be more passionate about it and work harder for it, and here are some tips on making that right selection.
Doing it For You
As I mentioned in the intro, my parents wanted a certain path for me which didn’t really tickle my fancy, and I know that there are a lot of young students who are in a similar boat to what I was. Ultimately however this is your life, and the decision as to which college course you will take, should be yours alone. Taking guidance and advice from others is absolutely fine, but it is you who has to go to college therefore you who will have to make the decision.
Choosing For a Career
If you have a good idea as to what career you want to go into, make sure that you find out exactly what kind of course you have to take in order to enter into that career. If you are unsure as to what career you want, aim for a course which can give you access to a wide variety of different career choices. Picking a course because it seems ‘fun’ or ‘easy’ is not going to help you in forging out a successful career for yourself.
Follow Your Skills
If you are someone who finds linguistics and languages easy, there is little point in taking your college course down a math or science route. It is during your school years that you will find out where your natural abilities lie, and this is something which you should make sure that you follow. In doing this you are going to be significantly boosting your chances of getting a high class education and coming out of it with great results.
Ignoring Friends
Some people will pick similar courses to what their friends have, which was something that I almost did when I elected my course. This makes little sense however as we are all individuals. On top of this you are going to make so many new friends at college and you may actually find that going to college with an existing friend damages the relationship. Always follow your heart and even if you end up at a different college as a friend, your friendship should be able to survive and thrive as a result.
Take your time and consider what you really want, what you are good at and what kind of career you are looking for.
