How to choose a course?

Selecting the right course is part of the many lifelong choices we make and should not be taken lightly. However, many students are still in the dark when it comes to finding out which course fits them. In this short feature, we give you four ways to help streamline your decision-making process and take charge of your career path.

Know yourself first!

Part of finding out the right course for you is to understand yourself. Here are a few questions you could ask yourself:

• What are my likes and dislikes?
• What are my favorite activities?
• Am I an early riser? Or a midnight owl?
• Does working in an air conditioned office sound better than working outdoors?
• Which subjects am I good at? And which subjects am I weak?
• Am I more reserved and quite? Or do I prefer to socialise with people?
• What motivates or gives me satisfaction? Is it money? Fame and power? Is it through helping others?
• Do I take negative comments personally? Or I tend to be more logical?
• Am I more productive working alone? Or I prefer working with people

What's passion got to do with it?

"I failed biology and I didn't took chemistry. I feel so sad and hopeless but medicine is my passion."

This is a classic example of how the word "passion" is misused these days.  It's easy to be misled with the things we want. Getting something you want without actually sacrificing and putting effort on it, doesn't equate to passion and thereby there is less value to it. In true passion, there is no place for mediocrity, it is about working hard, preparing yourself and giving your best shot.

Are you just under pressure?

As your parents become more involved in your education, it’s likely you will have some disagreements and sometimes make compromises with them about college. While you don’t want to disappoint your parents, you have to find a way to find your own college and course that best fits for you.

Respecting your parents'stake, communicating early your career aspirations and finding a way to balance your parents' wants and your personal goals are a few ways to get the course you really want.

Do your research!

Kids are very fortunate these days because information is widely available. Unfortunately not everyone would take the time to search and read.

Aside from talking to your parents and peers, there are greater and reliable avenues to get information. Newspapers (print and online) are among the best sources to find out which industry or job is abundant. Job postings on the classifieds give an idea how much a certain job makes. Some business papers provide forecast of what jobs are gonna be in the next few years.  Online forums are also good fishing grounds to get information about an institution of higher education. These information you get to read could help guide you make better and informed career choices.

Basically, information is there, you just gotta know how and where to find them.

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Written by Lyn Cacha