|
Do
you want to go to university?
While it may seem ridiculous to suggest that you need to ask this
very basic question as one of the first steps in the university
selection process, it is an absolute necessity. Too often, students
are expected to decide which university they want to attend even
though they haven’t yet figured out what they intend to study when
they get there. Now that doesn’t mean you have to know! The majority
of students heading off to university haven’t yet decided what they
are planning to do for a career and that’s just fine. Did you know
that over 70% of university students change their major and nearly 40%
change it twice or more? University offers a much broader range of
courses than any high school can. That means there are many courses
you haven’t had a chance to study yet! Who knows, perhaps you’ll be
the next sociology or toxicology expert (these are two of the subjects
not typically offered in high schools)!
So do you know why you want to go to university? There are only two
possible initial answers to the question. Either you know or you
don’t. My experience suggests that most students really have never
asked the question at all. Students go to university for many
different reasons. Some students want to study to become a
professional of some type, others want to explore an interesting
subject in great depth while others may just want to explore a variety
of courses to discover a passion. There are also students who go
simply because it is expected of them. Whatever your reason, you’ll
typically fit into one of two categories: those who know what they
want to study and those who aren’t sure. Before you can really decide
which university you want to attend, it’s important to figure out to
which group you belong.
Below is a simple exercise to help you figure out why you’re going
to university. Circle your answer to each question below and then read
the text which goes along with your answer.
- Have you decided what career you would like to pursue when you
complete university?
| a)
Yes |
b) No but I
have some directions I’d like to explore. |
c) I haven’t
a clue! |
| Great! Now
you’ll have to decide which university programme makes the most
sense for the occupation you are planning. Does it require a
specific university degree (i.e. engineering) or is a more general
background useful (lawyers need to be able to read and communicate
effectively but there is no specific degree requirement to get
into law school)? Go on to question 2 on page 3. |
Super! Did
you know most students choosing a career do so through a method of
elimination? They don’t decide what they’re going to be but
instead decide what they’re not going to be as they gain
experience. As they gain exposure to new areas they eliminate
those in which they have no interest. You need to look for
programmes that allow you to continue to explore while focussing
on your interests. Go on to question 6 on page 4. |
Not a
problem. University is a great place to explore a broad range of
possibilities. You might want to reflect on whether there are any
high school subjects you enjoy. You also might want to pick up a
publication which lists university programmes and simply highlight
any which look interesting. Look beyond traditional subject areas.
There are many exciting areas of which you may never have heard.
Go on to question 9 on page 5. |
|
