Making a life-changing decision is difficult, we know. But at some point, whether you are a current or prospective student, you will have to choose a course or major. It sounds easy to say that just pick one, right? But when it’s your future in the balance, you want to make sure you put some extra thought into it and choose your course the right way!
This guide will focus on your passion. Your passion for your course, and your future career. Because as well all know the secret to happiness is being able to love whatever you do in life.
What does passion have to do with choosing the right course for you? It all starts here – finding the right course, at the right university or college, that is the most suitable and right one for you.
With hundreds of factors, both big and small, you need to choose a course that is right for you, and it is worth it to ask yourself the following questions –
Are you passionate about it?
You are going to study the chosen course for the next three to four years so if the idea of learning about marine biology doesn’t sound very appealing now, chances are that it won’t be fun for you three years down the line either. Therefore asking yourself if you are passionate about the subject is one of the most important questions while choosing the right course to study abroad.v
Always choose something that fascinates you, allows you to explore many facets of a subject, and makes you excited about it. You will have to dedicate a significant amount of energy to the course so ensure it is something that brings you joy and fulfillment.
What sort of career do you want?
Another aspect to choose a course for yourself is to think how can you use this degree to get to where you want to be in your future career. Maybe you don’t know clearly what you want to do as a job yet, many people don’t know but research which potential careers are available to graduates in your chosen field.
If you are really ambiguous about your career, or prone to changing your mind, accept a degree where you can develop transferable skills so that you expand your job options.
For instance, opting a course like literature could land you a job in a multitude of distinct sectors whereas something like nursing is pretty job-specific.
There’s also a sense of thinking about where you plan to put your roots down post-graduation. Do you want to return to your home country? Do you want to migrate? This decision may or may not change over time but where you settle down will matter because if the country of your choice has no demand for your skills, you might want to consider a different career path.
How to choose a course with the right qualifications?
For most of the courses, you will need definite pre-university or equivalent qualifications to be accepted. What is the field in which the university wants your diploma or what should have been your electives? If you are choosing a major, you possibly don’t need to have specific qualifications but may have studied the subject earlier in your degree.
Check online or directly with the concerned admissions staff or lecturers what you need to do to secure a spot in the course of your choice.
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Are you good at that subject or a similar one?
You may have never studied the subject before you might not have even heard of it until recently but that doesn’t mean it is off-limits to you by any means. Start by shortlisting about the subjects you have studied already and in which you usually do well.
For instance, if biology and sociology are your best subjects then a degree in forensics is not an unreasonable option.
If fine art and literature are your best subjects, accordingly you might want to reconsider where your energies are best spent and what will benefit you in the long term.
Take a reality check before you choose your course!
While deciding the course that is the right one for you, you also need to make sure if it’s realistic. If you can afford all the expenses such as flights, tuition fees, and the cost of living? Can you manage all of these by yourself or you will need to take help from an education loan. Also don’t forget about the exams that you will need to appear for such as English language proficiency tests, GMAT scores, etc.
Don’t get discouraged if anything amongst these is not feasible for you, a pathway program may be all you need to cross those hurdles. If this really is your passion, prove it in your scholarship application and you may definitely get financial assistance.
Also, think realistically and decide about how long you want to study. For instance, a postgraduate certificate is usually for 6 months, Undergraduate Degree is for 3 years and a Ph.D. is for 4 years.
So, don’t rush, perform proper research, gain knowledge about different things, and then take the final call. To choose right course for you can be a life-changing journey for you so be patient while taking the decision.
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