Choosing a College Course Essay

Introduction Many students find it difficult in choosing what course to take in college. For seniors or graduating high school students, the pressure goes higher as the end of their term is coming because the time is running and decreasing for deciding what course they will take. Choosing a course is really a hard decision to make. Your future depends on it and the decision you will make would determine what life you will have in the future. This is the first step in your life as an independent person and this is the first step for your success. You should be careful in choosing a course because when you have started on it there is no way getting back. You can shift to another course but a lot of thing will be wasted: your effort, money and time. So from the start you should pick the right one and you should make up your mind that this is the course for you and this will lead you to success. Many would say that they haven’t chosen yet or they were not sure about the course they want to pursue. Some might have chosen before and decided what to take but in the end they want to change it because they weren’t sure or still confused. And the wide range of choices of college courses made it more difficult to choose. But you are not really â€Å"clueless† in choosing what course to take, there are some factors you would consider and this might help you pick the suitable and best course for you. Your Personal Interests The most basic consideration in the choice of a college major or college course is, of course, what you want. Is there something that you’ve always wanted to get into, something that resonates within the very fiber of your being? If so, that may be where you’re meant to go. The more interested you are in a subject, the more likely you are to study it and achieve a strong result. This is particularly important at college when you are responsible for your own study. List the fields of study that interest you, and come up with a list of courses you would consider studying based on these interests. Add the topics that you were most interested in during school as well as jobs that you envied others for. At some point, many students try to fit in a course or two based purely on personal interest. While their majors may reflect their primary interest, most people are interested in more than one intellectual pursuit, so a biology major who has a passion for movies might take a film course. This is not necessarily what are you good at, but what do you love doing? You might be great at math, but you spend your weekends fixing up bits of old computers. So don’t study math, focus on IT or computer engineering instead. Specialize in your passion. Cost Of Study Affordability is another aspect you need to consider while deciding on your course, as well as the additional costs that occur, such as text books, field trips etc. However, do not let cost hamper your career choice, as there are a number of financial assistance options available to complete the course. College tuitions soar each year, advancing far in excess of the inflation rate. The overall inflation rate since 1986 increased 115.06%, which is why we pay more than double for everything we buy. On the other hand, during the same time, tuition increased a whopping 498.31%. See chart below Many schools have increased tuition fees due to higher overhead costs. Fuel and labor costs continue to rise. Many older college buildings are in need of renovation or replacement. The demand for expanded libraries and new research and computer labs is at an all-time high. Some schools also need additional security measures. But Don’t Let College Costs Scare You! These costs may seem overwhelming, but there are ways to keep expenses down. Remember that college educations come at all levels of cost, and that financial aid can reduce that cost. If a school is a great fit for you but seems too expensive, it makes sense to apply and then see whether your financial aid offer will bring the cost down. Don’t give up on a college because of its sticker price. Financial Aids Grants and scholarships are the most desirable types of funding you can receive to pay for your college education, since they don’t need to be repaid. While any amount of free money will be competitive, especially in a tough economic climate, the sooner and more often you apply the more luck you’ll have. The list of reasons why a scholarship may be given to a particular student is quite long, although some of the more popular awards are given to students who achieve academically, are athletically gifted, choose to enroll in a particular program of study, are part of a certain kind of organization, or choose to enroll in the military and still further their education. A scholarship might cover the entire cost of your tuition, or it might be a one-time award of some cash. Either way, it’s worth applying for, because it’ll help reduce the cost of your education. Career opportunities Look at the career prospects of the course before selecting one. Consider various factors such as income, job security, stress, responsibility and other benefits while researching a profession. Not all courses are created equal. Yes, they all offer a diploma upon completion, but they don’t guarantee a job. When you are choosing a major, it would be wise to check out the job placement statistics of others who have pursued this degree. There is no reason why you should be the guinea pig; if a specific career is your reason for choosing this major, investigate the success of others. If you want to avoid a data entry position, check out all of the opportunities available and your chance at landing one of those positions after graduation. Commitment, Time and Practical Considerations Choosing a college course requires you to look inwards and assess your commitment to your chosen path. Assuming that you have the issue of money and other practical considerations settled, do you actually possess the skills and the patience to go the distance? Moreover, do you actually want to do so? There’s also a chance that your parents may be expecting you to tread a certain academic path; will you have the strength and the will to stick it out against all odds? You should also be aware of what you’re getting into when choosing a college major. What will your college course require you to do? Are you willing to do it? As a case in point, if you’re squeamish about the sight of blood, why should you decide to go for a Nursing Degree? To be certain that you will be committed to your studies, find out the duration of your course. Taking double-degrees, full time or part-time depends on your personal choice. Ensure that you will be able to balance your other priorities along with education. Study flexibility varies amongst universities. Demand If your goal is to be employed immediately after graduation, base your choice not on popular courses, but on employable courses, or courses that are the most in-demand in the job market. Job seeking is becoming an increasingly competitive sport these days. With thousands of students graduating each year and limited number of job opportunities available to them, plenty of job seekers end up resorting to options they wouldn’t had to choose if they had other alternatives. These days, there is no time to get into a career and then decide if it is the right one for you. You should know right from the beginning what is right for you and what career you can excel in. Thanks to the very competitive nature of the employment sector, getting the right job or choosing the right career is not as easy as it once used to be. Everyone is looking for help in deciding what career should be chosen. Obviously, in today’s competitive world, everyone wants a job or career that has high pay, job stability, and great future prospects. However, owing to the bad effects of the recently experienced economic recession, a majority of people are looking forward to changing careers. The careers that are being sought after are top jobs in demand for the future, which are mostly from the medical field. The main reason why medical jobs are and will be in demand is because they do not have any impact of the financial crisis arising in the economy. So if you want to secure a job in the future, pick a course that is in demand after you graduate. Conclusion Even you have known some things that you might consider in choosing a course, the choice is still yours and the one who will decide is no other but you. Choose on what you think is the best for you and what you think that will give you success. But remember that even you have chosen a course that is qualified for all the factors listed and will give great results, it not ends in there. The most important thing is in everything you do always give your best shot. Work hard for everything you want to achieve and accomplish. Don’t quit and never give up. And most of all ask God for help and guidance in everything you do. Pray for it. God has the best plan for you. When you do all these things, I’m sure that whatever course you will take, you will be successful and you will have a wonderful future.