Page 94 - Scholarship Guide Feb 2020

92 CHOOSING THE RIGHT UNIVERSITY COURSE

Visit open houses at different universities
1 Each university will hold their own open days during enrolment
season, and it is imperative to visit to get a better idea of the school
culture, the campus, the type of course, and speak to the lecturers on
site regarding the subject, possible career trajectories and what to
expect from your fi rst to fi nal year.

Pay attention to the course details
2 It’s not enough to merely visit open houses with no intention in
mind, when you actively ask questions regarding course details, make
sure to write them down and remember them. The module name is
not enough to explain the details of course-work, reading through the
syllabus for each section will give you a comprehensive overview of
the subject at hand. This in turn will help you decide if this is the right
course to avoid any nasty surprises midway through the school year.

Check if the university course offers work
3 placement opportunities
Some courses have a mandatory industry attachment module, whereas
some require the student to be more independent to self-source the
internship. If the attachment module comes with a multitude of
companies on hand that have registered for interns with the university,
look into the companies to see if this resembles what you want to do
in the future. Pick a company of choice and work towards getting an
attachment there.

Make a spread-sheet
4 After all that checking, are you still doubtful over what to pick?
Make a spread-sheet detailing all the different faculties, modules,
course fees and career prospects. Listing out the pros and cons will help
you make a more informed decision. From there you will be able to
clearly see what the best choice can be for passion vs career/earnings
– after which a compromise or median can be ascertained for the best
of both worlds. Is there a way to turn your passion into a career? After
all, if you are passionate about your job – you’ll never work a day in
your life.

Make sure that it is your choice
5 Peer and familial pressure can play a part in your choice of major.
However, understand that it is ultimately your choice, and it will be
your career. Having a stellar career in engineering or law is great, but if
it is not your goal nor passion point – you risk being stuck in a job you
hate and stuck with for the foreseeable future.