YAISHWARYAJ: Tough Choices: Subjected to a Dilemma

Lately, hordes of secondary school and college students have been approaching me with their parents to discuss the subjects they should opt for at O Level/Matriculation and A Levels/Intermediate. They muse over their future career paths and reflect on the possibilities of landing prestigious, well-paid jobs. Most of the students enter my office with a degree of uncertainty and baffled countenance, producing a long list of subjects, faculties and departments they have to choose from.

To all the young students confronted with the tough decision of making subject choices at this transformational stage of their life, here are a few things worth remembering and considering while deciding your faculties.

Subjects you enjoy

In high school, selecting the subjects you enjoy will help you in the long term as you will do incredibly well at them and attain the best results. It's about finding the subjects you are passionate about and then endeavoring to excel in them. For example, if you like learning about the human body, gravitational forces and chemicals, Science is the best option. However, if you are the type who likes to read novels and write stories, subjects like English Literature, Sociology and Psychology are going to benefit you tremendously. Such subjects will bring forth your strengths, capabilities and are very likely to provide you with the qualifications required for your future ambitions.

Later, when you are applying for your undergraduate degree, you can decide if you prefer learning the same subjects or different ones. But be careful as at times it becomes difficult to switch between faculties because a few require prerequisite subjects, e.g., Biology is needed for medicine and Mathematics with Physics and Chemistry for engineering fields.

For undergraduates and postgraduates, the subject choices become slightly concentrated, as you embark on specialising in one faculty; however studying a variety of subjects as your electives to enhance your understanding and gaining exposure is a wise notion.

Keep your options open

It is a tad ambitious to presume that secondary school and college students will know what they want to become in the future. Furthermore, pressurising them and compelling them to opt for subjects their siblings or parents studied is definitely a prejudice. Every individual is different, and so are his interests, academic strengths, learning styles and aspirations. Your eldest child may be good at Mathematics, but the youngest might be good at painting while doing miserably in other subjects. Therefore, it is advisable to keep the subject options open in secondary school and college.

Choosing a combination of hard subjects (Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Biology) with soft subjects (Performing Arts, Media Studies, Business Studies, English Literature and Accounting) will greatly assist the students in deciding the careers they wish to pursue. For example, learning Physics and Chemistry with Sociology and Psychology, or Additional Mathematics and Accounting, or Environmental Management and World History, or English Literature, Media Studies, etc., will give students a holistic overview of the professions related to each subject, clarifying many misconceptions and helping them evaluate the related professions.

Research subjects that interest you

Before you are ready to join college, you will need time to carefully think and plan your studies, so that you have some idea of where you are headed. Thus, it is pertinent to do some background research about the subjects you're opting for in college, so you know what your future may look like. For example, by picking Mathematics, Accounting, Physics and Chemistry in A Levels, you can seek admission in engineering colleges or simply shift to Business or Accountancy Institutes (by virtue of Accounts and Mathematics).

Alternatively, opting for Pre-Medical in Intermediate opens a gateway for MBBS, but also leads to numerous Biology-related fields like Biotechnology, Food and Nutrition, Human Genetics, Forensic Science, Microbiological Sciences, etc. It is advisable to think beyond the conventional professions related to Science subjects as countless new and innovative fields are sprouting, which are unsaturated and yet unexplored in Pakistan.

The bigger picture

It is also advisable to study a variety of hard and soft subjects in secondary school and college mainly because of the rapidly-changing job market. Excelling in hard subjects may help you obtain an interview call, but to get and keep the job, one needs to have some knowledge of the soft subjects, too. These subjects help an individual develop and enhance creativity, soft skills and simply equip him/her with diversified knowledge. Besides, by the time you graduate from college and step into the job market, there will be many vacancies waiting, not necessarily in your preferred field, but the jobs which will earn you a handsome living and you will be tempted to apply.

Avoid choosing subjects because of …

Peer pressure: Use your grey cells to think about what you wish to do in life. Develop objectives and goals and set forth to accomplish them. Following the crowd will not lead you anywhere.
Remember, once the school/college/university time finishes, most of your friends will no longer be there for you. They will have their own lives so cease jumping on the bandwagon.

Siblings/parents did it: Our society generally consists of followers. Therefore our younger generation tends to do the same and follow suit, which is good in some cases, but not always. Millennial generation needs to decide what they wish to study, be it photography, performing arts, project management or film studies. These are some of the budding fields in Pakistan and professionals/experts are badly needed.

Level of difficulty: Never think that a subject is difficult or else you will unconsciously block your mind from understanding its dynamics. Try doing it to the best of your capabilities and if required, seek extra help from your teachers, parents and siblings.

About the author: Mariam Naeem Khan is a career adviser at a local institution.

Source: http://dawn.com/2013/05/19/tough-choices-subjected-to-a-dilemma/