SPECIAL 2018

Course choice should reflect a distinctive process

IN today’s market driven economy, CAO applications are often used as a barometer to inform students about where the most likely career paths can be found. This stems from where skills shortages are most acute in our economy; a way of funnelling students to meet the economy’s needs, basically. In such a scenario, students often fall into the trap of choosing the wrong course because the environment they live in is guided by CAO application trends.

This will not apply to students who are focused on what they want to study, but it can be misleading to students who are not. The economy’s needs are not the same as a student’s needs. Keep this in mind. In short: beware enrolling in a course that you think is beneficial and opt instead for one you actually enjoy.

Society’s deciphering of CAO applications should never determine a student’s outlook. More importantly, ask what your CAO application tell us about you. Sounds a simple question, but it’s precisely you, and you alone, who gets to determine the future.

The debate over ‘what’s important to study’ is usually projected on the student by parents, guardians and friends who feel they are guiding them in the right direction. This is something to avoid.

We’re all individuals and we should follow what we love. Sometimes with college it’s better to have loved and lost in a subject than never having loved that subject to begin with!