It is true that like every student you look forward to life after high school but what you don’t know is that more challenges still litter your path. The first one comes immediately you pass out of your 12th as you have to make a career choice.
Momentous Life Decision
Whether you finished from the sciences stream or humanities stream this decision is not an easy one. The consequences of your choice will live with your forever and this calls for more thought about what you really want to do. So, what are the immediate options open for you?
- Plan, Plan and Plan
It might sound like an obvious step but research by National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) shows over 67% of students make decision without prior thought. You have to sit back and think about your abilities, limitations, and opportunities available in areas you are interested in, availability of your course, financial capability and future aspirations among other factors.
- Stick with Your Stream
Most students feel that their streams limit their chances in taking choosing careers. However, remember this stream was chosen because you are strong in these subjects which automatically lead to specific careers. Before changing your stream consider the available options; for instance:
- Sciences stream with PCM can lead to engineering courses, technology, architecture, pure sciences degrees among many others.
- Sciences with PCB can lead to MBBS, allied medical fields such as veterinary, dentistry among, biochemistry among others.
- Commerce can help get B. Com, Economics honors among others.
- Humanities enable you to take a BA in your subject and later move to professional courses.
- Face the Entrance Exam
There is increasing competition for courses in India and most colleges offer entrance exams which you can take to take the career of your choice. If you look forward to engineering courses, law, you just need to apply for the exam and prepare to take it successfully.
- Go Professional
You can start specializing early by going for a professional course such as law, management, and journalism among others. Acing these entrance exams requires a lot of prior preparation with some like medicine starting after the 10th. The fact that they are administered by professional bodies in respective fields makes this option a viable career choice.
- Vocational Courses
It is true that everyone wants to join college and take a glamorous course but the reality on the ground is different. Not everyone can make it past the entrance exams and with so much competition it is good to look at vocational courses which today form part of the larger employee population.
If identifying your abilities is proving to be the problem you can opt for an aptitude test as the first step in knowing what to do. A good career assessment from a professional is also important to guide you through the labyrinth of careers.
There are so many questions whose answers you need before making this career choice and indeed the answers are there if you take time to research. Whatever option you think is best for you, never rush this decision because you will have to live by the consequences.
