How to Pick the Right Courses for Your Future

The main reason you're in school is to earn your degree, so picking the right courses at the right time and in the right order, is critical to your success.

To help you choose your courses, talk to your adviser. No matter how big or small your school is; you should have an adviser who helps make sure you are on track to earning your degree. Check in with them, no matter how sure you are about your choices. Not only does your adviser most likely need to sign off on your selections, but they can also help alert you to things you may not even have considered.

Make sure to balance your schedule and try not to set yourself up for failure by thinking you can handle more courses than you usually take. Make sure your schedule has varying levels of difficulty. If possible, vary subject matters so that you aren't using one part of your brain all day and choose courses with varying due dates for major projects and exams. When you choose courses, think about your learning style. If, for example, you learn better in the morning, you may want to schedule your more difficult courses for earlier and save electives for the afternoon or evening. See what options you have within a department or course section and pick something that matches best with your learning style.

Do you know of a professor in your department that you have heard has a great teaching style? See if you can take a course with them this semester, or if it would be better to wait until a later time. If you've found a professor with whom you intellectually click, taking another class with them can help you get to know them better and may lead to other things like research opportunities and letters of recommendation. If you're unfamiliar with professors on campus but know that you learn best from a professor’s particular teaching style, such as one who engages a class instead of one who only lectures, ask around and see what experience other students have had with various professors and their teaching styles.

Finally, when choosing classes, consider your work schedule and other commitments. If you know that you will need to have an on-campus job or need to do an internship for your major consider taking a class in the evenings. Planning around your commitments can help to reduce your stress level once the semester is well underway.

Choosing a College Major - Which Secondary School is Best for Your Son or Daughter

Many things have to be considered when it comes time to choose where your child will pursue their secondary education. While many factors are involved, one specific question must be answered first and foremost. What will be your child's intended field of study?

Choosing a Course of Study

It is not uncommon for high school seniors to be unsure what they want to study in college. Many students even change their majors after having completed some college coursework.

Parents, of course, who are typically footing the college expenses want to avoid major changeovers if possible. Why pay for courses toward a major only to have your student change their mind in mid-stream?

Selective Colleges for Specific Majors

One reason to give this decision a great deal of forethought is that every college does not offer every field of study. Another important factor is that some schools come highly recommended for specific majors. Some colleges tout business programs, others excel in medicine, and still others come highly recommended in the field of law.

If your college bound senior wants to study veterinary or forensic science, you'll discover that not every college offers these programs in their curriculum.

Better Safe than Sorry

Don't sweat it if your child is unsure. No two people are the same, and some students are quite sure what they want to pursue in college early on, while others may want to get their feet wet first and explore the available opportunities once in attendance. Either way is common and acceptable.

Here are some options to consider that might save money and aggravation until your student knows what they want to study.

1. Most freshman students start out taking basic college courses that apply to many majors. A college advisor can recommend the courses to take initially that apply toward the widest range of majors, such as English, Psychology, History, Math, Science, or Arts Electives. This will prevent valuable college funds from being spent on major specific courses that can be taken later.

2. Consider having your student take some courses at a local community college, possibly while still in high school or in the summer following graduation. This puts students in touch with their peers who are also making college decisions and with advisors and professors who can help guide them toward a specific program of interest.