4 Questions to ask yourself when choosing a college program!
So, you want to go to college but maybe you’re a little overwhelmed by the options and the idea of choosing something specific. Some people know exactly what they want to do, and that’s great, but many of us struggle in figuring out what we want to study and work at in the future. If you’re one of those people (I definitely was, and let’s be honest still kind of am) we have some questions that might just help you figure out what you want to do next and what areas you should look at when selecting a college program.
What do you like to do?
Think about your favourite subjects in school or work/ volunteer experiences you have really enjoyed. What do you love learning about? What do you want to know more about? What would get you excited to enter the workforce?
When you’re selecting a college program you want to find something that ticks those boxes so that you’re motivated to keep going and learning. If you’re not interested in something before you even get started it’s going to be a big struggle to motivate yourself through your program.
What are you good at?
Take some time to identify your strengths. Try out career quizzes, talk to guidance counsellors, teachers, friends, and family; the people around you can help you identify where you really shine and can offer up suggestions of areas you might want to pursue.
If you’re having trouble with this take some time to try new things; join clubs, get a part-time job, volunteer, try new hobbies or activities and see if anything comes really easily or if there is something that you really enjoy doing.
What would you like to do in the future?
Do you have a clear vision of what you want to do? Stellar, that can really help you focus on finding the perfect program to get you there! Not completely sure what you want to do in the future? That’s completely okay (I’m not sure either). You don’t have to know what you want to do for the rest of your life, or even five years from now, but think about what you would be happy doing for the next year in school and then what you think would make you happy to do the year after. You are not stuck in one job or career forever, and with most programs they can open a wide variety of doors that can offer you lots of opportunities to explore.
If you are interested in applying to Algonquin College but want some career guidance and support selecting a program, the college offers Career Advising Meetups for prospective students.
What kind of potential is there in this area of study once you graduate?
You want to be thinking about what happens after college when you’re selecting a program, that’s the whole point, right? Explore what the job market looks like and what kind of career opportunities and earnings potential could be available after you graduate. Do those things sound interesting to you? Does this align with your goals for the future? Many college program websites will offer up some information about what areas of work their graduates have gone into after graduation, check those out and make sure it’s a good fit for you.
For more information on college programs available in Ontario, check out the Ontario Colleges website. For more information on programs available at Algonquin College, head over to the programs page.
