I am in Grade 10, and very confused about which stream of education I should choose in college. I am scared I will make the wrong choice. Please guide me.~ Arpita Bera, Kolkata

Question

Accepted Answer

Dear Arpita,Entering college and making an educational choice for the first time can be overwhelming. It feels like a huge responsibility to take up for your choice. So some anxiety about it is normal.Choices for which stream of education to choose depend on various factors, but primarily start with a general inclination you may have for some field of study.  If you have a preference for more than one field of study, then comes the confusion and often our career choices are a blend of our interests and aptitudes.To assess our aptitude, we can either reflect on our past areas of success in our study life or seek guidance from professionals who can assess it through various aptitude tests.Once we have some direction based on our interests and aptitudes, we can shortlist a few career options and then sort them out systematically. Here are some pointers to help you go about the sorting process. i) In a quiet space, reflect deeply about what you have always seen yourself as in the future. Often, a recurring theme comes up that hints at a particular field. Sometimes in these reflections, we may come across a choice that resonates most with our interests and aptitude.ii) Meet and interact with people who are already studying or are working in the field of your choice. Often, they are able to give you a clear and realistic picture of the current scenario in our career choices. Also, they may be able to throw more light on what is needed from your end to make it in that field.iii) Look at the practicalities of the available resources or opportunities you have near you for the field of your choice. Despite having clarity about our interests and aptitudes, we need to look at practical information on where we can pursue our chosen field of study, the institutions available, the admission criteria, etc. These are also important points that affect our decision-making process. iv) Talk to your family about your choices and discuss with them the feasibility of pursuing your career choice.Once a thorough analysis of the choices is complete, one needs to have the confidence to make a choice and work towards it. Working in such a methodical manner reduces the possibility of making errors in our choices.

From Confusion to Clarity: Picking Your College Stream

Related Stories

Social Media Addiction

Social Media Addiction

Choosing Friends Without Losing Yourself

Balancing Tradition and Personal Growth