Advtech : How to make the right study choices

​https://www.mosselbayadvertiser.com/News/Article/National/how-to-make-the-right-study-choices-20180119

NATIONAL NEWS - Many prospective students heading off to higher education for the first time might feel uncertain about their chosen course or institution.

An education expert says this anxiety is normal, but advises students to investigate all their options now and change course right away if necessary, as this could prevent a costly dropout at a later stage.

Dr Felicity Coughlan, director of The Independent Institute of Education, says learners often enrol at the same institutions as their friends, or decide on their course based on pressure and expectations from others - and for stronger students, there is often added pressure to pursue a traditional degree at a traditional institution.

'SA's first year dropout rate is significant, but at an individual level, this costly outcome could in many instances have been avoided if prospective students took more time to ensure they investigated all offerings in terms of institutions and qualifications,' says Dr Coughlan.

She says it is often the case that learners apply for the same qualifications or at the same institutions as their friends, opt for a standard three-year degree without knowing much about what it entails, or decide on their course because of pressure and expectations from others.

'There is so much research evidence that success in the first year requires that students are doing something that has meaning to them and not just what they have always been expected to do.

So if there is any chance that there is a better fit available, even at this late stage, we encourage students and their families to make the move now.

This applies equally to high- performing students who are often the ones who have the most choices and yet still find themselves doing something they do not actually want to do or being somewhere that does not match their personal needs.'

The pressure - particularly for strong students - to pursue a traditional degree at a traditional institution is very strong.

Now that they have their excellent results in their hands, those with an interest in a career-focused professional qualification such as accounting, law or teaching, or whose interests lie in a new and exciting career path such as brand management, digital marketing, network engineering, game design and development, and application and cloud development, should take this last opportunity to confirm that they are making the right choices for themselves.

This means looking beyond the public system too.

'Private higher education is increasingly becoming the study route of choice, in line with international trends, for students who want quality workplace-oriented and recognised qualifications, niche degrees, smaller class sizes and modern campuses.'

Coughlan points out that because South Africa has a single quality assurance system and one National Qualifications Framework, any institution offering a registered and accredited qualification - whether public or private - is offering a qualification of equal standing, which means prospective students may have many more exciting options than they may have realised.

Coughlan says choices about tertiary education must be based on a thorough assessment of the fit between personal aspiration, circumstances and the institutional choices available.

And if a prospective student is already having second thoughts, the time to reassess is now, while there is still time.

'Ultimately, matrics should honestly determine whether they are excited about the degree they are soon to embark on, and that they are signed up with a higher education institution that will give them what they need.

'If the answers are not resoundingly yes and yes, the following weeks are the opportune time to investigate all options and change direction before it is too late.'