Tips to follow before choosing a College program
Some say that deciding which career path to take is one of the first decisions of adulthood. Thinking about what you are going to do in the future so far ahead can be scary, but don’t worry, we have selected a few points that will help you make a more informed decision about your college choice!
At Algonquin we offer counselling for prospective and current students. David Glickman is one of the counsellors at the College and helped us putting some tips together:
1 – Explore career options
Let your interests, questions and curiosity guide you. Some great ways to explore an interest you have can be volunteering, shadowing workers in different areas or even taking a class in a program. That way you are able to get more information about that program and test it out to see if the path really fits you. Click to hear more about how to explore career options.
2 – Bust myths
“You only have one chance of picking a career” – A lot of young people say that they want to pick a career for the rest of their lives. Glickman says statistically that is not the way it works for most people. Plan for the first years of you career.
“I want to have a guaranteed job” – Some people whose parents have had the same jobs for over 20 years say that this is what they want for themselves. No program will give you that guaranteed job for the rest of your lives and that is ok!
3 – Stay Connected
If you are not ready to pick a full-time program, don’t get disconnected with the College. You can take a few classes or even enroll in a part-time program. Experiment within the College environment and most important, come to our open houses! And here is a hot tip for you: at Algonquin you can book a session with a counselor that will help you look at career and program options.
4 – Get information about the College
If you have 2 or 3 colleges in mind, do your research about them; what they offer, their programs etc. That will help you make a more informed decision of where you want to study. And again, one more reason to go to open houses! Here is where you can find out more about Algonquin College programs.
5 – Get to know yourself
When choosing a career path, it is important to take into consideration the person who you are, your personality, your preferences. Think about your skills, values and non-negotiables. This video will help you make a self-assessment.
