Choosing the Wrong Course of Study
In your academic life, you have no worse feeling than realizing that you chose the wrong course. In other words, think about that situation in which you studied hard to pass the entrance examination, started the course in college, and for some reason, did not adapt. It is a mixture of frustration and discouragement because, in addition to having chosen the wrong course, you need to decide what to do from now on. Do not despair, as this problem is more common than it looks, and we are here to help you decide what to do.
Several signs indicate the choice of the wrong course. One of them occurred even before starting the course. That is, this situation is common with those people who have already started the course with some uncertainty about the area in question. Or with doubts about the job market. Or even if the chosen course would be a kind of profession of the future. After all, everything is changing very fast.
If you find yourself in this situation, know that you can turn what appears to be drama into an opportunity. There are several interesting paths to take if you chose the wrong course. So do not be discouraged and follow the tips of the post until the end.
1. Recognize that you chose the wrong course
First, you need to face the situation and recognize that you chose the wrong course. In many situations, the student ends up dragging the course to the limit of the unsustainable. This increases demotivation and also the response time to solve the problem. Second, there is nothing wrong with making a change, of course. After all, there is no point in having a diploma in hand and not feeling professionally fulfilled.
As we discussed in the opening of this post, there are many reasons for someone to realize that they chose the wrong course. One is not to be attracted by profession and, consequently, by the chosen course subjects. It is quite common to also lack information about that course before enrolling. In other words, you thought the course was one way, and it is another.
Another situation often encountered is the influence of close people, especially family members, when choosing the course. At this point, you should try to focus on your needs, not the expectations of others.
In short, if you think that abandoning the course and starting another is a sign of failure, you are wrong. This view is changing, and companies are seeing this attitude more positively. So much so that although you abandoned a course, you ended up studying chairs in that course and opened the horizon for new knowledge. In other words, leaving for another course, with more luggage, can become a more complete professional.
2. There is no time or date to change course
It is common to think about declining the change of course when two or three years have already been studied at that college. Is it still worth giving up? In this case, you should do a thorough analysis of the situation, mainly taking into account your goals and the intensity of dissatisfaction. In that case, it is necessary to stop to reassess.
Therefore, the first step is to recognize that you are not satisfied with the course. But, if you like the area, but not the course, you can stay in that field and just change course. A practical example is a student studying Journalism, in the field of communication, was dissatisfied, and decided to switch to advertising in the same area.
Or it may be that you are studying Civil Engineering, become discontented, and discover that engineering can go far beyond that area. In these two cases, you can still take the opportunity to validate similar course subjects. In this way, it is possible to shorten the completion time of the new faculty.
In that sense, don’t worry about factors like age or how far you are in the current course. If you are unhappy with your course, you need to change. After all, you must work in this area for a large part of your professional life.
3. Read the courses correctly
Before accepting that you chose the wrong course, seek in-depth information about your course and the area you are considering taking. This is because most of the courses start with basic subjects, that is, common in other colleges. It is quite common, for example, to find disciplines such as Portuguese, sociology, philosophy, calculus, research methodology, in many courses.
What does that mean? It means that your course’s essence will usually start with practical classes, from the middle to the front of the course. During this period, you will have access to the professional field experience and will have better conditions to decide whether to continue in this area. According to some psychologists, around 70% of students who do this in-depth analysis choose to continue in the current course.
In this sense, it is interesting to try to participate in your course activities beyond the classroom. Among them, research or extension groups, in addition to non-mandatory internships. Thus, you will observe the profession more clearly and broadly. Another interesting way is to talk to professionals who already work in this area. In other words, listen to their testimony about the profession and the job market.
4. Sciences or humanities: that is the question
Undergraduate courses are usually divided into two major areas: the pure sciences and the humanities. Why raise that question now? For a decision that helps in choosing the course or even changing course is the degree of affinity with the area of specialization. Think about it.
5. Reflection is the best way
We have highlighted some practical recommendations for you who are in this situation. Therefore, before locking your current course, it is important to follow these steps.
- Make a table with positive and negative points of your current course. Score each perception. If you find more negative points, it is a strong indication for change, of course.
- Identify the reasons why you are taking this course. What made you enroll in the current college. Was it pressure from the family, an opportunity, or was it their wish. If the answer contradicts your goals, it is another sign for a change, of course.
- Do not criticize only teachers and their class methodologies. In other words, the fact that you are not enjoying the course is not the teacher’s fault. On the other hand, evaluate the content of classes and subjects.
- Avoid making hasty decisions amid periods of strong emotions. If you go through this, try to calm down and go back to analyzing the situation at another time.
Did you choose the wrong course? Analyze the situation carefully!
Conclusion
As you can see in this post, it is very common to choose the wrong course and doubt which way to go. In short, do not make hasty decisions and do not afraid to move to another area after a thorough analysis of the situation. Your professional future depends on that important decision. So think about it a lot and seek support from people you trust.
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