It is that time of the year again when matric students apply for places at university, colleges or prepare to work during their gap year so they can find out what it is that they truly want to do with their future. Parents are stressing as much as their kids are, hoping that the investments and sacrifices they have made for their child(ren) to get educated and finish school, finally pay off.
School learners are investing extra hours on their books and attending extra lessons in order to understand the work set out in the curriculum better, and that they actually learn at school in order for them to stand a better chance in doing well on exams or tests. It is very easy for a young and naive person to be stuck in the mindset of not feeling good enough or get depressed if they do not qualify for the course they wanted to do.
The truth of the matter is that we can't all be scientists, doctors, mathematicians and accountants. The grades you get at school tell you a story of how you will probably do at university with added pressure. They serve as a benchmark foundation to help people who do not necessarily know who they are, to determine whether they will survive or not in their chosen academic course.
The mistake a lot of people make is applying for degree courses only. Getting a Bachelors pass in matric doesn't mean you will necessarily get academic admission for the course you chose because of the competition you have.
Below are a few tips to help you stand a better chance of securing a place at university:
1. Apply for a degree course you want, and two diploma options as well.
2. Look at what you're currently doing well in at school and let that serve as your guideline.
3. Don't choose courses that you'd love to do but can't because of your current academic results.
4. Enquire about the courses you want. Get an idea of what you getting yourself into.
5. Be realistic.
It is very easy to get caught up in the hype of wanting to do things just to impress your family or to follow the crowd of friends you have. Nothing is more saddening than sitting in a lecture room one day and having to learn work that you didn't see yourself doing after high school.
It is okay to not know what you want to do with your future, but don't let it consume you to the point where it affects your school performance. The sky is the limit. Trust yourself and make yourself happy.
Good luck!