“What uni degree should I do?”

As a recent school graduate, choosing a university degree might seem like the biggest decision of your life.

However, it doesn’t have to be a daunting process.

Simply, follow these five steps on how to choose a uni degree that’s right for you.

Step 1: Know your career path

Before you make a definitive university degree decision, you should first make sure that you know the most suitable career path for your dream job.

In order to decide on the most suitable career pathway, you should understand your strengths and your personality type.

If you’re still tossing up between career paths, you might find these three helpful career selection tips beneficial.

Step 2: Do your research

The educational institute nearest to your house won’t always offer the best course for your career path.

When weighing up a university’s suitability to your career path, you should look into student success rates and whether students had positive experiences and gained employable skills.

Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) is a great platform for providing indicators of:

• Student experiences
• Graduate employment
• Graduate satisfaction
• Employer satisfaction

You should also discuss your options with a trusted mentor, teacher, family member or friend to better inform your career path decisions.

Step 3: Check the entrance requirements

Have you satisfied all of the course prerequisites?

For certain courses at certain universities, you will have to have completed advanced subjects at school like advanced mathematics or physics.

If you have not satisfied the prerequisite subjects, this does not mean that you cannot study this course. 

It just means you might have to complete a bridging course or undertake additional studies before you may be eligible to enrol in your chosen course.

It is also important to understand that even if you have satisfied the entrance requirements, acceptance is not guaranteed.

Many school leavers and mature-aged students compete every year to secure acceptance in their chosen university.

So it is important to research all of your options and prioritise your courses as best as possible.

Don’t stress if you don’t get your first preferred course, you might be eligible to transfer later on.

Step 4: Consider the university campus and travel distance

Many students will agree that the further you have to commute to university, the less time you have to study and work on assignments.

Whether you choose to study in an institution near your home, or you have found a more suitable course further away, it might be best to consider on-campus living.

You should discuss your options with your family to work out the most suitable study options available.

Step 5: Understand course fees

Understanding your chosen university course fees can seem daunting at first.

You should be able to find course fee information for each course on their respective website. 

Compare course prices and payment options, so you know you can afford your chosen course, or whether you might want to consider your options.

Start your career journey today

The more information you learn about potential study options, the better prepared you will be to achieve your end goal.

So, now that you are fully equipped with the five steps to help you choose the right university degree for you, get started on working towards your dream job!