By now, many of you high school students who are hoping to transition headed off to university or college this September would have already sent in your applications to the various institutions. If you have not figured out what you want to do for the rest of your life (or at least when you have finished college) it may be hard to decide on the programme you want to pursue. Some students even end up switching programmes after starting college. Some, like teenAGE vice-president Gabriel McDowell (GM), do so even in their final year of a programme.

teenAGE (TA): What programme did you apply to when you were in high school?GM: I applied for the Bachelor of Science in mathematics.

TA: Why did you choose that programme?GM: I have an appreciation for numbers.

TA: Why did you switch programmes, and in your final year?GM: I realised that the lifestyle that the programme required of me was too much. I was not able to balance the number of hours required to master each concept. It would not allow me to enjoy other important aspects of my life.

TA: How is the programme you’re doing now better?GM:  I not only enjoy my current program more, it has been very helpful in my business ventures. I am a young foreign currency trader and plus I intend to start a company in real estate in the future. So for me, doing economics has given me additional perspectives to consider.

Taking a step back and assessing the pros and cons of a degree programme is important. It allows you to not just “get a degree for a degree’s sake” but to do a programme that is all-round rewarding. Luckily, it was not too late for Gabrielle to do just that.

Other students come to college with the intention of switching programmes in their second year. Oftentimes they do this because they were not accepted to do the programme of their first choice. This highlights the reason it is so important for students to do research before-hand on the subjects and grades that are required for entry into the programmes they really want to pursue.

Lastly, another popular reason students switch programmes is because of money (or a lack thereof). Howayne Brown, another UWI student, told teenAGE that he was studying Gender and Social Policies when he started university, even though what he wanted to do was law. Not having the money at first to do so, he had to choose a more affordable programme. In his second year he switched to law, having accumulated enough resources to pursue the degree.

What all this said, much preparation must go into financing college. In fact, financial preparation is so important that it is recommended that funds be put away for college the minute one begins high school.

Hope this information helps you to choose and prepare for your ideal degree programme!