Stepping into college and getting a degree is one of the most important chapters of your life because it will be the real beginning of creating the future that you want for yourself. However, many of us still haven’t figured it out. In fact, three out of five high school graduates don’t really know what degree to pursue.
You already know that you want to pursue a bachelor of science degree, but little did you know that you also need to decide on a major to focus on. So, how exactly do you make that choice?
Think about the things that you’re most interested in.
A bachelor of science degree opens up various career paths and growth opportunities. You can pursue physics, marine biology, chemistry, data science, and even geology. To narrow down your options and make your decision a lot easier, it’s best to focus on what you’re most interested in. For instance, if you’re interested in the study of the earth’s composition, then you can take up geology. On the other hand, if you’re curious about the evolution of data throughout the years, you can take up data science as your major.
Think about your priorities.
Your college major will play a crucial role in your future career, so it only makes sense that you consider your priorities when making that decision. In fact, you should go back to your goals and how you want to achieve them with the help of your college degree. For instance, if you know that your strength and interest lie in the study of marine life, then it’s easy to pursue marine biology. On the other hand, if you want to go for a job that will pay you the most, then it would be smart to take the direction of being a data scientist, where you have the potential to earn at least AUD117,000 annually.
Think about the time you’re willing to spend in school.
Once you start exploring your options, you’ll be overwhelmed with the number of majors that you can choose from. So one of the best ways to narrow down your options is to determine how much time you’re willing to allocate for school. Some students don’t mind spending up to four years in college, while others want to go for two-year courses that will allow them to get a job fast. Again, go back to your goals and decide whether you want to stay longer in school or you want something that’s shorter.
Think about your commitment to school.
Students have different circumstances after graduating from high school. Some are privileged enough to be able to enrol in college with the help of their parents or through a loan, while others need to apply for a job to support their studies. If you belong to the latter, you need to consider how much you can commit to studying, so it’s easier to decide on a major that would fit your circumstances. Bigger majors like geology, data science and marine biology have long course requirements, a lot of homework and field exposures, and more frequent exams. Now if you’re willing to commit to this workload, then it’s easy to decide on these majors for your bachelor of science degrees. But if you can’t, then you can always choose simpler majors and just take up another major when you have more time.
Think about your budget.
We all know that getting a degree in Australia can be quite expensive. But for sure, you’ll also agree that this is a worthwhile investment if you want to build a strong career. If you have a tight budget and you don’t want to be buried by very expensive student loans, then it’s very important to consider how much you can afford when choosing a bachelor of science major since some are more expensive than others. But you’ll be glad to know that if you have a full-time study load, you can get an annual Commonwealth Supported Fee of at least AUD8,710. You can also apply for scholarships and fee deferrals to lower down your tuition fees significantly. Don’t be afraid to ask your institution of choice about these options to know exactly how much you need to spend to finish your degree.
Getting that bachelor of science degree requires a lot of hard work, long nights, and resources. But if you commit to it, you’ll surely enjoy a long and fruitful career in the future.
