KOMATIPOORT – We’ve almost reached the halfway mark of the year and grade nine will soon have to decide which subjects they’ll take for the rest of their high school career.
Nola Payne from the Independent Institute of Education says it is an exceptionally difficult choice to make and that many factors need to be taken into consideration. The subjects pupils choose to study for the last three years of high school will have an impact on the qualifications they have access to, as well as the careers they will be able to follow.
She recommends following a few simple guidelines to make the process easier:
• Know what you want to study? Start looking at entrance requirements.
If you have decided on your future career, start browsing websites of colleges and universities to see what you need to do to be accepted and make sure you choose your subjects accordingly. It is important to look at various institutions and courses in the field you would like to enter and give yourself a few options to consider.
• Do not have a clue what you want to do? Give yourself some options.
If you still haven’t decided what career you’d like to follow, choose the subject combinations that will give you the most options, such as maths and science. If those subjects give you nightmares, consider focusing on just one. Payne says maths literacy should only be considered as a last resort.
• Think about what makes you happy.
Consider the subjects you currently have and decide which ones interest you the most. Research how they relate to the working world and the career you are interested in and see what options they give you.
• Stick with what you are good at.
Choose at least two subjects in which you can do really well. Admission to higher education is performance-based, so it makes sense to do very well in some subjects rather than badly in all of them because you chose only gateway subjects.
• Have confidence in yourself.
Are you worried about bad marks and not getting into university after school? Remember that the National Senior Certificate has four levels of pass. If you do not get a degree pass, you can still qualify for a diploma or higher certificate. These two are vocationally or career-focused and could give you access to the working world straight away, with options to study for a degree later. Public and private FET Colleges and starting your own business are also good options.
“The key to making the best subject choices for your future self is to ensure you do your research thoroughly, and at a comfortable pace so you don’t have to rush the decision. Do not leave it until the end of the year, when you might be tempted to just tick the same boxes your friends are ticking, and in the process set yourself up for frustration and disappointment,” says Payne.
