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On Choosing Universities: Majors First
Photo by Sebastián León Prado via Unsplash
By Rebecca Isjwara
When choosing universities, it is easy to be drawn into the romantic side of things,
such as wanting to live in a dream destination, or being sold by the university name and ranks.
However, the process is more complicated than that.
Given that you will spend a considerable number of years ahead being completely engrossed in the subject of your choice and will have that degree for life, it is important that you spend that time to take in something that really benefits and suits you.
The most important thing is to determine what you want to study first.
Different universities and countries offer a different range of specialised subjects, so deciding what major you want is important. This could be done through several ways.
The simplest method is by figuring out what you want to be in the future. If a degree could help you be qualified for the job of your dreams, then you’re all set with an answer.
An alternative method is figuring out what skills you need in order to build the future of your dreams. If you need a lot of marketing skills to get the word out about the product of your dreams, then you should take a business degree, or at least, go to a university that offers a business minor or a short course on that.
If you are really lost on what you want to be in the future, go with your gut and choose what field you are most passionate about. Chances are, it might blossom into careers or jobs you didn't know existed prior to your studies.
Once you have figured out what you want to study, you can look at what universities, institutions, or countries that are known for that specific area.
You can easily look up “top 5 universities that offer a neuroscience undergraduate degree”. If you are more career oriented, you could look at “5 countries to work in that have advanced robotic industries” and pick out universities located there. If you study in your location of interest, chances are, you’d be able to secure an internship or a job pretty easily.
Find the list of universities in Europe here.
If you are lost on how to start looking for universities that offer your intended program, ehef.id has a feature that is built just for this purpose!
When you sign up for an account, there is a questionnaire in the “profiling” menu option that will generate 3 majors/areas of interest that our system deem is fit for you. After reviewing your results, you could corroborate those with your past experiences and see if they match, or if you are on track to a major you did not even consider before.
If you would like to know more about how to choose the best university for you, including choosing which major, we have a comprehensive article here. It outlines how to first discover your areas of interest, determining locations, and also how to compare institutions to make sure that you are getting what you hope would be the stepping stone to your bright future!
