College Course Choices and their Financial Implications
It’s sometimes hard enough for college-bound teenagers to choose a course that they’re interested in, without also having to consider the financial implications of their chosen field of study - will they end up with a job at the end of it, and will they earn enough to pay off their college debt? If you are a parent of a college-bound child and want your son or daughter to avoid the fate of being a highly qualified dishwasher, there are a few ways you can help them out:
- Help them get sufficient information on job prospects related to particular college courses while they’re making their decision. Technical fields like computing, health care and engineering offer degrees most related to future work and currently, most likely to have your child end up with a job. Obviously, a drama major will have a lot more trouble. Help your children understand the financial implications of their choice.
- Suggest that they study in two areas if they have a particular passion for something that is less likely to lead to a job. For example, take music courses as well as economics or computing; or do a dual degree with a practical back-up for a less practical choice. Success at college is much more likely if a student is studying something that they enjoy, so be careful not to push your child into something they’re really not interested in.
- Encourage them to get work experience in the area while they’re still at college. This is especially important for areas where graduate employment is less lucrative.
photo credit: steakpinball
This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 12th, 2008 at 3:27 am and is filed under College and Education. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
