How to Choose the Right Education Program for You

Are you looking to engage in further study? Perhaps you've just graduated from your senior year of high school, and you're considering college applications. Or maybe you've been in the workforce for a while and are looking to upskill with further qualifications. Whatever the case, you've made your way to this corner of the web, where we'll discuss how to choose the right education program for you. 

From nursing and medicine to some general tips, this article will share everything you need to consider when pursuing higher education.

Become a Nurse or Midwife Through Education 

There's something highly noble about choosing nursing as a career pathway: caring for sick and vulnerable American citizens for your living. Midwives are responsible for caring for pregnant women and helping to deliver babies. Nurses and midwives are highly regarded professions in this country, and you won't be ashamed to disclose what you do for work at a dinner party or other social event, unlike some other careers. 

For most of these roles, you'll need an undergraduate bachelor's qualification to start with, but you can work up to a master's in some cases. If you're thinking about nursing, joining a course with CCNE accreditation could better set you up for success further down your career pathway, and midwives can benefit from advanced degrees and certificates as well. 

Study Medicine 

If you're drawn to helping people but would rather become a doctor than a nurse, then a career in medicine might be right for you. You'll undergo extensive training in order to become a doctor, whether you want to be a primary care physician or undergo more education to become a specialist. 

When choosing a medical undergraduate program, you might factor in things such as the location of the college and whether or not the course is online, in-person, or hybrid. 

Study Online or In Person?

You'll likely be faced with the option of either online or in-person qualifications, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw many colleges pivot to an online model of degree delivery. You may be wondering which type of learning is the right upskill path for you to take.

To begin with, we'll detail some key differences between online and traditional, on-campus learning. This should help you get a good, clear picture of what to expect from each modality.

Both online and in-person modes of study provide identical academic outcomes and career opportunities, and both methods go through a strenuous accreditation process that ensures that colleges provide high-quality education with proven outcomes for students. You will wind up with the same degree on paper, regardless of the mode of study. In addition, the coursework is typically identical for each modality, as are the subjects and topics, and the assignments, tests, and exams for students are the same in most cases. For some tertiary institutions, the same faculty members teach both the on-campus and the online courses. 

However, a key point of difference is that online degrees can comprise asynchronous tutorial classes, which means that students can access class materials digitally on their own time when it suits them, with a firm deadline for submitting work. Often, online students must attend live online classes held via Zoom or another video platform once a week or so in order to pass. Whereas an in-person degree may have set in-person classes multiple times weekly that all students must attend a certain percentage of to pass.

Both modes have benefits, with online learning being cheaper and more accessible, and allowing flexibility and control in how and when you study. In-person learning can be more rigid, but you will benefit from the in-person discussion and collaboration with other students and the faculty. 

Some General Tips on Choosing the Right Education Pathway

Now, we'll share some general tips on choosing the right course of study for you and your circumstances. 

Follow Your Interests and Passion

When it comes time to pick your education pathway, you should have a firm idea of your priorities for study. For instance, you might have your mind and heart set on a particular career option, so choosing a course that offers a pathway into that career would make sense for you. You'll also want to consider other aspects such as pay rates, job benefits, and how in-demand that profession is. 

For example, if you want to enter a highly saturated profession, you'll need to consider whether you'll be good enough to stand out from the crowd. For instance, the legal sector, IT, sales, and marketing are highly saturated sectors, where you'll need some serious talent, skill, performance, and credentials to stand out and carve a successful career for yourself. 

Or, you may want to follow a lifelong passion or interest, and perhaps the joy of studying, discovering new things, and learning about your passion topic is enough to influence your decision on a course. For instance, some people have a keen interest in history, and others in literature, economics, or art. You could choose a course that will ignite your passion, allow you to immerse yourself in a lifelong obsession, and forge a career in a space that is close to your heart. 

Work Towards Your Strengths 

Understanding your unique strengths and what you excel at is an excellent method to determine what is significant to study. 

For instance, if you are good with numbers, have an analytical brain, and love problem-solving and puzzles, then a course such as mathematics, data science, commerce, or economics might be the best bet. If you're creative and open-minded, then design, marketing, or writing might be a better choice for you. You can always choose to study an elective you are interested in on top of your major, but that might not be your strong suit, so give this careful consideration. 

It's worth sitting down with a pen and paper or your computer and writing down your strengths. This self-assessment will help to guide you in choosing a course to study, as you can map out what you're good at and then plan accordingly. 

Consider Taking a Double Major

This option is not for the faint-hearted or the meek, but if you're confident you can fulfil the required credits for a double major course, you could set yourself up well for life. This will be challenging, depending on the two majors you choose. However, there may also be overlap, such as if you study management and law, design and marketing, or economics and commerce. 

To decide if a double major is right for you, you should know about your future career prospects and personal goals. You should also ensure you really want to immerse yourself in both subjects, as you'll have less time for other academic pursuits and fun activities or extracurricular leisure things like sports, parties, or gaming. 

This article has shared tips on how to choose the right education pathway, from nursing and medicine to general tips on choosing the correct course and mode of study to suit you and your interests.