We are living in a world where we are faced with choices every day. It’s nearly impossible to say how many decisions we make day-to-day but a Google search shows that an adult makes about 35,000 remotely conscious decisions over a 24-hour period, while a child makes only about 3,000.
Your brain makes dozens of decisions every single second through chemical reactions. Decisions are made based on brain development, experiences, and activity and can include a multitude of choices about:
- what to eat
- what to wear
- what to purchase
- what to say and how we going to say it
- who to spend our time with
- what jobs and career choices we will pursue
Each choice carries certain consequences – good and bad.
The problem is that when we make choices, there is inevitably someone who will want to add their advice to a prospective choice which can make it harder to reach a final decision.
Here are some simple steps when thinking about choosing a college or course online and planning your career:
- Reputation of the college. Always try to gauge the reputation of the college. Investigate their partnerships and relationships which have been established over the years. Investigate any student recommendations which may exist along with any other online reviews.
- Accreditation. A good college should be registered and accredited with a governing body. This accreditation ensures that the standard of education meets an acceptable level of quality.
- Cost of the course. Make sure that the cost of the course is in line with others offering a similar qualification. You don’t want to be paying too much, as you are not paying an expensive price for the course.
- Up to date online courses. Ensure that the course you want to study is the most recent, up to date version, nobody wants to be learning stale material.
- Mentor support. Studying online can be quite an isolated experience so check to see if the college offers online or mentor support. Having a supportive mentor will help to keep you on track with your coursework. They can also inspire and motivate you.
- What is the completion rate? It’s always wise to check out the completion or retention rate for each college as this is a good factor in determining whether they are committed to their students. A high retention rate usually implies that students are engaged with the course, which is a great reflection on the college itself.
Choosing the right college is probably one of the most important decisions you will ever make, so choose carefully and wisely. Remember your career choice should make you happy until you retire. Retirement age is creeping up higher and higher, so think carefully before you make your final decision.
Remember there are three things you can’t recover in life, the word after it’s said, the moment after it’s missed, and the time after it’s gone. That’s why you need to make a well thought out informed decision. Our career officers will be happy to give you free career advice online.
Gerhard Kock
