Course and university selection

[EEEEEEP]

Choosing an university
Since the exams are nearing the end, there is no doubt that some of you will be considering  changing your preferences around or courses. One important part of that is the university.

1. Visit universities
Attend open days for universities. Link >> http://www.gooduniversitiesguide.com.au/Open-days
Attending open days for universities, will allow you to see services and facilities available, attend information sesions, talk to staff and explore campus areas.

2. Research universities online
> Visit official university sites to see what their focus is on, as well as their strategy
> Read up on reviews about universities.

https://universityreviews.com.au/australian-rankings/by-subject/
> Good site that lists the top 3 universities for the said faculties in Australia
> CLICK on a subject to view which university has the best graduate incomes

https://universityreviews.com.au/list-of-universities/
> Good site to view any universities, top 5 subjects (on the right hand side after clicking on the universities

http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2016
> Good site to view world rankings, academic rep, employer rep

**University rankings change depend on different ranking sites**

3. Ask around
Speak to friends, peers and relatives who have attended that university. Ask around on online forums that have a university section (aka AN).
At the minimum, speak to a few people so that you have varying opinions that you can put together.
..........

What to look around for:
- Rankings, How universities rank within the world  and in Australia? (determined by academic rep, employer rep, and more)
- Teacher to student ratio, How many students that are taught by each teacher? (Less students per teacher = more attention)
- Graduate salaries, How much graduates make upon finding a grad job
- Location, How close is it to the central CBD? (quite important if you intend to work)
- Percentage of grads that find employment.
- Facilities, What sort of facilities are there? Modern, new?
- Teaching quality, How good is the quality of teaching? This is not very accurate as teachers  and lectureres may change over time. 
- Specialties, What is the university best at teaching?
- Academic reputation, Where is the best work taking place?
- Employer reputation, which universities that employers identify as having the best grads?

[jamonwindeyer]

Awesome guide! For some further reading to anyone interested, here is an article written by literally lauren earlier this year

[EEEEEEP]

The most important question of all for someone finishing year 12..

SHould you study a degree which aligns with your passion, but doesn't have much employability? (e.g. philosophy, arts, womens studies, sociology)

OR

Should you study a degree that will get you a job? (e.g. IT, commerce, business, law)

**People may find a degree which has high employability that they are passionate about, but this post is for more polarised people (where certain passions are not in high demand by employers**
......................................
The case for a degree with less employability
It is difficult to find employment in any industry, so why not do something you love? Well the prospects are unrealisstic. Even if the prospects are unrealistic, there is still a chance that you will make it big or find a job that you love.

Additionally, if you love something, you'll likely excel at it and will be able to work with your strengths (and may even be your own employer).

You will also gain lots of job satisfaction and motivation as you are doing something, which you have an intrinsic interest towards. Think of the people that do volunteering work and are always smiling.

**While it may not happen to everyone, you may lose a passion for something when it becomes a career. WHen something becomes a career, it becomes a responsibility of life (in that sense), and that energy you once had may die. When that happens, you are quite limited in what you can do, if you do lose that much motivation or do not ever find it back again.**

Pros
> Happiness
> Satisfaction
> Content with life

Cons
> Lack of jobs
> Lots of uncertainity
> Limited career progression
...........................
The case for a degree with employability
There are a few points:
> Financial feasibility- University degrees cost a lot, and for some (they need to pay upfront). It is important that they are able to repay back their loans.  Even if one does not need to pay upfront, money that is invested in a long term investment (degree), should reap it's returns.

> Unrealistic - Some degrees do lead to jobs that are low in supply. E.g. sociologists, historians, artists, journalists etc. For some, they may not end up finding their dream job due to the level of competition for such little positions. On seek.com, there are hundreds of  people vowing for a tiny number of positions.

> Personal strengths - Sometimes it is important to work with your personal strengths, as it makes things easier for you in the long run.



Pros
> Financial benefits
> MAny Job opportunities
> Less uncertainity

Cons
> Monotonous
> Unfurfilling (maybe)
..........................................................

Conclusion
Some people choose passion, most choose employability. Though there is no right answer, most of the time reality will point you towards employability. Employability will ensure that you have a stable income, but it won't ensure happiness in the long run (most people that do a job for money are not satisfied with it at all.