Once again a new batch of Senior High School students have completed the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and most of them are hoping to get a degree in one of the nation’s universities. Picking a degree in a field may not necessarily mean you have to work in that field, but it plays a huge role in determining that career. Here are five (5) tips to guide you in choosing a degree in a Ghanaian university.

1. Do Not Panic. Yes, it is very important that you stay calm when making such an important decision. Do not feel pressured to pick degrees you are unlikely to complete successfully. The choices your peers are making is not necessarily the right one for you. Take your time, talk to your parents/guardians to set you in the right frame of mind to begin your quest.

2. Evaluate Your Interests and Skills. No matter what degree you are going to pursue, your success in it will depend on you. You have to perform a thorough and honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses, what you’re good at and what you don’t do so well in. This will help you pick the degree which would be best suited to you.

3. Think of Careers You Would Like to Pursue. The field you pursue a degree in may not necessarily be the field you eventually build a career in. That notwithstanding, it makes sense to have a career in mind when you are picking a degree. Identify role models and find out how they built their careers, it might give you an insight into what you need to do.

4. Get a Prospectus. Before applying for a degree visit the websites of the universities you wish to apply to and view their prospectus. This contains all the degrees they offer and the entry requirements they have. With this guide you cannot only see the full range of options you have, but also the likelihood of your admission based on your grades.

5. Explore Alternatives. Most universities give you at most three degree options to pick from. The key is not only to pick in order of preference, but from the most competitive to the least competitive. Be sure to explore as many universities as possible, most have websites you can find from a simple search in an internet search engine.

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