A few of us, if we are lucky, find out what it is we want to do with our lives very early on. To have a vocation is a wonderful thing; it enables you to bypass the worry of what career to choose. Unfortunately, most of us, when we arrive at university have not thought much beyond the first year, let alone about our post university career. I will be looking at ways of telling whether you are on the right course, or whether you should consider a change.
Without a vocation or a coherent post university career plan, it is all the more important to get a good degree. These days anything below a 2:1 is not considered of any great value.
One of the main factors in obtaining a good degree is enjoyment of the course chosen. It is true that all learning is work, but to get a 2:1 or above I would suggest that enjoyment of the course is essential. A major factor in enjoyment of your course is a positive relationship with your tutors and the faculty. You will be spending the next three years with them, and they will be assessing your work, so a good relationship is vital.
Try and align your course as closely as you can to a long-standing interest you have. If you choose a law degree simply because you read somewhere that this will lead to high salary, then you will be making a mistake, and wasting your own and everybody else’s time.
Finally, in most universities, movement between courses and modules is relatively easy. You must however make sure you are in the correct school within the university. Take a look at the subjects you have been interested in over time and choose accordingly. For instance, if you have been an avid amateur chemist since you were a child, do not pick a course in the social sciences. Conversely, if you have always had a natural interest in what motivates people to behave in the way that they do, then a science degree is not for you.