Preparing for college part 6
A mother wrote to me: “I have three children that will go to college in the next few years. I want them to study something that has good future such as technology and science. What do I need to prepare them to pursue careers in these areas and how do I select a university that is best for them? Please advice.
Answer: Before your children go to university, there are several things that you can do to prepare them for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Since this is a big area with many fields of study to chose, both you and your children need to determine which field would fit them best. You should encourage your children to read about career paths, employment trends, market needs, global needs, and local companies’ needs, as well as what types of degree is required (Bachelor, Master or Ph.D etc.) for those positions and which universities offer these degrees. This will set the direction for your children about their future careers.
Once they have some ideas on what to study, the next step would be to encourage them to learn as much as they can about the field that they have selected and to build a foundation for it. Just like building a house, the taller the house, the better its foundation must be, so they may need to take additional trainings in science and math to prepare for their studying later. By doing that, it will help them to determine if they really enjoy the subject or not. It also gives them advantage over others when they go to university.
You should also encourage them to read as much as they can as reading is a skill that not many students have today. Reading opens their minds to new things, new concepts, and new ideas and builds a broader and deeper knowledge that will distinguish them from others. Today the Internet has help million of students to explore new technology subjects that may not be available in their schools. There are thousands of tutorial websites and trainings available that they can learn from. The Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) from top universities such as Stanford, Harvard, MIT, and others are great sources that they should access and learn without paying anything. Of course, they must know English as most of these courses are taught in English. This is also an opportunity for them to improve their listening skills in English. By participate in student online networks or technical chat rooms; they can keep in touch with other students who are also interested in STEM areas.
Not all universities are the same. Many are good but some are not. Selecting a university is an important decision that can determine your children’s future. Before selecting which university to attend, you and your children need to visit some of the universities, talk to school administrators, advisors, career counselors to learn more about their trainings, what they can offer for your children. A better way is to talk with students who are enrolled in that field and ask their opinions on their career paths. Most students will give honest opinions about the school, the training and their advices could be valuable in helping your children to make decision. Another important factor is to see whether students graduating from that university are getting jobs in the field that your children want to study.
If you, or your family, knows someone who works in STEM areas such as engineers, scientists, or medical professionals then have them talk to your children. Maybe they could mentor them or give them advices to their career. Regardless of whatever field your children choose, it is always a good idea to talk with people who are already working in the field to find out what they do, and see if it might be the right field for your children.
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
