How to Succeed At University--International Edition. Danton O'Day
secondary education. Not only are university graduates more employable, they also tend to earn higher wages and experience faster growth in earnings during their careers. What is the secret? Why are university graduates more employable? It’s not for the obvious reason that they have specialized in a particular area, but instead it appears to be due to their overall acquisition of valuable, transferable skills.
Your employer can teach you the specific skills that a job requires but cannot give you the broad, general education that you get in university. Your employer cannot take the time, and often doesn’t have the resources, to teach you how to develop your curiosity, imagination or logical thinking. Many students do not realize that their whole curriculum will develop these critical mental skills. It is important for you to take a variety of classes to maximally develop these skills. You should not fall into the trap of taking only job-oriented classes to the exclusion of subjects you enjoy. While you carry out your different responsibilities in each class, you will be developing a large number of transferable skills that employers need and want, such as decision making, interacting with others, organizing your time effectively and analyzing, articulating, collecting and synthesizing data.
The world is changing rapidly. What is unusual today will often be commonplace tomorrow. People who possess a wide range of the above-mentioned transferable skills are generally more able to adapt to these changes than those who have specialized in certain functions that may soon become obsolete.
As a student, you learn a diversity of skills regardless of your degree focus. Every student ultimately learns to set priorities, to develop time management skills and how to listen and respond appropriately. These and other skills that are learned are fundamental to most occupations.
Many career paths are not obvious, and some occupations may require additional qualifications. Once again, remember to keep your options open—just because you plan to study history doesn’t mean you have to work in a museum or library! By the same token, don’t panic if you think you won’t be able to find a position that matches your qualifications exactly. No matter what degree you hold, you can build a career in many different industries. Take advantage of the skills you acquire at university, not just the technical knowledge. Table 1.1 provides a very small sample of study areas, skills developed and careers to illustrate the diversity of options available.
As a final note, universities are generally not job-training schools. If you want job training, go to an institution that focuses on vocational education (e.g., trades school). Many university students never find jobs in the area they studied, but the skills they learn help them succeed in all the jobs they undertake.
Financing Your Education
Don’t let your lack of funds or your parents’ poor financial situation prevent you from furthering your education. There are many ways for you to augment your summer earnings to permit you to continue your studies. All universities have scholarship and bursary programmes and special student loans are also available. Scholarships are given to students with top grades while bursaries are given to good students on the basis of financial need. Some of these are awarded automatically based on your academic performance or household income, while others require submission of an application. Other criteria, such as your year of study or enrolment in a certain type of programme, may also apply for certain scholarships and bursaries. For example, entrance scholarships are only available to incoming students. Some universities also offer athletic awards, but this is most common in the United States. When available these can be full awards, or a “full ride” as some call it. More often athletic awards will cover a portion of university expenses (e.g., tuition).
If you are a poor student many of these funds will be inaccessible, but if you maintain good grades they will be available. Since there are lots of needy students who also have excellent marks, competition for application-based scholarships and bursaries is fierce. Many students select their university on the basis of the total amount of scholarships and bursaries it offers. Similar sources of revenue will help you through successive years at university. Check the university website to find out what funds are offered.
Government assistance in the form of grants, loans, bursaries and/or scholarships is also available. Grants provide money that does not have to be paid back, while loans have to be repaid. As with financial aid obtained through the university, different eligibility criteria may apply.
Did You Know?
Government-sponsored student loans are available in over seventy countries. They often have relatively low interest rates and a period in which interest does not accrue (such as during the study period and for a short time thereafter). Of course, the characteristics of different lending schemes can vary greatly by country and the type of loan.7
So do some research and find out what forms of government assistance are available in the country where you will be studying. A quick web search should get you on the right track. The relevant information may also be available through your university. One thing to remember is to apply early. If you are taking out a loan, try to anticipate your financial requirements and borrow only what you will need, knowing that some day that loan will come back to haunt you. Everyone hates paying back student loans, but many could never have attended university without them.
Did You Know?
Debt influences the academic decisions of students as well as their career choices after graduation. For example, indebted students are less likely to pursue employment in lower-paying fields, such as nonprofits or education.8
Once again, your university will have a large list of scholarships and bursaries that can usually be checked out online. The value of some of them may be comparatively small, but you should apply for any and all that you can. Why? Because every little bit helps. More importantly, you will list any awards that you receive on your resume or curriculum vitae. Over time the list may grow to be impressive. Getting one scholarship or financial award often leads to more scholarships since it is common for people to follow the crowd and award scholarships to those who have already received them.
Dropping Out Due to Financial Challenges
Opting out of university for financial reasons should only be considered when you’ve exhausted all other avenues. While watching your budget is one approach to keeping university costs down, for some this isn’t an option. Students who face financial difficulties can look to various sources of financial support. Awards, bursaries and scholarships, as noted elsewhere, are not just for brainiacs—many are available for students who aren’t at the top of their class. As mentioned previously, you should check out the awards specific to your university as well as financial aid offered by the government.
Did You Know?
One way students save money is by buying used books. Offers of used textbooks for sale are often posted around the university. Websites dedicated to exchanging textbooks also exist. Before buying a used textbook, check to see if it’s the same edition required for the class; university textbooks undergo frequent revisions. Depending on the amount of new content an older edition may still be acceptable, but you should confirm this with the