Monday, May 12, 2008

A Question of Choice

As my regular readers already know, my youngest and only daughter has graduated and she's going to college when school opens in June. Even before her graduation, I have been asking her what course she wants to take, but she merely shrugged her shoulders and say she hasn't decided yet. But last week, when enrollment started and her high school friends called her up so they could enroll together, she suddenly decided she'll take up Psychology. The decision was made while she was on her way to a hasty shower!


Weeks of asking and suggesting did nothing for her to make a choice. Her father called to say that it is best for her to take up Industrial Engineering and my eldest son agreed. My second son said that what really fits for her would be Veterinary Medicine because she really loves dogs and cats (she fears anything that creeps!). The third son said she should take up Accountancy and proceed to Law because she has a good analytical mind and she'll surely be a good lawyer. While I suggested that it would be good for her to take up Medical Technology because she came from a science-based high school. She listened but she did not decide.


How could a sixteen-year-old decide what she wants to do with her life? Seriously?


I'm beginning to think that our educational system is just too fast. In other countries, kids start college when they're eighteen, which I think is a good enough age to consider them eligible in matters of choosing their careers. At eighteen, they would have gone through the normal fun-filled teenagers' life.


My sons started college when they were sixteen too. And look at them now! My eldest has not graduated yet because he said he really wants to be a nurse. The second also took up engineering but shifted to Information Technology on his second year. The third again took up engineering but shifted to Accountancy and thinking again to shift to Education, majoring in Special Education. And I'm afraid that my daughter will do the same although she is more mature than her brothers were at her age now. But what can I do? She seems to have made her choice.


I just hope that she has made the right decision.

10 comments:

HEALTH NUT WANNABEE MOM said...

I agree that sixteen is a young age to decide. I spent my entire college years unsure of what I wanted (I think I still am not sure and I'm 39!). I flip flopped from one major to the next and finally went with communications b/c it seemed broad and very little of my detested math. Good luck to them all.

Barry said...

Yeah, 16 is awfully young to make those decisions. Fortunately, most kids eventually grow up and can make good with all sorts of degrees.

earthlingorgeous said...

Yeah I agree, seriously, our educational system here in the Philippines is not enough to prepare our youngs with what they want to do in their life. There are those who mature fast but not the majority so some take up course just for the hype of it, some because they want to belong etc. Take up a course because they don't want to stop schooling because others would think low of them.

The fast educational system we have here in Philippines suits our needs though as a country, we are just preparing people on the work force or just so they can reach the age they can go to work, take up any work they like, usually requirement is 18 y.o. and at least 2nd year college.

But, anywho, best of luck to your daughter, Psyche is a good course if she wanted to be an HR or somewhere in special education or cunsultancy. :)

The_Sphinx's World said...

hello gorgeous,

thank you once again for sharing. I think we are on the verge of adapting the western culture, wherein teen-agers seem to think that they can already work and leave school when they reach eighteen. Call centers have opened this opportunity and this may be one reason why so many students have dropped out of school because they can already earn big with a second-year-level of education.

For us parents, we would rather see them finish their degree before working, but if you force them, the result is not good.

Unknown said...

I had the same problem too when time came to choose what course to take. I am just not sure at that age what I want to be.I also shifted from one course to another while in college...i agree 16 is just too young.

Good luck to your daughter in entering this new world.

off topic: Palawan is truly beautiful. You should visit sometime!

The_Sphinx's World said...

As a matter of fact, I did shifted from Medical Technology to a Bachelors degree, major in English. I hope the Department of Education could come up with a more effective educational system.

(off topic: I really wish I could but I just don't have the time yet. Maybe, in the near future. hope you had a wonderful vacation.)

Anonymous said...

It is really tough. My 18 year old daughter - and only daughter is graduating HS this year and too is off to college. And even at 18 is not quite sure where she wants to go with er life. I am happy that she DOES want to go to college and further her education. I will be next to her and behind her or in front leading the way for her - no matter what she decides whe wants to do...

Because she will be the best she can be - just like your little girl will be!

Benny
www.ya-ttitude.com

David Tamayo said...

Everybody is a result of the decisions that we make. We as parents have the privilege of experience which, in our minds at least, makes us authorities on guiding our children over potential speed-bumps that we may ourselves been tripped by. That is why we get so frustrated when our kids do not eat up our little pearls of wisdom. The basic tenet here is that if you pay for the education, you have the say. Completion of a course with a future, in your humble opinion, is now compulsory. I have told my kids that if they can achieve perfect grades and have several offers of full scholarships, I will support their choice of academic study because they will have proven their inherent maturity that I would have to respect. At this age your kids are still, to a large degree, still a product of the decisions that you make. Just one dads opinion. Take care.

The_Sphinx's World said...

I hope so too, Ben. Us parents can go as far as we can in supporting them in whatever choices they make. I hope they both could achieve their goals.

The_Sphinx's World said...

My husband said that we both have to be firm with them, and tell them to finish their degrees. I talked with my boys and they promised they will enroll, BUT they will keep on working too. This way, it would take them longer to finish college but at least they haven't really abandoned it.