Going to college will mark the beginning of your adult life. It is an important part of your professional career, and will probably have a role in your personal development too. When choosing a programme, you will likely search online for information about different universities. But what will help you best to find the right degree programme? Here are 5 ways to feel confident about your final decision.

Make a list of programmes that don't appeal to you

Making a list of programmes that do not suit you may seem unnecessary, but it can make all the difference - especially if you feel overwhelmed by all your options. Think about it: if you're not interested in a specific field, you will probably not end up working there either. However, it does say something about you. Try to end up with as many programmes you can think of and ask yourself: why don't they appeal to you? Although you will not opt for them, they do tell you much about your ideal degree programme! 

Write up your strength and weaknesses

Now that you know what you do not want, it's time to specifically search for what you do want. Write up your strengths and weaknesses, things you like to do in your free time and find out what is important to you when choosing a study. Are you very passionate about sustainability and making a difference in the world? Then Campus Fryslân is a very good option :) But if you are more interested in art and literature then a different study may be better. If you really don’t know what to search for, you can take a study personality test to find out which degree programme suits you best. Another tip is to ask your family and friends how they see you and which programme they think will be the right choice for you. 

Compare degree programmes

When you have a clearer vision on your interests and what kind of future you want, you can start by searching for a few programmes that fit with your wishes. Compare them and weigh the pros against the cons. In this phase of finding the right degree programme you can also take a look at ratings, location and search for reviews of the university or programme

Visit events 

You now have a list of potential degree programmes but what do you do now? Well, you need to get a taste of what the programmes are like! Try to visit as many events as possible. This is important because when you meet a programme on site, you can speak to people who have a lot of knowledge about it. Sometimes you come to a place and you have this instant feeling that this is where you want to be. If you don't have that feeling, that is fine too, you will then need to ask yourself why it is so.

Allow yourself to 'just' decide

This may sound contradictory: finding the best fitted degree programme, by 'just' deciding for one? But let's not get confused here. You are probably bombarded with options, opinions and possible outcomes that you want to take into consideration. Combined with potential financial consequences, you may feel pressured to make all the right decisions at the very first try. But what is 'right'? Ask your parents if they foresaw their career path the way it went, and they will probably say 'no'. Are they regretting it? Probably not. Life unfolds while it happens, even though you make your decisions consciously. So if you have a list of things that seem suitable to your preferences: it's more important to 'just decide' and enjoy the journey, than to in advance stress about 'what else could be'.

  
If you trust your gut, and take one step at a time, you will see that your right programme will eventually be visible. Enjoy the ride!