College students should be encouraged to pursue subjects that interest them rather than seek programs that promise entry into the job market

The basic requirement for success in any field is hard work and the determination to succeed. One gets the impetus for putting in sustained hard work if the work to be carried out interests him. An interest in one’s career related tasks would be able to generate the dedication that is required for success in his chosen field. A lawyer in a reputed firm may be able to earn a good salary by virtue of his being a successful lawyer. However, if he has no interest in either studying law or practicing law, then his future would be full of frustration and discontent as he would be carrying out his job related tasks half-heartedly. Therefore, it is in the interest of the college students that they should be encouraged to pursue subjects of their choice rather than forcing them to seek programs which would better their chances of getting lucrative jobs.

Parents start planning the careers of their children right from the time when their children are in kindergarten. Parents try to teach their children the skills that are necessary for them to excel in their lives. Seldom do the parents contemplate on the likes and dislikes of their children. The subjects that interest their children are generally ignored for want of seeing their children succeed in a lucrative career despite the fact that the child may neither have the aptitude nor the inclination to pursue studies related to that particular career. This ultimately would lead to frustration among young people who are forced to pursue careers that do not interest them.

Even if parents do not influence their children’s choice of career, the students themselves are in a dilemma as to what subjects they should choose in college. There is a lot of pressure due to the stiff competition in the job market. There are subjects like medicine, law, engineering etc. that can make them financially stable if they are able to succeed in a career related to that subject. On the other hand, there are subjects like fine arts, literature, physical education etc. which will probably not be able to help them get established in a well-paying career. Therefore, more often than not, college students suppress their inherent desires and they choose to opt for subjects that will help them pursue a career which may give them a false sense of success.

A student who chooses to pick a subject that does not interest him, may have immense difficulties in successfully completing his studies. He will have no reason to be attentive in the classroom and he may find it boring to study at home. This lack of interest may lead to a scenario wherein he is not able to pass with good grades. This would lead to his not being able to get a good job despite the fact that he chose a subject that could have led to a financially rewarding career. On the other hand, if he had chosen a subject that interested him, he could have studied with eagerness leading to academic excellence in that particular subject. He may not be able to get a job that pays him well, but he would be happy with his routine job which centers on a subject of his choice. A person who has a deep rooted interest in painting will never be able to succeed as a doctor. Even if he manages to complete his medical studies and becomes a doctor, he will never be satisfied with his job as he will always be trying to take out time for pursuing painting. This would seriously hamper his professional competence as a doctor.

In sum, it is advisable to strike a balance between your choice of subjects and career. College students should be advised to take up a subject that interests them. However, the onus of utilizing that subject for a rewarding career lies entirely with the students themselves. A little bit of entrepreneurship and imagination can make you succeed in a career related to any kind of subject. A person who is interested in becoming a good orator can study the skills of public speaking and become a motivational speaker, which is a thriving business today. Therefore, college students should be encouraged to study subjects of their choice as this would ensure that they are happy and satisfied with their respective careers later on in life.