Choosing the Right Hospitality Course in South Africa

Deciding what to do after you leave high school can be really tough. Some people are lucky and know exactly where they want to go and what they want to do. Others are faced with sleepless nights, tossing and turning over which course they want to take and whether or not this is the right plan for them. Below are a few tips that will prove useful to anyone who finds themself in such a position.

• What?

It is of utmost importance to make sure that the course of study chosen is one that you will enjoy. This will help to keep your levels of motivation up throughout the course, as the idea of the final outcome is something to look forward to, whether it’s a career in surgery or hotel management.

• Where?

Choosing an institution that you think you will be happy in is just as important as choosing one with a good reputation. Considering the department, lecturers and programmes are all important factors in making the decision regarding which environment suits you best. For example, if you want to get your international hospitality management degree, you need to consider which institutions provide practical experience and are recognised overseas.

• How?

One of the most difficult aspects of furthering one’s education is figuring out how to fund it. The cost of tertiary education has shot up drastically in the past few years, with the average undergraduate degree now costing roughly R80 000. Student loans, bank loans and part-time jobs are most definitely options that need to be considered.

• When?

One of the biggest mistakes that school-leavers make is thinking that they have to go and study straight away. Some people need to take a year or two’s gap between Grade 12 and 1^st year. This allows them to gain some perspective and decide whether or not they are going into the right field of study. Furthermore, it gives them time to earn some money in a part or full-time job, helping them to reduce the financial pressures that first year can bring.

Too many people leave too much riding on the fact that they will figure out which career path they are best suited to on their first attempt. What is important to remember is that universities and colleges can generally be very flexible and accommodating with students who wish to change direction at a later stage (with a few exceptions, depending on how big the change is.). Stressing about the initial decision will only lead to panic and irrational thought, causing many people to choose a path that they are simply unhappy with.

Original Source: How 2