Advancing To Your Dream: The Future Isn't Set In Stone

Maybe it's because you’ve had parents who have pushed you into taking education more seriously than the other kids or simply want to mould you into something they want you to do. Regardless, all too often youngsters start to believe that their future is set in stone and that their decisions taken when they were young will be permanent and irreversible. This isn’t just not the case, but it's cruel to even believe that about yourself. Education is a wonderful journey of humankind, not just a few years of turning up to a classroom. If you’re wondering what your options are because you’re either looking for something different than academia or want to chase your dreams despite not achieving what you’d hope in exam results, there’s hope on the horizon. Looking at the landscape of what route you can chase, you’d be a fool not to take advantage of the scope of activities other than just education.

Do books have all the answers?

The short answer is no. Say for example you want to be a marine biologist and all you’ve been told about are the university courses you have to do, it can feel limiting. There’s nothing quite like the hands-on experience so if you want to get ahead of your classmates, look for a program that allows students a year or so off via field experience leave. This is an internship-style of avenue whereby you can join real teams of professionals in your line of work. So instead of reading about marine life, you can actually go out and get involved in research programs and government-sponsored programs as well. This kind of route can be done for most subjects so ask one of your lecturers and do some online digging.

Healthcare and all As

There's a myth in society that you need all A grades to go to a medical school and begin your journey into the healthcare industry to become a doctor. This is nonsense, as companies that teach and train the next generation of doctors to know that one set of exams won’t and shouldn’t determine what you’re capable of. Even if you have mcat scores that leave more to be desired, this doesn’t mean it's the end of your dream. You will have to present your scores regardless, but some schools will have staff that know nurturing you is far better than doubting you before you have had a chance to prove yourself. The admissions process is approached from a holistic standpoint, so your dedication and determination will also be factored into account.

Get extra credit

Advancing toward your dream job cannot only be done by leaping into the books, but you also have to get up and show you’re serious about your intended profession. Volunteering and spending your free time getting involved in activities that would support your claim toward a course, degree or career would greatly benefit your chances of being accepted. Whether it's voluntary or with an organized business, doing something in the particular industry you want to enter will also give you the experience of the real world you need.  

There are countless ways you can creep toward your dream without being a straight-A student. What you need to do is a little extra, but you’ll solidify your chances if get some experience, push forward with a course anyway and consider internships.