Our Children with the magic lamp genie

After graduating from high school, not only did I know precisely what I wanted to study in college, but I also knew which university I wanted to attend. For me, it all ran like clockwork. As a result, I assumed that everyone felt the same way. To tell you the truth, it isn't, and this is what I discovered later on. During my studies at college, I met many friends who were running to the kiosk to make their choices. Many others change their major from one to another, and some even more than once.

When the time came for my children to choose a major in college, I felt the pressure. It's not something you want to have to go through. My children' interests grew with them as they explored many hobbies. They liked assembling electrical circuits, creating original pieces of artwork (which they still have), and engaging with their mechanics set. Gardening was a hobby they enjoyed too. They accomplished much more, and did it well, but thus far all they have done is something, and choosing a university major is something entirely different. Obviously, the second is more critical for the rest of their lives.

I tried hopelessly to offer assistance to my children. No matter what, they feel more accepting of what they read on social media and hear from their friends. They spent hours jumping from one site to another to catch any useful information to help them decide what to choose.

This is ironic, given the wealth of information available. Students could compare majors based on factors such as the average starting salary after graduation, potential companies nearby to join, and the type of activities to perform after being hired. In addition, many websites provide such basic information to students. It is particularly strange not to use this data to make sophisticated comparisons.

We still haven't mastered how to help our students choose the best universities. Despite parents' deep interest in guiding their children to choose the best university major and the number of websites available to help, our children's decision quality is still either poor or poorly structured. Selection still depends on the student's pure opinion. Bear in mind that the students at that age do not know their personalities very well. Not only that, but they lack market knowledge and job obligations following graduation.

In my opinion, we will not be able to ensure the correct selection of a major by our students without solving the following three problems: The first problem is figuring out the student's personality and matching it to the few jobs that will be available in the future. I once saw a student who chose media and journalism despite never having written or read a newspaper. How will such a student even feel about what he studies? That guy barely finished his study with a very low score. I suggest all high schools run all students through a thorough personality check and provide the outcome data to the students and their parents.

The second problem that we need to solve is knowing the jobs in the market and the future trends of such jobs. One student I knew graduated from college despite the fact that the market for such a major is oversaturated. He spent years after graduation looking for a job and could not find one. Such a step should not be left to the students to decide, but to the students, their parents, and representatives from local universities to raise the students' knowledge regarding the current and future market needs.

The third problem we need to solve is giving the student detailed information about what they will face in their future jobs. I have attended some of the events that used to be done, and you could barely find participants from companies with much experience providing real information and showcasing it to young students. The majority of the representatives at these events are from universities that have not yet entered the market.

The fourth problem we need to solve is how to extend our university's responsibility to provide deeper support to our students and guide them to choose the correct major during their college studies. One of my colleagues changed his major four times. The support he got from the university was very minimal. While looking for someone to help him choose a major, the university left him to decide.

All of these are, again, easier said than done. I penned these lines to make parents, teachers, and colleges aware of a difficult experience every student must eventually face. This reminds me of the legend of the genie in the lamp, and the one wish he requests his master to make. His future rests on the fulfillment of this wish.