Specialization in high school?
With the college admissions process for rising seniors in the United States well underway, many prospective students are conducting extensive research on deciding which major to pursue.
While American students struggle to choose a major even in their latter years of college, students in other countries begin the process much earlier through a specialized course of study in high school.
While American students struggle to choose a major even in their latter years of college, students in other countries begin the process much earlier through a specialized course of study in high school.
Many European education systems are career-focused. These systems are based on the belief that declaring a major prior to entering high school prepares teenagers for their future careers by allowing them to take subjects that correspond with that major. Doing so also personalizes their learning experience to ensure engaged and passionate students. This early-action plan also allows students to attend whichever college corresponds to their major after graduating from high school.
These education systems could create the ideal student and work environment, but drawbacks arise.
For one, the economy is constantly changing, so jobs that exist today may not exist a decade from now. Such a strict system prevents students who will major in obsolete jobs from having a backup plan.
But it’s more than just logistics. The students themselves present problems.
At 13 or 14 years old, they still struggle to pick out what to wear to school or even what to eat for lunch. That being said, how can their schools expect them to be mature enough to make one of the most crucial decisions of their lives?
Also, students at these ages are heavily influenced by their peers and family. There’s already enough pressure as is in declaring a major, and such external sources may drive students to choose a major to fit in or to conform to what others want for them. After all, they just became teens and only now have begun to learn how to think for themselves.
High school is about experimentation and figuring out what students like and don’t like by taking different courses. The rigidity of the European systems limits students’ freedom to explore their interests. The emphasis on declaring a major so early teaches students that they must stick to what they choose, thus boxing them in and confining them to a singular subject and career path.
These education systems could create the ideal student and work environment, but drawbacks arise.
For one, the economy is constantly changing, so jobs that exist today may not exist a decade from now. Such a strict system prevents students who will major in obsolete jobs from having a backup plan.
But it’s more than just logistics. The students themselves present problems.
At 13 or 14 years old, they still struggle to pick out what to wear to school or even what to eat for lunch. That being said, how can their schools expect them to be mature enough to make one of the most crucial decisions of their lives?
Also, students at these ages are heavily influenced by their peers and family. There’s already enough pressure as is in declaring a major, and such external sources may drive students to choose a major to fit in or to conform to what others want for them. After all, they just became teens and only now have begun to learn how to think for themselves.
High school is about experimentation and figuring out what students like and don’t like by taking different courses. The rigidity of the European systems limits students’ freedom to explore their interests. The emphasis on declaring a major so early teaches students that they must stick to what they choose, thus boxing them in and confining them to a singular subject and career path.