Pulling A Tebow in University: Not that Difficult
Many people were stunned to hear that famed football star Tim Tebow recently signed a contract to play professional baseball. After so many years of making headlines as a quarterback, it’ll take some adjustment to start thinking of the one-time Heisman Trophy winner as a player for the New York Mets. It is a major career change, after all.
Several students often start off high school thinking they want to pursue one field, and may end up changing their minds once they get to the college or university level. Since most grade 9 and 10 students are taking the same courses (with the exception of a couple of arts credits), they all seem streamlined in one pathway. Once grade 11 hits, students have more freedom to select courses that will destine them for science, business, humanities and other very distinct fields.
Students who are aiming to pursue a career in medicine or engineering will undoubtedly elect to take physics, chemistry, and biology. Grade 12 level prerequisites in these fields are required for entry into university programs majoring in these subjects. The leap between high school and university is so steep; however, that many first year students come to the realization that they no longer have the same drive and passion for these subjects as they did before. This often results in a switching of majors.
This isn’t as uncommon or as drastic of a change as some of you may think. It is estimated that more than 50% of students will change their majors at least once during their undergraduate education. Making such a change is not as difficult as it seems.
The main challenge is first ensuring that one is eligible to switch into their desired program in the first place. For example, a student who is a biology major most likely took mostly science based courses in high school. If this student wants to transition to accounting, he or she must have an accounting credit that was completed in secondary school. What are the chances that a student who was bound for science has already completed a credit in accounting?
Students in this situation need not worry. They can complete the required prerequisite courses during the summer before they are poised to begin their new program. At Grade Learning, we offer a variety of high school level courses for credit that students can complete to set them on their new path. In person, students can elect to take courses one on one or in small groups (of up to a maximum of 5) students. Alternatively, students may choose to take courses online, so that they can complete the assigned work at their own pace without having to set aside time to attend class. With such convenient options that place students at the center of their own learning, they can easily achieve their desired goal and master the subject material at a level that corresponds with what is expected of them at the postsecondary level.
If you, like Tebow, are thinking that perhaps you are satisfied with your progress in your current field so far and would like a change of scenery, do not hesitate to venture out. There are always options feasible and available to those willing to step out on a limb.
Debika Thiruchelvam is the online biology and English teacher at Grade Learning. She has a passion for science and literature and hopes to instill an appreciation for both in her students through the emphasis of inquiry and creativity in her teaching.
