regulars Don’t shift the uncertain to the back of your mind, thinking you can just face it when the time comes. The time is NOW! And the decision – conscious or not – to put your future on the backburner is fiercely misguided. As the numbers in enrollments for certain courses increase yearly, competition is rife, and going in last minute could very well burn you out or even cut you off in a time when you should be embracing all the possibilities that come with furthering your education. Our very own deputy editor discovered this when she got hands-on experience in late-application woes. Twenty-one-year-old Li’Tsoanelo had left her application to the last minute when applying at the University of the Western Cape. “The classes started the Monday, and I went in to apply the Friday,” she recalls. The course Li’Tsoanelo initially wanted to study was by that stage full, and she was turned away. Luckily she was saved by her outstanding grades. “One of the application officers saw I had matriculated with distinction and immediately placed me in another course.” Li’Tsoanelo might have gotten lucky getting a spot, but she still wasn’t able to study what she wanted and found it difficult to adjust to the concept of a new direction in her first year.
“Life is not the same anymore. My dream just vanished with thin air, and now I have to work so that I can take care of my family since I am now the breadwinner at home” Kulani Mathebula, a 20-year-old Unisa student from Johannesburg was not so lucky. Even though good in maths, she was an average ranking student in general. Kulani applied for a civil engineering course, something she really wanted to study, but due to waiting too long to apply she failed to get in. After long consideration with her uncle’s guidance, she then applied to Unisa, where she now studies accounting sciences. Despite having found a place in school, she is despondent in her studies.
PROS TO APPLYING EARLY - Gives you the best chance of succeeding in your career and life - First preference in your choice of course - Application and registration fees are cheaper - Lines are shorter - Admin is easier - Gives you more time to research what you want to study - Gets you on the list faster - When you apply early you’re exposed to/eligible for student funding - Gives you a chance to speak to the student adviser
“The application process was pretty straightforward and went quickly,” she says, referring to applying online at Unisa. “But this is not what I want to be doing, as I won’t use this when I finish my studies, even though there are jobs for the qualification.” Despite lacking enthusiasm for the course, Kuliani saw this was her only alternative to waiting a year to reapply, as she wanted to study something and didn’t see a gap year as an option. Though they didn’t get to study what they wanted, both Li’Tsoanelo and Kuliani managed to make a plan. Not everyone is so lucky. “I always dreamed of becoming a Quantity Survey, but that all changed when I applied late for tertiary studies,’’ recalls 28-year-old Sam Mhlanjwa, who currently works as a security guard in Cape Town. “I’m now stuck in a job I never intended doing, I have to grab anything that comes my way in order to make a living,” explained Sam, who is trying to save for studies but is losing hope with each passing year.
“Secure yourself a place in any tertiary institution, do not make the same mistake I did and end up as a security guy instead of becoming what you dreamed” “Growing up in the rural area where I matriculated, we had no access to the different choices and any form of information. Life is not the same anymore. My dream just vanished with thin air, and now I have to work so that I can take care of my family since I am now the breadwinner at home,” says Sam, who struggles to make ends meet and is worried that he may just be a security guard for the rest of his life. Sam advised young people to apply early: “Secure yourself a place in any tertiary institution, do not make the same mistake I did and end up as a security guy instead of becoming what you dreamed.” Whatever you decide to study, first you must be accepted. So if you are keen on giving your future a chance, the time to apply is now! Make your move and assure your place today. Once you’ve faced the music you might find the beat makes you move, giving you a new swagger fit for a fresh-faced resident.
CONS
TO LATE APPLICATION
- You might never again have the opportunity to continue your education! MORE INFO
Call centre helpline: 0860 111 673 Email: help@careerhelp.org.za Sms/text: 072 204 5056 Website: www.careerhelp.org.za
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