Choosing a career path can be a challenging decision as it can shape your future. It is essential to consider your interests, skills, values, and personality before making a decision. You can also consider the job market and the demand for specific careers.
However, amidst this abundance of information, a fundamental question arises: is there such a thing as a definitive “best” decision? Each individual’s journey is unique, and what may be the perfect fit for one person could be entirely different for another.
Our aim as a school is to ensure that our students are well-prepared and capable of making informed decisions about their future, while also equipping them to handle the demands of university life.
We also strive to empower our students by providing them with the necessary tools to make informed career decisions, valuable skills, and increased readiness for the labour market.
We asked six of our Class of 2023 graduates how they decided on their career path.
Their answers can be precious advice for their younger colleagues and good insights for any career guidance advisors.
We also asked them about the guidance they received in choosing their career paths and how the Careers Education, Information, Advice, and Guidance team supported them during the college application process and we are happy to share their responses with everyone!
With continuous room for growth, our graduates generously share advice with their peers who are catching up, guiding them on how to prepare for this crucial decision in their lives.
We extend our congratulations to the Class of 2023 for their achievements and wish them the best of luck in their university endeavours!
Avenor: How did you decide on a career path? What informed your choices?
Alexandra: I always liked drawing and arts, but at the same time, I was into sciences and maths. I think architecture is the perfect mix between the two domains, so this is why I chose it.
What makes a top choice university for you?
Alexandra: I was looking for a university which offered scholarships, worked with well-known companies, had a practical approach to learning and teaching and also a university which offered exchange programs.
What advice would you give to younger high school students?
Alexandra: Do not look at university applications as something terrifying. The admission officers from universities are very friendly and responsive and they wish to help you as much as possible.
Also, attend online open days and q&a sessions to understand better the university you wish to attend and find out whether it’s the right fit for you.
On the other hand, in the beginning, I worked with a university consultant. From my point of view, it is not worth the money and time to hire a consultant. All of the information I got from them I already knew from the university admission officers or from the internet. All of the needed information can be easily accessed by anyone. However, if you are applying to the USA or the UK, where there is a lot of paperwork to be done, it could be a good idea to get a consultant. Lastly, the process is not as complicated as it looks and everything sorts out in the end if you are dedicated to the process. You will receive the same amount you put in.
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Avenor: How did you decide on a career path? What informed your choices?
Andrei:I just started to really think about what subjects I liked in school and those I didn’t. I wanted to keep pursuing the subjects I enjoyed and was good at, such as Business and Economics. High school is the perfect time to understand your strengths and interests. Experimenting with your subjects is perfect here. Initially, I thought I liked Computer Science, but the programming aspect wasn’t for me.
What makes a top choice university for you?
Andrei: Esade is my top choice for university. One of the things I did early on is visit the campus in person. I got a chance to experience the environment and see the facilities, as well as meet students and professors. I liked how Esade could support your business ideas and development, with advertising resources. The ranking of the university was also important for me as well as the employability prospects after I finish. Esade is currently ranked amongst the top business schools in Europe, and this is part of the appeal.
How important is the support of a Career Team during the college application process?
Andrei: The Avenor’s Career Team was very supportive throughout the application process, they stayed in touch with the university and helped with the admission process. Choosing the university was something personal for me which I pursued independently, but when it came to the admissions process, it helped to have the Career team on side and they were close and communicated with me often.
What advice would you give to younger high school students?
Andrei: Try to prepare for entrance exams and A levels in due time. Try to start earlier rather than later, especially if you have some free time. I visited almost all the prospective universities I was interested in and I would encourage you to do the same, because it can give you a good idea if a university is the right fit. The main idea is don’t waste time, because it can have negative consequences for your future.
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Avenor: How did you decide on a career path? What informed your choices?
Ece: It was already set from the beginning: I wanted to study law since Grade 6, and in the meantime in Grade 9 and 10, I explored different options and subjects I enjoyed. Ultimately, I always returned to law. It was an intuitive thing: I enjoyed reading about legislation, thinking critically, applying critical thinking to written analysis and debating my findings.
What makes a top choice university for you?
Ece: For me, the big question was: ‘Where would I enjoy being and studying?’ Tilburg University was the top choice for me, because their global law programme offered the study of different legal systems and many aspects of the legal system, which makes it a flexible degree programme. I had the opportunity to speak to a third year student, and the social culture of the university as well as the programme, and that confirmed my decision to make it my first choice.
How important is the support of a Career Team during the college application process?
Ece: The Avenor Career Team helped me at the start, when I was trying to discover where I could study in English and where the course was a good fit. They also helped to sort out the paperwork and logistics of applying for CAO (Ireland). For the Netherlands, I’m sure they will help with the final documents needed to be posted!
The internship at KPMG was very helpful for me too, as it gave me a clear picture of what kind of legal environment I would like to work in.
What advice would you give to younger high school students?
Ece: Try to get IELTS and extra-curricular projects done in Grade 11 to avoid having to add to Grade 12 stress. Try to get paperwork and everything done early! Make sure to choose a country, city, and university that’s a good fit for you. Dutch universities do not offer dorms so make sure you know what services you can go to for housing.
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Avenor: How did you decide on a career path? What informed your choices?
Ilinca: For me it was also clear from a young age what my interests were. I direct my focus and academic attention in domains and subjects I was passionate about and interested in. It’s important to enjoy what you do and for me, debate club and my internships really consolidated my intention to study law. The internships, in particular, were really an eye opening experience that helped me see what a career in law looked like.
What makes a top choice university for you?
Ilinca: The course itself is what makes a top choice university. You have to find your course intriguing and engaging and it must make you want to study law for three years. Queen Mary, University of London, is my top choice university: the fact that it had a wide range of optional modules to choose from, such as the law emerging from the Nuremberg Trials, immediately sparked my interest because I studied the Holocaust for A level History. The location was also an important factor for me: London also offers a lot of opportunities for internships and networking. London is also an international city and this is a good fit for me, as I’m looking to build a career in a very international field.
How important is the support of a Career Team during the college application process?
Ilinca: My counsellor was helpful by offering ample feedback on my personal statement and ensuring that everything was in place. Broadly speaking, the Career Team helped me profoundly by offering the internship experience which introduced me to the corporate world and both internships were a close fit with my interests. I learnt a lot about legal departments and how they’re incorporated within the whole company.The KPMG internship was a highlight of my internship experience as I also had the chance to speak to the HR department and gained insight into how to apply and prepare yourself for a job interview for law.
What advice would you give to younger high school students?
Ilinca: For Grade 9 and Grade 10, begin to build an idea about what you want to do and start researching universities. Don’t stress too much about the research, not a lot of students start in Grade 9.
Try to identify the ranges of tuition fees for European universities or US universities. Try to build a CV early, highlight precisely what you did on an internship in one sentence, and try to be brief and clear. By Grade 11, you should have chosen A levels that will be a guideline for you – A levels are a foundation for your university and career so be careful with what you pick.
The extra-curricular activities are very valuable and beneficial for your application: for law, taking part in competitions, public speaking, debate, MUN, youth parliaments and summits is essential if you want to stand out. Having an EPQ was also extremely useful as an additional qualification, particularly the written report component, which is effective preparation for university.
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Avenor: How did you decide on a career path? What informed your choices?
Laura: I’ve always had an interest in art and creative subjects since Grade 8, and I developed an interest in mathematics also, and architecture helped me combine both interests, as well as how different cultures express themselves in architecture, and how it imbeds people’s cultures. For me, my internship in an architecture studio was also very useful, by showing me different aspects of this career path.
What makes a top choice university for you?
Laura: Manchester University is my top choice. Since Grade 9, I’ve been researching universities and courses. The course at Manchester was the best fit for me, as it will give me a balanced outlook and training. It helps that I loved the location – it’s a large student city! Manchester is not as sizable as a capital but it’s not small and you won’t feel isolated.
What advice would you give to younger high school students?
Laura: I have three key points: start with research as soon as possible, you will feel confident with what you’re doing and where your future could go. It helps to do things little by little, rather than all at once. Secondly, make sure you know the requirements of architecture courses in different countries, some have interviews, admission exams, and different deadlines that you have to keep in mind. You should prepare the best for them so you need a clear action plan. As a third point, I would also recommend having a balanced combination of art, science and humanities when applying to university. It makes you stand out and teaches you to express yourself. You should have a healthy combination of subjects. Personally, even though Literature wasn’t directly relevant to your university application, it really helped me to express myself and my ideas clearly.
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Avenor: How did you decide on a career path? What informed your choices?
Sonia: It was a process, but my starting point was: I knew what I liked and what I wanted to continue with after high school. For me that was history, which I developed a passion for in Grade 10. What helped me was my career advisor, who offered me a more nuanced view of what studying history might include, such as archeology and anthropology.
What makes a top choice university for you?
Sonia: My top choice for university is Durham University. I really like the culture of Durham University, the city has a calm environment and the university has a strong academic profile and community spirit. Durham University’s prestige and outstanding reputation are also very important to me.
How important is the support of a Career Team during the college application process?
Sonia: The Avenor Career Team helped me a lot with the logistical part of applying to the UK, as it’s quite a long and complicated process. Writing a personal statement (to fit a very specific character count) was also a challenge and the support provided was great. And the advice about making a final choice for which university offers to list as ‘firm’ and ‘insurance’ was instrumental.
What advice would you give to younger high school students?
Sonia: If you’re applying through UCAS, don’t leave your application until December or January, or you’ll face an uncomfortable rush to get things done whilst simultaneously trying to prepare for your mock exams.
Ensure you have an idea about what you want to apply for and where by the end of the summer of Grade 11. If you can, make a start on your personal statement. Time flies by in the first term of Grade 12.
