Science, Commerce or Arts: What’s better FOR YOU after class 10?

Science, commerce or arts? What’s the right choice to make after class 10? Almost every student goes through this phase in their life. Some handle it easily while others get torn between decisions. But that doesn’t always have to be the case.

Some say that science is a great choice while others go by arts and others still commerce. But they can’t really decide your interests. In the end, it boils down to one thing: Choice! If students wish to pursue a career in the sciences it is obvious that they need to take up relevant subjects.

While on the other hand if students have an inclination towards business or trade then commerce could be their calling. Similarly, interests in communication and journalism are served by opting for arts and humanities.

Let’s understand how to approach choice-of-subject problems in a practical way.

For a student, the first step is asking the simple question, what do you want to do in your life?

Now that’s obviously a huge question and not something that everybody has figured out, especially at such a young age. And that’s perfectly fine!  But the question is definitely a step in the right direction.

Once you answer this question, move on to the next step: evaluate the risks. What risks, you ask?

You see, we as human beings have a tendency to avoid risk. For example, when you ride your bicycle you wear a helmet. Should you fall, the helmet protects you from injury. So we humans like playing it safe. That being said there are a fair number of cases at the other end of the spectrum. What we wish to achieve is a balance between the two.

But before we jump to any conclusions let’s take a look at the possible student types that one might be a part of and also how to deal with their respective situations:

• No specific interests

This case is somewhat common. But these students are not necessarily bad at academics. 

What usually is the case is that students in this category do have interests but are often not aware of it themselves. All they need is the right guidance to discover their talents and interests.

Parents and teachers play a vital role in helping students discover their hidden interests. For example, a mother can easily understand what her child’s interests are from the amount of time spent on various activities.

They might spend a ton of time on sports, creating art or craft, tinkering with toys or even spending time on tech products. Some children just love socialising with other children and it comes naturally to them. Others prefer a solitary life isolated from the crowd.

These activities and signs become a deciding factor as far as career paths are concerned.

Once students discover what interests them then they need to find a connection with that interest and a career path to go with it. If they are into technology, science could be a great choice. On the other hand, if their interests align with the arts then the choice of arts and humanities would be great.

• Specific interests with good career prospects

A large number of students fall in this category because they actually have nearly everything set. Their interests are defined and their choices incline towards the best prospect of jobs in the market.

If the child is interested in science and maths then the sciences could be the right choice moving on beyond class 10. Whereas if the interests are more inclined towards business, economics or trade, then commerce would be a fitting choice.

As you can see, this category of students has it easy by way of choices!

• Multiple interests

Students with multiple interests are not uncommon to find. More often than not these students get bored easily and are fond of change. They usually love to learn something new every single day.

This continuous learning experience excites them. Although it sounds all too good, they usually have a hard time deciding a career path because these children fall in love with just about everything that interests them!

A great suggestion for such students is to always keep their options open as far as they can see. What options, you ask? Well taking up science after grade 10 will allow students to pivot into courses that require and do not require science and maths as prerequisites upon completing their 12th standard.

This way, students can keep their options wide open, helping them decide later when they become more mature.

• Specific interests with not so great career prospects

It is not unusual to find students with very niche interests. There is nothing wrong with having niche interests. On the contrary, it kind of helps them stand out from the crowd. But what if these interests are not easy to make a career out of?

Take the example of a student who has a very strong interest in acting. This is definitely a rare skill and pays well if the person succeeds. But only the best of the best ever make it to the big screen and for every single superstar, there are a thousand struggling actors waiting for their big break.

Parents and students may not see eye to eye on such a choice. Obviously, a student’s career security is of the utmost importance to parents. And it is not unusual for parents to coax students to switch their choice of subjects.

Remember the idea is to play it safe and to have maximum options open. It’s not such a bad idea to have a plan B. Having a plan B is like a fail-safe that can help students make a switch if the going gets hard.

Conclusion:

Once you have decided what path to take it is always a great idea to ask the experts. You could seek the help of BYJU’S Career Counsellors. They are experts who can help guide students in making great choices very early on in their lives.

You could ask them just about anything. Just pour it out to them and they will help you out in clearing some of those uncertainties that have been holding you back.

Alternatively, students could also talk to professionals. You don’t have to look far to find professionals. It could be your older brother, a cousin, an aunt or even a family friend. They might already be in the career of your liking. So go talk to them and ask them for advice.

In spite of taking all the precautions, one might stumble upon a path that’s not too satisfying. This is quite normal in today’s world. So don’t worry about it! You could always switch, and go towards your true calling if and when you discover it! But do think twice before you make that leap. 

Remember, when it comes to career choices, staying informed is absolutely important. The difference between not being informed and being informed is like trying to drive a car with or without a blindfold.

So always stay INFORMED!

If you want to explore some possible career options and want to know what path you have to choose to pursue them, do check out the Careerscope series on The Learning Tree Blog.