How to Select the Appropriate Stream: Step by Step Guidance

Class 10 is a foundational step towards a great academic and professional career. It is also the next step towards the senior secondary certificate or pre-university certificate. With dreams in their eyes, passion in their hearts, students look forward to pursuing higher education.

After class 10, students tend to decide on their further education amidst a lot of confusion. Mostly, they will end up choosing a stream that is not suited to them with disastrous consequences. There have been many cases where students have started to regret the stream that they have chosen and even decided to quit in the mid of semester. Making a decision is a strenuous task especially when it is about your academic stream. It is really important to choose a relevant academic stream since your whole career depends on it. It is very important to consider the available choices and make a decision.

Below are some questions that you should ask yourself before choosing a stream so that in the future you end up having a successful career.

1. What are your interests: This is the first question you need to ask yourself after class 10. It is significant so that you know which stream matches your interests with possible careers. When thinking about which stream to pursue after class 10, you should choose the stream that matches several aspects of your personality. It includes things that are of interest and activities that you enjoy doing.
2. What is your aim in life: Everyone dreams of a successful career in one particular stream and grows up having a role model in mind. The role model can be anyone either from the family or even prominent leaders from the industry. It is of utmost importance to identify your aspiration in life and choose the stream accordingly.
3. Why you should choose the subjects of your interests: You need to be very clear before choosing the stream in class 11, as you should ideally pursue the subjects which you have been comfortable studying. It is always wise to choose a particular stream that you are comfortable with.
4. Should you consult a counselor: It is always advisable to consult and take advice from a counselor when you in doubt? Career counselors will conduct some tests and assignments so that they get to know the key areas of strengths and weakness and will help you choose the stream accordingly after class 10. To get better clarity you should attend webinars, educational fairs, seminars, etc. to explore and get a clear idea on the next step to plan on and the other career choices to take up.
5. Should you consult your teachers, parents, etc: There might be a time when you feel stressed and confused about which stream to pursue and what will be your next career choice after class 10. At this juncture, your parents, teachers, and guides will come to your rescue since they know you well and also have a better idea of the strengths, weaknesses and how well you perform, etc. It is always better to have a constructive discussion with your parents, teachers, or guides and seek their guidance.

Below is the step by step guide to help you to select the appropriate stream:

Only a few students know exactly what they want to become in the future. A majority of them need guidance and support to decide the next step. The next small number of students prefer choosing the stream that their friends or parents think that they should pursue. To help you make the right decisions. Below are a few guidelines that you can follow.

1. Self-Awareness: In class 10, you would have got to know the subjects that you score well in and the subjects that you dislike. It is very important at this stage that you make a conscious decision and you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses. It is always advisable to make a list of the following things:
• Subjects you would continue
• Subjects you would discontinue
• Subjects that you are confused about
• Should you take guidance by counseling
2. Test yourself to get a better picture: Taking a career test is a good start. Verified career tests are designed to help you get a clear picture of your personality, motivations, interests, key areas of strengths and weaknesses that will help you get a successful career. Once you have completed the self-assessment then you can consult a career counselor so that you can plan your next step.
3. Research on the new subject: You might have information on basic subjects like mathematics, chemistry, social studies, etc. But in class 11 apart from the basic subjects, new subjects will be introduced such as Psychology, Sociology, Economics, Biotechnology, etc. It is always suggested to find out and gauge more information about these new subjects.
4. Consider your long-term career goals: Before choosing the stream it is very important to consider your long-term career goals. Also ask yourself the following questions: What is crucial to you? Do prefer routine work or adopt flexibility way of working? Do you like to work as a team or working individually? Answering these questions will help you understand the kind of career that will suit you and depending on that you can choose the subject stream you should pursue.
5. Take an effective approach towards decision making: You can take an effective approach to decision making by doing your research, meeting, and taking guidance from your teachers, family, and friends. Participating in webinars, seminars will help you in getting a better picture of the right stream that you want to pursue.