There are a few very important aspects you need to consider when deciding on your future studies. All these aspects are presented in the form of questions, as this is what you will need to ask yourself when choosing a College. The questions we will be discussing, are the following:

1. What qualification do I need?
2. What type of learning do I prefer?
3. What do I want to study?
4. What fees do I need to pay?
5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of my choices?
6. What reputation does the College have?
7. What accreditation does the College have?
8. How easy is it to get in contact with the College?

To read more about each aspect, please click on the question you wish to know more about. Alternative, simply keep scrolling

 

What should I consider when deciding on a College?

 

1.    What qualification do I need?

Not all academic institutions offer the same qualifications, and therefore your choice would be influenced by the qualification you want or need to obtain. Generally speaking, there are five types of qualifications. They are:

• Certificates of Completion
  These Certificates are normally obtained after completing Short Courses or courses that are not fully accredited. The duration of these programmes are usually only for a few months, as its aim is to give students a basic introduction to a specific subject.
• Full Certificates
  Full Certificates are usually obtained after one year programmes that are recognised and accredited.
• Diplomas
  The duration of Diploma courses can vary between one and two years, and this qualification is very often the next step after completing a Certificate programme.
• Advanced Diplomas
  Obtaining an Advanced Diploma would probably take between two and three years of study, and this is usually the highest qualification Colleges offer.
• Degrees
  Degree programmes stretch over a minimum of three years, and after obtaining a B-degree, students can enrol for Honours and Masters degrees. These qualifications are normally offered by Universities.

From this it should be clear that if you want a Medical degree, enrolling for a Short Course in First Aid would not be sufficient. Likewise, if you’re interested in doing a typing course, you don’t have to enrol at a University to do so.

When choosing a career path, please make sure of the exact qualification you need to follow your dream!

2.    What type of learning do I prefer?

Some people like the idea of becoming a full-time student and attending classes. Usually there are Student Councils who organise certain events on campus, and if you want to get involved in these student activities, you would become acquainted with the social side of studying. This is, however, not everyone’s ideal situation, especially if you have a job or you’re not interested in attending classes. Well, did you know that it is possible to study from home, without having to quit your job or attend any classes?

Distance learning has become a major industry in South Africa, and there are several Colleges that offer top of the range courses for you to follow.

Some Colleges offer a combination of both these methods, but this could differ from subject to subject and from institution to institution. Before enrolling for a course, check whether the College makes it available through distance learning or if it involves full-time study, as this will undoubtedly make a difference to your situation. If you don’t want to quit your job but still want to obtain the qualification you need, a distance learning College would suit your needs best, whereas if you want to get involved in student life on campus, you will need to select a College that offers face-to-face learning in classrooms.

3.    What do I want to study?

When deciding on what course you want to study, you need to consider what you want to do with it once you’re finished – What do you need it for? If you are studying for pure enjoyment or self-enrichment, this aspect does not really have an impact on your decision. However, if you are aiming for a promotion or for a specific job, do you know whether the course you want to do will be sufficient for you to apply for the job or to get the promotion? If you’re not sure about what you require, you might be wasting your time and money.

Another very important aspect is the actual subject or field of study you want to pursue. If you’re interested in nursing, you would most probably not find a suitable course at a Business College or a Sports Academy. Similarly, if you want to become an accountant, you wouldn’t enrol for a course in creative writing or events management. When comparing Colleges, first see whether they offer the courses you’re interested in. In this way, you can immediately eliminate those specialising in other subjects and focus only on the relevant Colleges.

Finally, make sure you understand the entrance criteria for the course you want to study. Most colleges will require documents from you to prove that you adhere to the entrance criteria, and normally these criteria are not very flexible.

• What are the norms at Universities?
  To enrol at a University, the minimum requirement is a Matric Certificate (with Exemption), while certain minimum grades might be enforced, depending on the specialised field of study.
• What are the norms at Colleges?
  The entrance criteria for College programmes are less rigid. In some cases a Matric Certificate (no Exemption needed) is required, while a great deal of courses have open access. Sometimes Colleges also offer courses that build on each other, which means that one might be required to first obtain a Certificate in a certain programme before being granted access to the Diploma course.

 

4.    What fees do I need to pay?

This is one of the biggest contributing factors to the decision you will eventually make, as the cost of studying is something one needs to budget or plan for. Not all Colleges are clear about what exactly they will be charging you for, and this often leads to very unpleasant surprises. The following fees are normally part of the total cost:

• Course fees
  Course fees involves the total amount you have to pay to complete the full programme. This is the biggest fee, as it enrols you as a student in that specific programme and gives you access to the actual study content.
• Registration fees
  Registration fees are paid so that you basically become a part of the College. After being registered on their system, you are officially recognised as a student at that specific academic institute.
• Late registration fees
  Late registration fees apply when you’ve missed the cut-off date for registration and still want to enrol at a College. This penalty fee is usually more than that of the normal registration fee, as it involves extra administration on the College’s part.
• Exam fees
  When you’re doing a programme through one of your College’s partner institutes, they often have external exams. These exam fees are usually not included in your course fees, which means that you need to budget for them. Please note that not all programmes have exams, and that not all programmes that have exams are in partnership with external bodies. Always enquire about these fees before enrolling.
• Study material
  The study material you’ll need to complete your course would include work books, text books, and special equipment like a drawing board when you’re studying draughting or architecture and first-aid kits when you’ve enrolled for a medical qualification. Not all Colleges include this material in their course fees, so make sure of this before you get a nasty surprise.
• Subscription fees
  When you’re doing a course through a specific institute, it often gives you the opportunity to become a member of that body. This normally involves a once-off registration fee followed by a yearly subscription fee. These memberships often include certain benefits, for instance getting discounts on books, being part of group discussions, receiving newsletters, etc
• Payment plan options
  Some Colleges have unique payment plans to accommodate their students. They could, for example, give you a discount on your course fees when you pay the full amount upfront, or you could make an arrangement to pay them in monthly instalments. If a College is willing to help you in this regard, it would make things much easier for you.

Furthermore, make sure of what happens should you decide to quit, as most Colleges are not really understanding when you choose to end your studies. They might expect you to keep paying for the course for the rest of the year. If you find a College that would allow you to end your financial contract when you quit, you can be sure that they care more about your wellbeing than the money. You will find a good example of this practice on the following website:
http://www.collegesa.co.za/

This College offers its students the option of a “payment holiday” when they would like to take a break from their studies. Normally Colleges would expect you to keep paying, whether you’re studying or not.


For more information on handeling the financial side of your studies, click on the following link.

 

5.    What are the advantages and the disadvantages of my choices?

Distance learning

Advantages of Distance learning

• You can have a job while you study.
• You have online access to tutors.
• No classes means more freedom! You can study when and where it suits you.

Disadvantages of Distance learning

• You need self-discipline and motivation.
• You need some mode of electronic or telephonic communication.
• You won’t be able to socialise with other students on a campus.

Full-time study

Advantages of Full-time study

• You have face-to-face contact with your tutor.
• You can participate in class discussions and get other students’ opinions.
• You are motivated to study because of class tests and random assessments.

Disadvantages of Full-time study

• You won’t have time to keep a job.
• You have less freedom as you are required to attend classes regularly.
• You could be surprised by unannounced class tests or assessments.

6.    What reputation does the College have?

What do other students say about the College? Don’t go on what one or two people say – get a lot of opinions, from people who have experience with that College. Sometimes the image created by ads or posters of a College can be deceiving. You don’t only need to know the good things about a College, but also the bad things.

Go to www.hellopeter.com and check out the reputation of the College you are interested in. If a College is treating its current students badly, they will complain to www.hellopeter.com, and you will be able to see their complaints there.

7.    What accreditation does the College have?

Is the College accredited and registered? Has its courses been approved and recognised by formal institutions?

When you’re organising a wedding, for instance, you probably won’t hire a photographer without first looking at his or her portfolio. It’s a bride’s most important day, and you certainly don’t want to mess it up. Therefore, you’ll feel much more comfortable paying this person a lot of money once you are satisfied that he or she is capable of doing a good job. Well, why would you then enrol at a College without checking its credentials? That would be just as silly as hiring someone for a job without knowing if they’re actually able to do it.

For a good guide to understanding accreditation, you can go to http://www.collegesa.co.za/our-accreditation.html. College SA gives a good and clear explanation on how accreditation and registration works. They also give you the contact details of the Department of Education where you can check up on the registration of a college.

8.    How easy is it to get in contact with the College?

Once again, the site www.hellopeter.com would be very useful to determine how well a College communicates with its students. You need to know if they respond to emails, queries, complaints, etc. or just leave you hanging once they have received your registration and course fees.

Another good indication of how committed a College is to its students, is by checking their contact details. Is there more than one way to contact them, or are you forced to only phone a call centre and hang on until someone is able to help you? Also, see how useful their website is and how easily you can find the information you’re looking for. If the College is really focused on its students, it should be very user friendly and easy to navigate..