Publish at June 04 2024 Updated June 04 2024
Who said that schooling was a straight line from primary to higher education? Already, many people will find themselves, for all sorts of reasons, starting over, dropping out and hanging on to the wagons in the course of their lives. And the post-secondary path is not an easy one for many teenagers who find themselves choosing a career. Many paths are open to them.
The French system, in particular, is quite bewildering. In addition to the classic universities, there is the special path of medical studies, IUTs (instituts universitaires de technologie), STSs (sections de techniciens supérieurs), CPGEs (classes préparatoires aux grandes écoles), ENSs (écoles normales supérieures) and IEPs (instituts d'études politiques). In short, a myriad of acronyms that can make any teenager's head spin.
This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions on the Internet by young French people. Should you choose a school or a university, a degree or a diploma? Isn't that what guidance counsellors are for?
Yes, but they usually follow 1,600 students. It's impossible for them to personally guide each and every one of them. So much so, in fact, that the market for "coaches " is becoming increasingly important among families and young people worried about making the wrong choice. In theory, Parcoursup is supposed to help high school students choose their ten post-baccalaureate courses. However, they are being asked to choose from over 23,000 courses available throughout France.
Beyond the inevitable (and rather predictable) advice, such as selecting according to your interests, it seems essential to discuss your post-bac project and your questions with those around you. Indeed, it is possible to talk to adults or young adults (in training) who can then describe potential programs or schools they are considering if they have been there. Teachers are also in a position to target aptitudes and behaviours more suited to certain courses of study.
This article, for example, gives parents the tools they need to help their children make the right choices, with references, questions to think about and ask, things to consider when choosing a course, and so on.
The length of the studies envisaged makes it possible to sort out the choices. Those who want to get down to the nitty-gritty quickly and obtain certification will opt for a BTS (Brevet de technicien supérieur) or a BUT (bachelor of technology), among others. Others will prefer to immerse themselves in bachelor's degrees to delve deeper into a subject theoretically.
This guide, written by Walt, gives a good, humorous summary of each of the possible training courses and certifications, and for whom they are intended. A read that could well interest many high school students about to have to make their choices on Parcoursup.
Even if you know a little about the stream you want or the type of certification you're looking for, you still have to make a selection. The baccalaureate you have passed will, for example, give you an idea of the BTS courses available afterwards. Is a university or a business school better? It all depends on what you're looking for: a more flexible, theoretical framework or a stricter study environment offering more concrete possibilities?
Engineering schools: how to choose? A general engineering school will enable students to see the different fields, but a specialized one will give them the opportunity to more easily acquire the skills required in their chosen field. However, it's best to be sure of the schools' labels, which should at least be those of the CTI (Commission des titres d'ingénieur). The same applies to business schools, not all of which are recognized by the French state.
The reality of this vast training offer is that there are few wrong answers. Apart from those that are unrecognized and rather misleading, all the rest are valid depending on the needs and desires of the future student. What's more, Parcoursup offers a wide range of courses, from business to the arts, but there are also a large number of art and trade schools that make their selections outside this system. This does not mean that their certification is not recognized, quite the contrary. Some prefer to recruit differently.
If the high-school student has an idea of the school or has questions about the establishment, he or she can consider where the latter is located, explore alumni networks to see their comments, carefully read the programs he or she is interested in, and so on. This investigative work can be done with the help of parents or friends.
Finally, it's important to remember that nothing is set in stone. Of course, making mistakes is not ideal, but it's also part of the post-baccalaureate process. It can happen that, when enrolling in a school or faculty, the learner realizes that it doesn't work out. This disillusionment is not an end in itself, and it can prove to be a meaningful experience, helping them to better orient themselves for the future.
As for the image this would leave with schools and universities, atypical career paths are less and less rare. These establishments are well aware of this, and a future student who is well prepared to enter a new course of study will not necessarily be penalized for it.
Image: DecaStock / DepositPhotos
References:
"8 questions to ask yourself in order to choose your post-bac orientation." Exxea Formation. Last updated: April 24, 2024. https://exxea.net/questions-a-se-poser-afin-de-choisir-son-orientation-post-bac/.
"Après le bac : les différentes poursuites d'études." Onisep. Last updated: August 31, 2023. https://www.onisep.fr/formation/apres-le-bac-les-differentes-poursuites-d-etudes.
Charbonneau, Marine. "How to choose your school?" Concours Accès. Last updated: March 7, 2024. https://www.concours-acces.com/comment-choisir-son-ecole/.
"Choisir son école de commerce." Onisep. Last updated: January 16, 2024. https://www.onisep.fr/formation/les-principaux-domaines-de-formation/les-ecoles-de-commerce/choisir-son-ecole-de-commerce.
Claux, Alice. "Engineering schools: how to choose?" Génération Zébrée. Last updated: September 19, 2023. https://blog.generationzebree.fr/blog/les-ecoles-dingenieurs-comment-choisir/.
"Comment bien choisir son orientation post-bac?" Les Bons Profs. Last updated: December 20, 2023. https://www.lesbonsprofs.com/blog/comment-bien-choisir-son-orientation-post-bac/.
"How to choose your BTS? INSEEC. Last updated: November 9, 2023. https://www.inseec.com/faq/comment-choisir-son-bts/.
"Comment choisir son orientation postbac - S'orienter après le bac." ESCE. Last updated: August 30, 2023. https://www.esce.fr/faq/comment-choisir-son-orientation-postbac/.
"How to choose your postbac engineering school?" AvenirOrientation. Accessed June 1, 2024. https://avenir-orientation.fr/orientation-parcoursup/choisir-ecole-ingenieurs-postbac/.
De Tarlé, Sophie. "How to choose your art and design school on Parcoursup." Le Figaro Etudiant. Last updated: March 6, 2024. https://etudiant.lefigaro.fr/article/etudes/comment-choisir-son-ecole-d-art-sur-parcoursup-20240306/.
"Post Bac definition: What to choose between school or university?" KEDGE Business School. Last updated: November 14, 2023. https://kedge.edu/blog/orientation-carriere/ecole-ou-universite-quel-post-bac-choisir.
"What to do after the bac? Un guide pour trouver son orientation." ASENSILE. Last updated: July 6, 2023. https://asensile.com/que-faire-apres-bac/.
"Which schools and courses are open outside Parcoursup?" ESIEA. Last updated: April 11, 2024. https://www.esiea.fr/blog/quelles-ecoles-et-formations-sont-ouvertes-hors-parcoursup/.
"Reorienting yourself after the bac: 5 steps to wake up and succeed in your future!" JobIRL. Last updated: October 27, 2023. https://www.jobirl.com/conseils-et-infos/se-reorienter-apres-le-bac-5-etapes-pour-te-reveiller-et-reussir-ton-avenir.
Soubane S., K. Adda-Rezig, A. Dupont, D. Fossard, T. Guéry, and S. Gravelaine. "Parcoursup: Faced with student anxiety, the orientation coaching market is growing." Franceinfo. Last updated: December 19, 2023. https://www.francetvinfo.fr/societe/education/parcoursup/parcoursup/parcoursup-des-coachs-prives-aident-les-eleves-a-s-orienter_6254841.html.
"Everything you need to know about post-bac studies." Walt Community. Last updated: December 22, 2023. https://walt.community/article/le-guide-pour-demarrer-ses-etudes-post-bac-comme-un-champion.
"University or business school: Which to choose for my orientation?" ESDES Blog. Last updated: November 16, 2016. https://blog.esdes.fr/pourquoi-choisir-une-%C3%A9cole-de-commerce-0.
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