Study choice hbo and university.

As a parent, you play an important role in your child's study choice. Also when your child transitions to university of applied sciences or university. Where do you start searching? And what role do you have as a parent? Read everything you want to know about choosing a study at university of applied sciences and university.

Role of parents

As a parent, you play an important role in your child’s study choice. It may often seem otherwise, but your questions, opinion, and of course knowledge about your child are very helpful. Where your child may look more at whether the city and atmosphere are nice, you can ask more about job opportunities, types of education, and time investment. This way you complement each other. Going to an open day together can also just become fun.

Hermien Miltenburg, parent advisor at Wageningen University.

Step-by-step plan for choosing a study at university of applied sciences and university

If continuing studies is preferred, there are many tools to make a good study choice. Most universities of applied sciences and universities have open days or trial days where your child gets information about the study. Much information is also found online. By following this step-by-step plan, you will at least have enough information for a well-considered choice.

Step 1: Explore the study choice together

Your most important task as a parent is to help your child discover themselves. Ask open questions to your child. For example: What does your child like to do? Where are the talents? What motivates your child? What makes your child happy? And what suits your child? You can of course also mention what you see and think about it yourself to help your child along. A study choice test can also help your child gain insight.

Step 2: Gather online information

Do you have an idea of which direction it might go? Then the next step is to search for online information. There are also useful tools you can use if you are unsure. You can at least look here:

• The website studiekeuze123.nl offers a lot of information about many programs and studies. Use for example the handy study choice checklist as a tool, or compare the quality of the programs.
• The websites HBO start and University start also offer a lot of information and a career and study choice test.
• On the Wageningen University website you find much information on how you as parents can support your child. For example with study choice, open days, or if your child prefers a gap year.
• Also take a look at Digidingen-desk. Here you find clear explanations, step-by-step plans, instructional videos and tips about student finance, the student travel product and OV chip card.

Step 3: Visit the open days or try studying

Visiting multiple open days helps compare studies. The advice is to visit at least 4 open days in the pre-exam year. Most students do this together with their parents. Open days of follow-up education remain one of the most important sources of information for prospective students. At studiekeuze123.nl you find an overview of all open days.

Ask as many questions as possible during the open days, also to students who walk around. Does your child feel at home with this study, city, building, students, and teachers? What is fun and what is less? What do they think about the quality of education? And do they spend much time on lectures or rather projects?

Besides open days, many universities of applied sciences and universities also organize trial days, try studying sessions or workshops. It is certainly worth getting to know the study in different ways. And don’t forget to look at what the city has to offer your child.

Step 4: Network with the environment

What work does your child want to do after the study? The answer to this question is important in the study choice. Forming an idea about a profession is not always easy. So, ask around in your environment about different professions. You can point your child to people from your network of family, friends, or acquaintances to ask questions about a certain profession or study. Maybe it is even possible to shadow for a day. Your child also has their own network. There is also much information to gain there.

Step 5: Evaluate and choose!

You have all the information you need. Now it is time to put everything in order. Which study gives your child the most motivation? What appeals most to your child in the study? And what does not? Does your child fit in the study? And what do you think of everything around the study, such as student life, city life, and sports?

Does your child have a clear preference? Then the choice may not be hard to make. Does your child need more time? Visit some more open days with specific questions, or have a conversation with the study advisors of the studies your child doubts about. Or choose a gap year.

Extra tips for study choice

• Start on time: there are many studies to choose from and open days can take place on the same days. Try to motivate your child to look at studies before the final exam year.
• Look critically at the quality of education. On the website Studiekeuze123 there is much information about this. Click on the study of your choice and see how satisfied students are, what the job prospects are, and the official report on the quality of the NVAO. On the Wageningen University website you find more information on how to assess the quality of a study.
• If you have questions about how university of applied sciences or university works? Then check information for parents on the Studiekeuze123 website.
• Ask other parents in your environment about the reputation of the school and program. They can sometimes give a wealth of inside information.

Gap year after secondary school

Is your child unable to make a good study choice? Or does your child consider taking a conscious break year? Then you can also discuss whether a gap year is a good idea. For more information see 10 tips about a gap year.