Got Electives?
Five ways to make the most out of the flexible classes in your degree.
If you’re already enrolled or are about to start college and you have electives built into your degree, you have an amazing opportunity. You can choose random electives that seem like easy A’s OR you can strategically use your electives to:
- Earn more competitive credentials and increase your employability.
- Improve both your hard and soft skills.
- Decrease the total cost of your education.
- Learn life skills that might make the difference in your finances and life satisfaction for decades to come.
- Gain life experiences that you won’t have as easily after graduation.
If you’d rather pay a thousand dollars to just take golf or rock-climbing and you really need the outlet, that’s okay too.
Just keep in mind that students who are strategic in choosing their electives have greater satisfaction in their program and a much better shot at success after graduation.
What you need to know before you register for classes.
The first step is to determine the rules surrounding your electives. Some degrees truly let you choose ANY course. You might have to choose from a specific list, and it whittles away at your options. Sometimes those electives have to be taken at your institution specifically to count toward your degree or must be advanced (junior and senior level) courses. Other times, they can be transfer credits.
To find out what works for your specific degree, check your requirements in your institution’s catalog. Sometimes there will even be eight semester plans or maps to graduation that can help. Ultimately, make sure you clear your plan with an advisor — preferably in writing. If the degree requirements aren’t clear and you take the wrong class, you’ll just spend even more time and money on your way to graduation.
Five ways to make the most of your electives.
1. Earn more competitive credentials to increase your employability.
Some degrees have so many electives built into them, you can use them to earn a minor which complements your major. This makes it more likely you’ll be hired after graduation. Sometimes you don’t have enough for a minor, but you can earn certificates that significantly boost your credentials. Be sure to investigate which minors and certificates your institution offers.
Examples: A communications minor could be a huge asset as you apply to law school or to an MBA program. Earning a minor in environmental science or ecology when majoring in journalism could give you an advantage if you want to break into travel journalism or work in media that is nature-oriented. Earning a minor in a foreign language opens doors in all sorts of industries if you can become fluent!
Sometimes you can use the electives to earn a specific certificate for specialization within your major. Earning your degree in agriculture or animal sciences opens a lot of doors. Earning a certificate in an agriculture mechanics or equine reproduction might help you enter a more exclusive niche within a larger discipline.
Sometimes you can use your electives to earn industry-specific certificates on top of your associates or bachelors. You might be surprised how useful you find options like remote sensing, surveying, OSHA, web development, and more! SCUBA can even be an option!
Bonus: While they all increase your chances of finding a job soon after graduation, some options can actually provide you a backup plan. The best options will earn you decent pay on their own as you work to get hired in your field.
2. Improve both your hard and soft skills.
Employers are constantly looking for hard and soft skills that aren’t specifically taught in your major and general education classes. Sometimes a single course can make you much more attractive to potential employers and even more versatile once you’re hired.
Examples: Taking a professional speaking course can be incredibly beneficial no matter your degree. Whether you’re going to be employed by others or try to make it as an entrepreneur, professional communication skills matter. Some universities offer leadership courses for those who know they want to be able to manage others well. Taking a basic information technology course might prove incredibly helpful in a start-up or small business situation.
Single courses in management, communications, professional or technical writing, digital media, and business often compliment the rest of your education in important ways. They can help you nail an interview, earn promotions, and move into leadership earlier in your career.
Lastly, if an internship is not formally part of your degree, see if you can use some elective credits for this purpose. Many professional connections, soft skills, and industry specific skills can be gained through participating in an internship. Most are unpaid, so waiting until after you graduate can be a real problem. You don’t want to have a degree in hand, but still need an unpaid internship to get your first job.
3. Decrease the total cost of your education.
Completely flexible electives can help you avoid even more student debt. If you’re trying to graduate on a budget, and your degree has them, electives are your friend.
At the state university where I used to work, a single three credit course cost roughly a thousand dollars. Three credits at the local community college currently costs about $400. Spread that difference over a degree that has five or more elective courses and you’re saving of thousands of dollars. Add the interest you’ll pay on your student loans over ten or more years, and it adds up to saving even more.
Again, I cannot stress enough, you must check with your advisor. You don’t want to end up needing more residency or advanced credits and spending yet another semester in school because of a simple but serious mistake.
4. Learn life skills that might make the difference in your finances or life satisfaction for decades to come.
If your electives aren’t helping you get a job, they can still make or save you money. If they don’t do that, they should at least contribute to your overall life satisfaction. Life skills don’t just include budgeting. They also include things that help you stay healthy and happy.
Many colleges now offer whole courses on healthy lifestyles, financial literacy, motivation, and managing stress. Those that don’t usually still offer courses in nutrition, conditioning, accounting, and leadership, among others.
Examples: If you never learned how to budget properly, taking a personal finance class or even a simple accounting class might make the difference between success and filing bankruptcy in your 30’s or 40's.
Most people I know never took a personal finance course or learned how to budget, save, or invest in high school or college. This is probably why so many of my peers got in trouble with credit cards and killed their credit scores during and after college. So if you don’t understand credit, interest, budgeting, etc., fill that gap in your knowledge now!
Taking courses which help you stay healthy for the rest of your life can make a difference not only in your weight, but also your wallet and quality of life. So seriously consider those nutrition, conditioning, cooking, and stress management courses.
If you’ve lived in a rough area or had trouble with bullying, consider a formal self-defense course or boxing. Even if you never need those skills, you will probably find they improve your self-confidence.
If you know you’re going to be working from a home office for the rest of your life, consider cybersecurity and information technology or even coding. Having those skills will likely save you a lot of time, money, and frustration.
Lastly, if you always wanted to learn how to paint or sculpt, take that class! Even if it’s just a hobby later, you might still find that it helps bring joy and meaning to your life. Sometimes hobbies really provide the outlets that adults need to prevent anxiety and depression — so don’t underestimate the benefits of a good hobby.
5. Gain life experiences that you can’t easily have after graduation.
Some electives will provide you an opportunity to challenge yourself or explore the world in ways that many people find difficult after graduation.
Elective hours might allow you to do a study abroad program someplace incredible that has nothing to do with your major, but provides you an amazing adventure. Traveling when you’re young provides benefits and experiences you won’t soon forget. It helps widen your perspective and often leads to a greater appreciation of other cultures and your own.
Trust me, it becomes a lot harder to spend significant time abroad once you start a career or have a family and children!
You should also consider courses that allow you to engage in activities like rock climbing, kayaking, and SCUBA, or other activities you might not be able to do for a while after graduation. Sometimes those classes include gear you might not be able to afford as a new graduate; or they might simply provide access to training that makes those activities possible.
Use adventure and activity classes to challenge yourself, set goals, and push your limits. As you do, you will learn new skills, gain confidence, and improve your ability to motivate yourself to overcome future challenges. You’ll also probably have some great answers for future interview questions like “Tell me about a time you overcame your fears to succeed.”
In summary:
Electives always present an amazing opportunity — IF you choose them wisely. They can not only improve your hiring prospects and future income, but really enrich your whole life. Consider these five strategies whenever you have the freedom within your degree to choose what you will learn and experience. You won’t regret it.
