How to Choose What to Study and What to Do Next
A five-step guide to exploring your interests, comparing real programmes, and making an informed decision about your future.
There is no perfect choice. There is an informed one.
This guide will not tell you what to study. It will help you ask the right questions, in the right order, so the decision is yours, and you understand why you are making it.
One of the most common mistakes is rushing. Students sometimes choose a university before knowing which subject interests them, or choose a subject before understanding what a typical day in that profession actually looks like. A short conversation now can prevent a difficult surprise later.
An informed decision does not mean absolute certainty. It means knowing what you have checked, what you still need to explore, and what makes one direction more suitable than another.
Start with this short guide, continue with the self-exploration questionnaire, and finish with your personal three-step worksheet.
The short guide
Set aside 20–30 minutes. Return to the relevant section whenever you reach a new stage.
GUIDE →Self-exploration questionnaire
Spend about 25 quiet minutes identifying interests and questions. It is not a test and does not issue a verdict.
QUESTIONNAIRE →Your three-step worksheet
Choose three practical actions, give each a deadline, and review your progress one month later.
WORKSHEET →The questionnaire and worksheet are separate PDFs in the toolkit. When completed on your own device, your answers are not sent to OLYA or your school unless you decide to share them.
Five steps. In this order.
It is tempting to jump straight to applications. Start with what you need to understand first.
Discover
Notice what holds your attention. Complete the questionnaire and keep your options open.
Ready when: you can name two or three possible directions and why they interest you.
Test
Speak with professionals, read actual course lists, and try a small related project.
Ready when: you understand a typical working day and remain interested.
Choose
Compare course content, teaching, assessment, outcomes, costs, language, and entry rules.
Ready when: you can explain your choice without relying on prestige.
Prepare
Work on grades, languages, any required exams, and meaningful experiences.
Ready when: you can say what you did, learned, and did next.
Apply
Track deadlines, request references early, and write your own application texts.
Ready when: you can defend every statement in an interview.
These steps are not always linear. Returning from Step 2 to Step 1 is progress if it helps you rule out an unsuitable direction.
Do you like the idea of a career or its everyday reality?
A profession can look very different from the image we have of it. Here are three simplified examples to start a conversation.
| Field | What you might imagine | What an ordinary day may involve |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine | Saving lives in emergencies | Time with patients, documentation, long shifts, and continuous learning |
| Law | Dramatic courtroom arguments | Reading, research, drafting documents, and negotiation |
| Engineering | Inventing something new | Calculations, testing, troubleshooting, teamwork, and deadlines |
These are generalisations, not descriptions of every specialisation or job.
Five questions to ask a professional
Ask someone who has worked in the field for a few years. A focused 20-minute conversation can be more useful than hours of promotional videos.
- What does an ordinary day look like on a typical day?
- Which part of your work is most tiring?
- What do you wish you had known at my age?
- What kinds of people stay in this profession, and who tends to leave?
- If you were starting again, would you study the same subject? Where?
Five things to check in a degree programme
A degree title reveals relatively little. The full course structure tells you much more.
- First-year modules: would you actually enjoy studying the fundamentals?
- Theory and practice: how much time goes to lectures, labs, placements, and projects?
- Assessment: exams, coursework, written assignments, or presentations?
- Graduate destinations: what do students typically do afterwards?
- Language and duration: teaching language, years of study, foundation or placement years?
Compare programmes, not just university names.
Where you apply matters because admission systems are different. The following overview is a starting point, not a substitute for each programme's official requirements.
Moldova & Romania
Often considered: Baccalaureate results, sometimes an entrance exam or selection based on an application file.
Written application: often limited or not required; check each faculty.
United Kingdom (UCAS)
Often considered: predicted grades, the personal statement, and a teacher reference.
Written application: for 2026 entry, the personal statement follows three questions with a combined 4,000-character limit.
United States
Often considered: grades, activities, recommendations, and tests where required.
Written application: a main essay (for example via Common App) and institution-specific essays where requested.
Other European Union destinations
Often considered: combinations of grades, motivation letters, exams, or interviews, depending on the programme.
Written application: check the specific university and degree, rather than assuming country-wide rules.
Calculate the real cost, not just tuition.
Compare the cost of all years of study, including tuition, accommodation, food, local transport, trips home, insurance, materials, and visas where applicable.
It is better to discuss what is affordable before building a university shortlist, rather than after receiving an offer.
Citizenship and residency may change your options.
Tuition status, access to scholarships, and eligibility for certain loans can depend on citizenship and sometimes residency. If you hold more than one citizenship, investigate each relevant country's rules early. What worked for a friend may not apply to you.
What to focus on, year by year
This is a suggested timeline, not an obligation to do everything. Its purpose is to help you avoid reaching your final year without testing your interests.
- Complete the questionnaire and your three-step worksheet.
- Have at least one conversation with somebody working in an interesting field.
- Try one activity you can explain: a project, club, volunteering, or competition.
- Keep developing your foreign-language skills.
- Read the modules of three or four specific degree programmes.
- Discuss countries, courses, and budget with your family.
- Identify the exams and language qualifications you may need, and when to take them.
- Use the summer before Grade 12 for meaningful experience and early application drafts.
- Make a deadline calendar for every application system you will use.
- Ask teachers for references at least one month ahead.
- Write your own application texts, revise them, and request thoughtful feedback.
- Prepare for interviews where they are part of selection.
For example, UCAS deadlines for Oxford, Cambridge, and most UK medicine courses are usually around mid-October. Always check the current official deadlines for your intended entry year.
Build a profile that says something real.
A strong profile is not necessarily a long list of achievements. It connects evidence (what you actually did), reflection (what it taught you), and direction (what you want to explore next).
A list of activities
Biology competition. Volunteering. Online Python course. Debate club.
A story with evidence
“I placed ninth in the municipal biology competition. I revisited the problems with my teacher and reached the national stage the following year. I learned to prepare consistently over weeks, rather than in a last-minute rush.”
Illustrative example created for the original guide; not a real student case.
Rewrite “I am passionate, hardworking and dedicated” without using any of those three words. You may only use a concrete fact showing what you have done. If you cannot find one yet, you have identified what to build.
Use AI honestly and responsibly.
AI can help you organise and improve your thinking. It cannot substitute for your own experiences, conclusions, or voice. You must be able to support every statement you submit.
Useful ways to use AI
- Questions that help you recall real experiences
- Organising ideas and improving structure
- Checking clarity and language
- Practising challenging interview questions
What to avoid
- Invented or exaggerated experiences
- Copying AI-generated content and presenting it as your own
- Borrowing conclusions you do not believe
- Using facts and figures you have not verified
Rules on the use of AI differ between universities and application systems. Always read and follow the rules for each application.
Five common mistakes worth avoiding
- Choosing a university for its prestige without reading the curriculum or calculating the full cost.
- Filling your CV with activities you cannot properly explain.
- Inventing or exaggerating examples that will not stand up to questions.
- Sending the same motivation letter everywhere with only the university name changed.
- Waiting too long to explore a field before committing to it.
What should you do now?
Complete the self-exploration questionnaire when you have 25 uninterrupted minutes. During the same week, fill in your three-step worksheet. Then bring any remaining questions to the free OLYA group orientation session.
The toolkit and group session help you ask better questions and take your first independent steps. They do not replace individual profile interpretation, tailored university comparisons, or a personal admissions assessment.
Join a free OLYA orientation session.
Meet an OLYA consultant in an online group discussion. Explore how to choose a subject, how admission systems differ, and what comes next. Bring your questions.
Get the next session date →The registration form also asks for a parent's email address if you are under 16.
How OLYA can help your family, if you need us
The Future Hub toolkit is free and can be used by any student without obligation. For families who want more individual support, OLYA Global offers several pathways. Guidance begins with the student's profile, rather than a preset list of institutions. The final decision remains with the family.
Orientation & assessment
Start · Compass
Guidance meeting, consultant-interpreted interest assessment, profile report, and recommended direction.
Universities in Europe
Apply · Apply Plus
Programme selection, feedback on CV and motivation letters, applications, interviews, and support through enrolment.
United States
Apply USA
Application strategy, essays, required tests, financial aid paperwork, and visa guidance.
Boarding schools in the UK & Switzerland
Boarding Essential · Premium
Student–school matching, admissions exams and interviews, and preparation for the transition.
Academic experiences: try a subject before choosing it
For students who want practical exposure, OLYA recommends age-appropriate summer and holiday programmes offered by partners such as InvestIN, Sportech Academy, and Summer Boarding Courses, covering fields including medicine, law, engineering, and business.
Attend the free group orientation session with your child. If you would like an individual assessment, explore the Start or Compass pathways through OLYA Global.