Re: Right age to make a career choice ..
This is a good question CB, and as apparent from some of the comments, people have different opinions, and to a large extent, the societal norms and cultural expectations play a huge role in determining what the “right” age should be.
In my own opinion, more than age, it’s about a person’s exposure to different possibilities. In the Western world, this might coincide with second or third year of University, i.e. around the age of 20 to 22. Having been through the system myself with my own waverings, I have also witnessed my siblings’ fluctuations, and now as a professor, I deal with the flux of my students on a routine basis.
Although I’ve adhered to a specialized stream of studies throughout… I am a big fan of the liberal arts way of things… after interacting with many people who come from such a background, I do believe that the liberal arts educational system fosters advanced intellectual capabilities, while the specialist tracks may have a dampering effect on one’s thought processes. I know of many liberal arts graduates who are successfully working in technology sectors, healthcare, government… you name it.
So, I think there’s something to be said about not pressurizing students to decide their specialization too early in their academic lives… pre-med, pre-law, pre-eng etc. are all labels that in my own opinion should not be adhered to very strictly. Adhering to such systems is why parents in our part of the world don’t appreciate the benefit of gap years and extension programs while in reality, these opportunities contribute towards a student’s overall personality and perspectives.
Lastly, I find the notion of separating “academic” from “practical” very interesting. This is something that is common in Pakistan where students for the most part are dependent on their parents until they finish their University studies… while most people here step into so-called practical lives in their teenage years. Many pursue the academic and the practical together while in University. For example, I was already working at an officer level position in my second year of University, and at an analyst level position in the third year. Again, I think we ought to be more open to the idea of students working and supporting themselves while studying. Grades and ranks aren’t the only measure of success… a well-rounded personality with diverse experiences is what we should be aiminig for.
May be I’ve digressed from your main question, but I think these are all aspects related to your question.
