Across Germany, high school graduates are preparing for their upcoming school graduation. Some already know what to do next. Or better said, where to go: to university. But before the sweet student life can become a reality, a few hurdles have to be overcome. We'll tell you which ones and how you can prepare for them.
Know your own motivation
Before going to university, everyone should ask themselves a few basic questions:
What do I want to be when I grow up? What do I want to study? Why do I want to study?
There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. It is important that everyone finds out for themselves where their personal motivation lies. Of course, student life is a lot of fun, but it also comes with many challenges. It takes at least three years to complete the first degree, during which every student sooner or later has to really delve into the topic of study. It is much easier to “complete” your studies if you know what you are doing or why you are doing it. Excruciating physics seminars become more bearable when you get one step closer to your dream goal of being a doctor.
Find the right subject
There are courses a dime a dozen. Finding the right subject from the multitude of offerings is difficult. Especially since a lot of things are different in the imagination than in reality. Therefore: Get advice, try it out and lose the fear of making wrong decisions.
It is always good to find out more in advance: How exactly is the course structured, what are the priorities, etc.? Simply go to the student advisory service, which is actually available at every university, or try out a few lectures as a guest student. Talk to people who are already studying and hear about their experiences. But at the same time it is utopian to expect that, despite extensive preparations, one cannot make the wrong decision. Because changing your subject after the first semester isn't a hassle!
Don't miss the application deadline
At many universities, the application deadlines for the coming semesters are already beginning. High school graduates and those changing majors should therefore find out about the relevant deadlines at their desired university in good time. The University Compass provides a good overview.
Have the right NC
For many courses there are more prospective students than places. This is why many universities award their courses with an NC. NC stands for Numerus Clausus and is nothing other than the required Abitur grade. The universities generally target the average prospective student from the previous semester. If a subject has an NC of 2.0, that doesn't mean that someone with a lower grade average won't get a place. It is always possible that fewer applicants will apply than expected, which means that high school graduates with a “worse” NC also have the chance of getting a place at university.
Paths around the NC
High school graduates with an NC that is too bad for their desired subject should not despair. There are many paths around the NC. Because all universities determine the NC themselves, the same subject can be equipped with a different NC at different universities.
If that doesn't work, a planned change of subject is an option. In higher semesters, at many universities you can change to your desired subject even without the right NC. The prerequisite for this is often that you have achievements that can be credited to you. For example, if your desired subject is literature but unfortunately you don't meet the NC requirement, you can enroll in German studies, for example. Then take courses in the first semesters that are also relevant to studying literature. It is important that you find out in advance the conditions under which a change of subject or university is possible at your university.
At some universities, a certain contingent of study places is now allocated through so-called entrance tests; the NC is often of secondary importance for these places. As a last resort, you still have the option of accumulating waiting semesters. Universities allocate their study places using a mixed calculation of NC and waiting time. The rule of thumb is that every semester you wait, your NC will improve by 0.1. It is important that semesters are only counted as waiting semesters if the prospective student does not study during this time. So don't start studying sports because you didn't get a place in medicine. It makes more sense to train as a nurse and keep applying to university while doing so.
