I don't know who coined it, but I remember a few years ago, maybe a little more, hearing one of those expressions that changes the way you think about the world: Are they Mr/Ms Right or Mr/Ms Right Now? Bear with me a little while I try to relate romance to higher education.

One of the biggest challenges that prospective university students face today is how to balance what their heart wants with what their head wants. This is without saying anything of what their aptitude and grades will allow them to do, nor any of the influencers they may have in their lives, such as parents.

That balance is difficult to perfect. Do you pursue your passion or do you pursue something that will lead to a, hopefully, high paying career? Can you transform your passion into a high paying career? Importantly, is it really such a black and white dichotomy?

The tension, on the surface, is passion versus pragmatism. But in reality, I think that "pragmatism" hides a series of overlapping decision that increase in difficulty as you go along, particularly when considering career outcomes. Will this degree teach me the right skills, or the right skills for now? How redundant will my skills be within the next year and how will that impact getting my career off the ground?

Perhaps, the answer lies internally. Is this the right choice for me?

We've taken this idea and run with it, in our cover story, "The Right Choice". Throughout, we explore the many motivations that students have, and how they balance their decisions to choose their field of study. Somewhat of a companion piece, we also look how universities are keeping students happy in their studies and life.