What Are Your Educational Options After High School?

Graduating from high school is a momentous moment in every person’s life. It’s the end of an era and time to make decisions that will impact the rest of your life.

Here we will examine what your education options are once you finish high school and how each of them can benefit your future career and overall life plans. Post-secondary education is important and it’s usually a path to better and higher-paying jobs.

Four-Year College or University

A four-year college is a traditional academic path to take. It opens up a variety of different professional and academic careers depending on what your field of study is and what college you’re applying to. It’s important to consult with a high school counselor early on and prepare for both the entrance exam and possible recommendations they may write on your behalf.

When applying to some colleges you’ll also have to be involved in your local school and community since those extracurricular activities mean as much as the SAT scores and college essays when it comes to admittance.

Two-Year College

A two-year college is a common next step after graduating from high school. It’s the step towards an academic education and one with the most complicated admission process on our list. For most colleges, you’ll need to provide: a recommendation letter, high school transcripts, and your ACT & SAT scores.

Many colleges also require a student to write a personal statement or answer an essay question. Extracurricular activities are also rather important at least when it comes to applying to colleges that have a tougher selection process. The preparation for college entry exams usually starts years before graduating from high school.

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship programs combine education with actual work experience. The main advantage of these programs comes from the fact that apprentices learn valuable work skills while working with more experienced and established professionals in their field. In many cases, such a program also leads to an easy path to employment, often with the same company that has organized the apprenticeship program.

The apprentices are getting paid during the program since they do actual work, but that pay is usually low and is considered just a bonus, while the point of the program is in the education and experience it provides.

Trade School

Trade schools are also known as vocational schools or occupation-specific training programs. The education is focused on practical training and is there to prepare for a job. It doesn’t however, offer real-life work experience as the Apprenticeship program does. It’s also a much less expensive program than college and you’re out there and earning without debt much faster.

There are a lot of high-paying jobs that you could get after getting into a good trade school after high school and it’s important to make this decision with market opportunities as well as your interest in mind.

Classes at a Community College

You can apply for and take classes at a community college without enrolling in a two-year program.  It’s a good way to get into the world of academics at your own pace and when you’re ready for it, since applying to some colleges can be rather stressful.

Keep in mind that these classes are usually paid for directly and you can’t take a loan in order to pay for them as is the case with most colleges. That can be both a good and a bad thing, depending on your financial circumstances.

Join a Service Organization            

Services organizations are a great place for high school graduates who aren’t sure about their academic plans but want to spend a year or two learning new skills and working within their community. The services usually offer a living stipend so it’s a way to earn some money along the way as well.

Different organizations have different requirements for applying, but you need to have a high school diploma and to be over 18 years of age to join. The experience also looks good on a resume when applying for a job or writing a college application.

It’s OK to Change Your Mind

Making a life-changing decision is never easy and especially at such a young age. There’s nothing wrong with changing your mind in the process and deciding on a different academic or career path once you’ve tried something out.  It may require more time to get where you’re planning to go, but the time you’ve spent at a college or a trade school isn’t wasted.

Preparing for the admission process will also make things easier even when you decide to change your mind at some point and pursue a different career. As is the case with most things in life, it’s a series of small steps that prepares you for a big task such as choosing an academic path. Half the fun will be in exploring your options and figuring out who you are.