Have you ever wondered what comes next after high school? Maybe college, or taking an internship, or the workforce. If you feel unprepared or just want to know a little more about what comes next, this article is just for you.
First, let’s talk about some options you have after high school. There are common options like college, university, or work. But there are also options like gap years, internships, and studying abroad. This article will cover a little bit about college, university, work, gap years, apprenticeships, and studying abroad. We’ll first start with work.
Work has lots of benefits that aren’t offered by other post-high school options. By going straight to work, you have no student loans. This means 10-20 years aren’t wasted in student debt. Second, you’re exposed to more people. In college/university, you’re surrounded by people who are the same age as you. When you go straight to work you meet people with different age ranges and they may have great advice to give you. Work can also get you life experience. Next up is more education.
More education could mean college or university. More education can increase the chances of getting employed, it looks a lot better on a resume. Colleges tend to focus on undergraduate programs, so associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees. Universities have both undergraduate and graduate programs. Colleges span around 2-4 years, while universities span around 4-6 or even more if you plan on receiving a Doctorate or P.h.D. Whether you should go to higher education is up to you, but it’s best to know what you can receive from pursuing higher education before actually doing it.
Another option after high school is a gap year. A gap year is exactly what it sounds like, you take a year off of school. During this time students might volunteer, work, or travel. This time can be used for experimental learning and finding what students might want to do in life. Gap years can also be used to stop and reflect on your past years of schooling. A gap year shouldn’t be used to avoid higher education, to use a gap year wisely, you need to have a specific reason. This reason may be different for everyone, someone might want to save up money for education or learning what the real world is like. During gap years students can put some thought on what they want to do with their lives. In today’s era, I feel like the big question adults ask us is, “What are you going to do with your life?” I believe that we’re all pressured to choose something, but we don’t know. It’s not like we know what jobs we would like or love just from a personality quiz. Sure, you may get some ideas, but they aren’t a sure choice. If a year sounds too much for you, don’t worry! A gap year can also be a semester-long, so you don’t have to worry about staying away from more education for too long. Next thing up is apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships are more of a skill-based education for a specific job. You’re paid doing on-the-job training along with classroom learning. Apprenticeships last between 1-3 years, and they often lead into a full-time job. Apprenticeships are taught by experienced mentors who explain the whole process and have a plan for teaching specific skills the employers need. If you’re more of a hands-on person when it comes to learning and want job that involves trade, then an apprenticeship would probably be the most optimal option for you. Also, with apprenticeships, you may earn a debt-free degree because your employer often pays tuition costs and anything else school related.
Our last topic that I’ll be covering is studying abroad. Studying abroad may be the most intimidating choice out of all of the options previously listed. You’re thrown in a foreign country without the comforts of home and family. But, it’s a great chance to explore a little bit more of the world. You’re still learning, so you’ll most likely experience different types of education in different countries. By studying abroad you’ll experience new foods, social customs, traditions, and atmospheres. It’s like you’re experiencing a new world in a sense. By studying abroad, you show your desire to learn, explore, and be open-minded. Most employers like people who have these qualities, so it could help get a job. Most students might be scared to study abroad because of the language barrier. Unless you’re going to a country like the UK or Australia, you may have a problem when it comes to communicating with people from there. The most reasonable solution would be learning the language and while studying abroad you can improve your language skills because you have no choice but to be immersed. Students may also avoid from studying abroad because of the cost for going there and the feeling of loneliness.
If one of these options intrigues you, look more into it! I’ve only covered a few of them. Having to choose what you’re going to do after high school shouldn’t feel like you’re being rushed. It’s important to take time and really think about what you want to pursue and then you might choose one of the options above. But that’s easier said than done. When you find something that you want to pursue, then the path looks a little clearer. Just remember, there are a lot of things you’re able to do after high school, so really think about it.