As the school year comes to a close and Graduation Day comes closer, it leaves seniors with a serious question; What do you want to do after high school?  

With so many options, it can lead the average senior into a confusing dilemma, and it’s important to take the path that is right for you. It is also important to stay educated on all available options so you know what you are getting into. The following article and video is made to inform on the many avenues of furthering your education. Some options or topics of choice could range from university, community college, trade school, or the military. 

Truthfully, no pathway is the correct or incorrect way to go. This time for a senior’s life is very key in discovering what their purpose or passions are. So, Paw Prints wants to dive deeper into the methodology of finding those passions!

The College Route

It’s not an unfair bet to say that for the majority of students, going to a college or university is their idea of an “ideal” pathway after high school. There is nothing wrong with this realization. Pursuing your higher education at a university has plenty of benefits that prepare young people for the workforce ahead of them. 

For example, let’s take time to highlight the story of Ethan Kim. Ethan is a scholar among scholars and has taken an incredible amount of Advanced Placement courses throughout his high school career. Just like many of his other peers, he admitted to being deeply interested in going to college after high school. 

Although the route wasn’t easy, he ultimately ended up achieving his goal. He has committed to the University of California, San Diego and will continue his education there in the fall. At UCSD, he’s currently set on majoring in Computer Science. But, with the amount of time a student of his caliber has, this career path may even change!

This success story is just one of many for Buena Park High School students. Whether they’ve been accepted into one of the many admirable Cal State schools or will travel far away to an out of state option, students have shown interest in going to college. But, it’s no secret that college could be expensive. So, what are some other options that could combat higher price tags?

To Trade or not To Trade?

Now, say you aren’t that interested in learning more about topics that don’t specifically interest you. That’s okay, it happens. But, you’re then left with the question of “What else could I do?” Maybe you’re interested in working on cars. Or, you like meddling with parts on drones or robots. Well, trade school may be a viable option for you!

Many people are realizing that trade school is a serious way to get education on your desired field quickly and effectively. According to Gitnux, “About 74% of trade school students are employed after graduation compared to 64% of bachelor degree students,” which is a 10% difference that can’t be ignored. 

Not only that, but trade school offers careers in fields that society will always need. Mechanics, plumbers, or electricians are just some of the many examples of this fact.

At Buena Park, we have plenty of students who are thinking of going this route. For example, senior Christopher Nava loved his Robotics career path so much that he already landed a job after graduation! After becoming certified in various difficult aspects of Robotics, a prestigious company saw his work and offered him a guaranteed job position after he receives his diploma. 

As you could see, hard work pays off. Although getting into a trade isn’t easy, the benefits of trying can not be ignored. Plus, the average trade school education only takes two years, compared to a bachelor’s degree that takes four (also according to Gitnux)! For a much cheaper amount and shorter education time, considering a trade may not be a bad idea. 

Becoming America’s Strength

Trade school or college isn’t for everyone. Some individuals long for a different purpose that goes past academics. These people want to protect and fight to maintain freedoms that are held very close to our American values. If that sounds like you, the military is your best bet.

An option that may be overlooked is joining the military because many people (including the writer) may initially believe you’re guaranteed to fight in a war or conflict. However, this isn’t always the case. Plus, there are dozens of benefits that come with the decision. 

For example, let’s consider senior Eddie Rodriguez’s story. Eddie tells Paw Prints that initially, he had no clue of what he wanted to do after finishing high school. But, this soon changed once his friend introduced him to training with peers interested in the United States Army. Eddie quickly realized that he liked the grind of training and started to consider spending additional time with his recruiters. 

This decision will one day pay off for Eddie. Not only will he spend 4 years in mandatory service (equivalent to getting your bachelor’s degree at a university/college), but he will receive benefits that’ll pay off after service. He will be offered free or reduced cost housing, special incentive pays, and other positives of serving our country. Most importantly, he’s giving back to his country in a way that could never be repaid. 

What’s your plan?

Now that we’ve discussed three various options seniors have, the question of “What’s your plan?” could soon be answered. This won’t be something that’ll happen overnight for most people. The best advice that Paw Prints could give is to keep experimenting and trying things that interest you.

As previously mentioned, no one pathway is the correct or incorrect way to go. So, why not try new things and see where they take you? Youth is the best time to do this so that you could be set later on in life.

If you are interested in learning more about the pathways of the students mentioned throughout our article, click the link below to be brought to an exclusive video dedicated to discussing life after high school!