At this school, the majority of students leave for college after senior year. However, students should consider less-traveled roads of post-graduation choices.
Some of these roads may include community service, military service, full-time work or personal exploration. These paths can be just as valuable or even more valuable than college.
Some students take a year off between high school and college, the gap year.Students spend gap years in a variety of ways, many of which are beneficial.
Harvard recommends students take a gap year before college, which shows that gap years can be valuable.
According to a Harvard admissions article, after a gap year, “Many come to college with new visions of their academic plans, their extracurricular pursuits, the intangibles they hoped to gain in college and the career possibilities they observed.”
One program, City Year, targets students right out of high school. According to its website, those enrolled in the program help teach in inner-city schools and “organize and lead activities, celebrations and projects to improve the community and school environment.”
This program is a valuable endeavor, one that students should think about.
Besides a gap year, students can join the military. Helping defend our nation is an important undertaking. As citizens of the United States, we owe everything to our military, and joining it is rewarding, valuable work.
Some students work full-time instead of going to college. After majoring in a Career and Vocational Technical Education course, some graduates enter immediately their chosen field while others begin apprenticeship programs.
These can be even more helpful than college because work gives students real life experience and skills.
After graduation, students have many options, including college, which can help them learn, grow and experience the world in new ways.