College, Career, & Life Readiness
Planning for life after high school starts long before Senior year. Finding the right career takes time, planning, and exploring throughout all grade levels.
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Enrollment
Begin your pathway to Enroll in College!
Students interested in the Enrollment pathway are wanting to continue their education after high school. Each type of school will open up different doors, so it is important to research and make a choice based on your goals and interests.
Review the major options for earning a degree after high school:
- Colleges and Universities
Links to an external site. offer different programs depending on the goal of the student.
- Students can choose to earn a 2-year Associate’s degree, which can help build a body of knowledge that can prepare students for a career or further education.
- Students can also complete a 4-year Bachelor’s degree to prepare them for work in fields like business, engineering, and teaching. They can also continue on to graduate school for careers in medicine, law or other fields.
- Technical Colleges Links to an external site. offer certifications or licenses in specialized programs and typically take two years or less to finish. They prepare students for the specific career that they want, so students would only take classes related to their career interest.
Students interested in the Enrollment pathway should also consider the Dual Enrollment and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Links to an external site. programs, which give students the opportunity to earn college credits and certifications while completing High School.
Now is a great time to also apply for scholarships Links to an external site.! And, if you are interested in getting FREE MONEY for college, be sure to complete the FAFSA Links to an external site. during your senior year!
- Colleges and Universities
Links to an external site. offer different programs depending on the goal of the student.
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Enlistment
Begin your pathway to Enlist in the US military!
Students interested in the Enlistment pathway want to serve their country by joining the US military. There are 6 branches of the US military:
- United States Air Force Links to an external site.
- United States Army Links to an external site.
- United States Coast Guard Links to an external site.
- United States Marines Corps Links to an external site.
- United States Navy Links to an external site.
Each branch offers a wide variety of occupations and provides on-going training that can eventually translate to civilian work.
If this seems like the path for you learn more about enlistment and talk to your School Counselor about meeting with a recruiter.
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Employment
Begin your pathway to Employment!
Students interested in the Employment pathway are ready to join the workforce. There are many jobs available for students who have just graduated high school. The first step to to joining the workforce in a high wage paying job is to complete one of our many CTE Pathways Links to an external site. and earn industry certifications. To increase earning potential, students should consider exploring apprenticeship programs, which provide on-the-job training and education while earning a wage. Volunteering is also a good way to get experience in fields of interest Links to an external site. and could be used to boost one’s resume Links to an external site..
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Exploration
Begin your pathway to Exploration!
Students interested in the Exploration pathway may want to take a short break from school or want to increase their skills before starting a career. This break is called a gap year, a set amount of time for planned practical learning. A gap year gives students time to explore their interests Links to an external site. while planning their career or academic options. Students can choose a gap year program based on their next steps and the experience they gain from a gap year can be used on college applications and job resumes.
Some students/families don’t think about taking a gap year due to finances, but most gap year programs offer financial aid with FAFSA Links to an external site.. Students can even start a gap year program with scholarships.