WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?
The best post-secondary plan is the one that works best for you. The ideal goal is to obtain credentials. Whether it be a diploma or certificate, earning credentials from a reputable college, technical school, military or even on-the-job experience helps make you more marketable in the workplace. Getting an education helps people become independent and self-sufficient.
Learn more about different types of educational options at https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/find-colleges/college-101/types-of-colleges-the-basics
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TECHNICAL COLLEGE
A technical college, also known as a vocational college or a trade school, is an educational institution (school) that prepares students for a career in a specific field. Students are taught skills for their career of choice only. For example, if you attend a technical college with the goal of becoming a plumber you will focus on plumbing only. Technical schools also provide students licensure or certification if needed.
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Career Examples: Cosmetology, Plumbing, Photography, Aviation, Air Traffic Control, Dental Assisting, Barbering, Culinary Arts, Carpentry, Welding, as well as many more.
STATE COLLEGE/COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Community college is the most common type of two-year college. These colleges offer many types of educational programs, including those that lead to associate degrees, bachelor degree and certificates. Certificates and some types of associate degrees focus on career readiness. Other types of associate degrees are good preparation for transfer to a four-year college where graduates can earn a bachelor’s degree.
More than 40 percent of U.S. undergraduate students attend community colleges. Students who are 18 to 24 years old make up the largest age group. Community colleges also attract working adults, retirees and others who want to learn.
It is very common for students to transfer from a state college to a four-year college or university. Learn more about transferring at https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/find-colleges/college-101/tips-on-college-transferring-from-a-2-year-to-a-4-year-college
FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY
First things first: It is perfectly normal NOT to know what you want to major in. "Undecided" is the most popular major!
The college experience is all about EXPLORATION! You'll take lots of different classes in many different subject areas, meet with your college academic advisor and decide on a major eventually. You'll have a general academic advisor and also one in your major, so you'll have plenty of help. You can also change your major if your interests change!
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Universities often are larger and offer more majors and degree options—bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees—than colleges. Most universities contain several smaller colleges, such as colleges of liberal arts, engineering or health sciences. These colleges can prepare you for a variety of careers or for graduate study.
Liberal Arts colleges offer a broad base of courses in the liberal arts, which includes areas such as literature, history, languages, mathematics and life sciences. Most are private and offer four-year programs that lead to a bachelor's degree. These colleges can prepare you for a variety of careers or for graduate study.
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Attending college/university at a four-year school with a graduate-level program, medical, dental, veterinary or law school does not always give you an edge or guarantee you will admitted to that school's graduate-level program. In general, you start all over again when you apply to graduate schools.
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Please note: There are no majors called pre-med, pre-law, pre-dental or pre-vet. These are groups of classes/tracks or programs that ensure students take all the required classes needed to apply for graduate school You actually can major in just about anything to be considered for grad school, as long as you satisfy prerequisite requirements!
Some four-year colleges and universities focus on a specific interest or student population. These include:
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Arts colleges
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Single-sex colleges
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Religiously affiliated colleges
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Specialized-mission colleges
MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMIES & SENIOR MILITARY COLLEGES (4-year universities)
The Military offers some unique educational opportunities for students who plan to pursue a college degree. These options — Service Academies, Senior Military Colleges and Maritime Academies — offer world-class education and a deeper understanding of military culture. Plus, most of these schools grant scholarship money in exchange for a period of service. Check out the different schools to see what they can offer you.
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SERVICE ACADEMIES
For students who would like to experience a military environment while getting a first-class education, the five Service academies — the U.S. Military Academy (Army) in West Point, N.Y.; the U.S. Naval Academy (Navy/Marine Corps) in Annapolis, Md.; the U.S. Air Force Academy (Air Force) in Colorado Springs, Colo.; the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (Coast Guard) in New London, Conn.; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y. — offer an outstanding education and full four-year scholarships. Tuition, books, board and medical and dental care are all fully paid for all four years.
The competition to get in is fierce. Admissions criteria include:
• High school academic performance
• Standardized test scores (SAT or ACT)
• Athletics and extracurricular activities
• Leadership experience and community involvement
• A congressional letter of recommendation (not required by the Coast Guard Academy)Graduates of all four academies receive a Bachelor of Science degree and are commissioned as officers in their respective Service branch. In all cases, there is a service obligation of a minimum of five years.
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SENIOR MILITARY COLLEGES
Similarly, the Senior Military Colleges (SMCs) offer a combination of higher education with military instruction. SMCs include Texas A&M University, Norwich University, The Virginia Military Institute, The Citadel, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), University of North Georgia and the Mary Baldwin Women’s Institute for Leadership. SMCs are among the most prestigious and famous education institutions in the world and they offer financial aid packages for eligible students. Every cadet must participate in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program, but only those cadets who receive an ROTC scholarship are required to enter military service following graduation. For example, about half of Virginia Military Institute’s cadets earn commissions as second lieutenants (Army, Marine Corps, Air Force) or ensigns (Navy).
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MARITIME ACADEMIES
An additional option for students is Maritime Academies. The United States Merchant Marine is the fleet of civilian-owned merchant ships that transport cargo and passengers on behalf of the United States. In times of war, the Merchant Marine is an auxiliary to the Navy and can be called upon to deliver service members and supplies for the Military.
Maritime Academies also produce shipboard officers for vessels integral to shipping and transportation needs, but a service commitment is not always required.
MILITARY SERVICE/ENLISTMENT
Military service is paid service and educational experience. With thousands of jobs in hundreds of career fields, there are lots opportunities to seize and avenues to explore in the Services. However, with so many military branches and jobs available to you, finding and obtaining the right one may seem a bit overwhelming at first. But the truth is, with the proper preparation and direction, the path to a successful and fulfilling career in the Military is a lot easier to realize.
When it comes to learning about the Military, knowing where to start your research may seem daunting. Don't worry — the site, Today's Military.com is a great place to start! The first steps to considering service include understanding the Military's basic entrance requirements, exploring the different Service branches and deciding between enlisted and officer career paths.
The Today's Military website shows the various stages of a military career, from the joining process to training, working and taking advantage of military benefits. Start your journey at http://todaysmilitary.com.
APPRENTICESHIPS/PAID JOB TRAINING
Get paid to learn on the job!
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It’s a great opportunity! An apprenticeship is a good way to prepare yourself for the future with on-the-job training in a highly skilled career.
An apprenticeship is a paid job. Someone who is new to the field (the apprentice) learns the skills needed for the job. Apprentices are trained by master craftsmen, who are experts in their field. They share their skills and knowledge to help the apprentice become an expert too.
An apprenticeship is also an educational program. Apprenticeships include classroom lessons to make sure the apprentice masters all aspects of the job.
There are apprenticeships for nearly any job you can imagine: from high-tech manufacturing to health care.
Learn more and search for apprenticeships at http://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship/find-opportunities.htm
GAP YEAR
A gap year is a productive, experiential semester or year "on," typically taken between high school and college in order to deepen practical, professional, and personal awareness, usually at your own expense.
Gap Years originally started in the United Kingdom in the 1970's as a way to fill the 7 or 8 month gap between final exams and the beginning of university. The intention in the UK for that time was to contribute to the development of the student usually through an extended international experience.
Gap Years are very popular outside of the US, but came to the United States in the early 1980's through the work of Cornelius H. Bull, founder of Interim Programs. Since its transition to the United States, Gap Years have taken on a life of their own - now embodying every manner of program and opportunity imaginable, both domestically and internationally, all with the shared purpose of increasing self-awareness, learning about different cultural perspectives, and experimenting with future possible careers. Since their broader acceptance into the American system of education, they have served the added benefit of ameliorating a sense of academic burnout. In fact, in a recent study, one of the two biggest reasons Gap Year students chose to take a Gap Year was precisely to address academic burnout.
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Read an article about Gap Year at https://www.gapyearassociation.org/what-is-a-gap-year-2 or http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/10/gap-years-what-is-a-gap-y_n_1416247.html
Search for Gap Year Programs at http://www.americangap.org/gap-year.php
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