News Editor
Seventy-percent of high school students will attend college within two years of graduating high school. Getting a bachelor’s degree is something that’s expected of students nowadays, and we are lectured from Kindergarten about how we won’t be able to find jobs or live a successful life without a college degree.
However, college isn’t for everyone. Whether it’s for financial reasons or maybe a lack of desire to continue school, you still need to do something after graduating from high school. Here are some alternatives to make yourself useful in society if you choose not to continue on to higher education.
Volunteer and travel. There are many programs that allow you to travel extremely cheaply in exchange for volunteer work. Peace Corps and Projects Abroad are just two of these programs. While not a long term
Learn a trade. With more and more students attending college and hoping to get a cozy office job, the demand for trade workers is increasing more and more. These are necessary jobs that usually do not require a college degree. Students with an interest in a specific trade like plumbing or construction can obtain apprenticeships, which will open the door to numerous job opportunities. There are also trade schools where students can study trades like cosmetology or automobile repair.
Start a business. Replace student loans with business loans and become an entrepreneur. Develop an idea and devote yourself to your company. You don’t need any college education to open your own business, just good salesmanship, a financial plan, and a little luck.
Join the military. The benefits you will receive from joining a branch of the military are unmatched to any job you can get out of high school. Although life in the military can be dangerous, you will be provided with an income, housing, and even future benefits. And if you decide to go to college later in life, the military will pay for that, too.
Don’t rush. You don’t have to decide what you’re going to do for the rest of your life while you’re fresh out of high school. You could try a mixture of the above options, or maybe after a few years you’ll decide that college is for you after all. You have your whole life ahead of you.
