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Mark Abuda looks at a college catalog. Photo by Kat McDermott.

Do you have to go to college?

Not everyone wants to go to college after highschool, there's other paths that you may not know about.

COLUMN
By KAT McDERMOTT
fhspress.com Editor
Posted October 28, 2015

Figuring out what to do after graduation is a struggle for most students.

College seems like an obvious choice for some students, but some students don’t know what they want to major in.
Joining the military is an option, but joining the military seems too intimidating or physically demanding for some people.

Some students are already employed while they are in school, but one part-time, minimum wage job doesn’t pay for insurance, housing, transportation, and food.
What can you do?

I asked fellow peers what they’re planning on doing after they graduate.

“After high school, I would like to go to UC Davis to major in bioengineering because it is a combination of my two favorite things- math and biology,” said Inna Barchuk, a FHS senior.

“After high school, I’m going to beauty school,” says Sarah Xiong, a FHS junior “I think I could go to Sac State at the same time. I’m obsessed with make-up!”

“I want to go to ARC and go into their culinary program and then transfer to Lee Corbon Bleu culinary school and hopefully open my own restaurant,” said Tai Tran, a FHS senior.

Most students told me that they wanted or are planning on going to college, but that isn’t the only road you have to go down to.

Marines can go to school for free or with a scholarship in return for serving during breaks and going to school in uniform.

Technical schools are generally cheaper than going to a college or university and there are a variety of jobs available with only a technical or high school degree. You could be a security guard, cook, welfare eligibility workers or interviewer, animal control worker, or psychiatric aid with only a technical or high school degree.

It’s okay if you don’t know what to do now, 50%-70% of college students change their major at least once and going to college isn’t everything.
Only about 66% of students go to college right after high school anyways.

There are more options than you think, a trip to the career center might help you find an option that matches your lifestyle and interests the most.

kat.mcdermott@fhspress.com

FOOTHILL HIGH SCHOOL fhspress.com SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA