Post-Secondary Planning Making Decisions about Life after High School

Post-Secondary Planning A process where you will set goals for your future and determine what steps you need to take to reach your goals Big decisions require time, research, and consideration, and making plans for life after high school can involve big decisions As a result, we will be spending some time talking about what is involved in this process and how to get started

Post-Secondary Planning What do we need to know about ourselves to make decisions about future educational and career goals? ▫Interests ▫Skills ▫Personality Style ▫Work-related Values You have spent time over the past few years learning about yourself in these areas, and you will need to continue to focus on them as you begin making post- high school plans.

Educational Development Plan Each year as you complete your EDP and map out your course selections, you are already doing post- secondary planning ▫Thinking about post-high school goals ▫Selecting a career pathway of interest ▫Choosing classes that will best prepare you We ask you to revise EDPs each year because as you take classes in areas of interest and learn more about yourself, it is natural for goals to change

The Clock is Ticking Senior year is coming – it is time to get more specific and focused with the planning process Before deciding on a plan, it is important to understand all your different options Our goal is to provide information that will allow you to make the best possible decision for your future (and give you a roadmap of where to begin!) This process will take some time over the next year or so, but the effort you invest will pay off

Post-Secondary Options Four-year Colleges and Universities Community Colleges Military Branches Career/Technical/Trade Schools 13 th -year Options Employment

Four-year Colleges and Universities Huge diversity of schools, both in Michigan and across the country Important to understand some of the major differences between schools ▫National vs. Regional ▫Public vs. Private ▫Large schools vs. Medium schools vs. Small schools ▫Division I, II, III ▫Religious affiliations ▫Single-sex colleges ▫Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Four-year Colleges and Universities Each school handles admissions decisions differently, but many colleges and universities identify the following factors as being important: ▫Grade point average ▫Classes taken ▫Rank in class ▫Standardized test results (ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests) ▫Essays (if required) ▫Recommendations (if required) ▫Interview (if required) ▫Extra-curricular activities

Four-year Colleges and Universities Colleges and Universities vary widely in their level of selectivity in admissions ▫At highly selective schools, competition for admission can be fierce and a minority of applicants are admitted. ▫Selective schools also have high admissions standards and can require strong grades, challenging high school classes, and good ACT/SAT scores. ▫Many high-quality colleges and universities have more open admissions standards  Do not rule out going to college based on grades/test scores alone!

Community Colleges Offer a variety of local, affordable educational opportunities Certificate programs focused on technical or career skills – automotive, medical assisting, HVAC, computer skills, etc. Associates degree programs, which full-time students can typically complete in two years. ▫Either career focused or intended to allow a student to transfer to a 4-year college upon completion (or both)

Community Colleges Dual-enrollment opportunities can allow high school students to take classes that count for both high school and college credit Community members can also take individual courses to expand skills without working toward specific degree Community colleges typically have open admissions policies – anyone can enroll and take classes, regardless of grades or test scores. ▫Spaces in classes do fill up, so it is still helpful to apply and register for classes early

Community Colleges Transferring from community college to four-year college after completing associate’s degree is a popular option ▫Can save money ▫Allows you to get college experience before deciding on college/program ▫Gives you time to further develop college readiness skills MACRAO agreement or other articulation agreements ensure that classes taken will transfer to four-year school ▫Work with a community college advisor to make sure you are taking correct classes!

Military Options Post-high school options available in all military branches ▫Army  Includes National Guard ▫Navy ▫Air Force  Includes Air Guard ▫Marine Corps ▫Coast Guard ▫All branches also have a Reserve option

Military Options Enlistment ▫Commitment made to immediately enter a branch of armed forces for specified period of time as enlisted soldier ▫ASVAB – Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery – is taken prior to enlistment  Your score on this test determines what jobs are available to you in the military as well as possible signing bonus ▫Must also pass physical and meet “moral” requirements  Height/weight requirements  Clean criminal history ▫Can receive tuition assistance and education benefits to assist with paying for college

Military Options ROTC – Reserve Officer Training Corps ▫Military leadership program offered though many different colleges and universities  Army, Navy, Air force, and Marines all have ROTC opportunities  Cadets receive military training while completing college degree and can enter military as officer upon graduation  ROTC scholarships are available, up to full tuition  cadets who receive scholarships have mandatory service commitment upon graduation

Military Options Military Service Academies U.S. Military Academy (West Point)U.S. Naval Academy U.S. Air Force AcademyU.S. Coast Guard Academy ▫Cadets live in military environment, receiving both military training and Bachelor of Science degree ▫Full scholarships, five-year service commitment upon graduation ▫Competition for admission is fierce  Requires a congressional nomination Senior Military Colleges ▫Another options for students who want to attend college in a military environment

Career, Technical, Proprietary and Trade Schools Confusing category full of both high-quality, affordable schools and high-priced, for-profit programs of questionable quality. ▫Thorough investigation is essential with these schools, as with all post-secondary options Focused on hands-on, practical training to allow students to gain entry to specific career fields Look at cost, accreditation, retention rates, and information on job placement and average earnings in those jobs

Career, Technical, Proprietary and Trade Schools Career Schools ▫Grant certificates, associate's and/or bachelor's degrees. ▫Focus on business, technology, health, and other career areas ▫Many are for-profit and tuition costs vary widely Technical Schools ▫Focus on a specific technical trade geared toward employment ▫May be affiliated with county ISD or community college ▫County ISD programs, like ACATEC, can be taken in high school ▫Can provide affordable ways to get technical training at low cost

Career, Technical, Proprietary and Trade Schools Proprietary Schools ▫Privately owned, make money selling educational programs in specific career fields. ▫Some massage therapist, real estate, hypnosis, income tax preparation, and modeling courses ▫Do not grant degrees, might grant certificate or lead to licensure. ▫Costs can be high, may duplicate less expensive programs Trade Schools ▫Focus exclusively on a specific hands-on profession ▫Art and design, culinary arts, cosmetology, skilled trades like HVAC and plumbing, and automotive technology ▫Many are proprietary, for-profit in nature, and costs vary widely

13 th Year Options Experiences embarked on before beginning college “Gap Year” programs ▫Offer the opportunity to travel, volunteer, intern ▫Students accepted to college can sometimes request deferment to pursue gap year programs ▫Meaningful, planned opportunities are best Post-Grad Year ▫Another year of high school-level coursework, through public or private school ▫For those who are young, late bloomers, have academic gaps, or could benefit from year of academics before college

Employment For students planning to seek full-time employment after high school graduation, it will be helpful to get assistance with preparing for a job search – you can get help from: ▫School Counselors ▫Michigan Works Tech Center programs, co-op experiences, apprenticeships, and job shadowing experiences in high school can be helpful in preparing to enter the workforce

Moving Ahead Begin to explore the post-secondary options that appeal to you and fit with your career goals ▫Meet with your counselor to discuss options and how they fit your interests, skills, personality style, and work values ▫Attend college and military recruiter visits at school ▫Attend colleges fairs and/or tech center open house ▫Visit four-year and community college campuses ▫Talk with teachers, family, and community members By the start of Senior year, if not sooner, focus in on the best option(s) for you

Sources College Counseling Sourcebook, The College Board, 2009 The Fundamentals of College Admissions Counseling, National Association for College Admissions Counseling, 2006 Today’s Military website,