As the school year comes to a close, Seniors are becoming ever-familiar with being asked “So, what are your post-high school plans?”. This seemingly benign question can open up a pandora’s box of college, trade schools, apprenticeships, jobs, and gap years. Choosing between all these options can feel daunting, especially for those who don’t have a strong idea of what career they want. Ryane Oh (‘24) is one such senior.
Oh plans to take a gap year and begin working full-time after graduation; she’s not yet sure if college is in the cards for her, but she has an interest in pursuing teaching. “I don’t have anything against college,” Oh says. She understands that it can serve as a good transition between high school and a career, but she also points to the time commitment and financial burdens. Oh doesn’t want to continue her education just to fulfill others’ expectations. When asked whether people around her have opinions on her post-high school plans, she replies, “Absolutely I feel pressure,” but she reminds current and upcoming seniors, “Don’t feel like you have to follow everyone else’s footsteps […] you don’t owe anybody anything.”
Kaedon Garcia (‘24) is also unsure of where she wants to end up career-wise, but unlike Oh, she knows she wants to continue school, and plans to attend Edmonds College in the fall. Garcia remembers “the stress of trying to figure out what I wanted to do, and what four-year I wanted to go to.” She was glad to settle on community college, knowing it offered her many options, gave her time to figure out what her interests were, and provided the ability to “go at my own pace.”
Cameron Berry (‘24) will be starting at George Washington University in Spring 2025 after studying for a semester in Grantham, England at Harlaxton College. When deciding between UW and GW, Berry realized the latter was “the path for me.” He knows he doesn’t want to enter the workforce immediately after high school, and says he wants to spend his career “behind a desk.” Most of the careers Berry is interested in, like law, require a college degree. He also says that college was sort of the expected path among his family and friends—most of Berry’s friends will be attending 4-year colleges next year as well.
These three students represent just a small portion of the many post-high school plans of the class of 2024. No matter where they find themselves after high school, Berry reminds his classmates, “there shouldn’t be one correct path.” Although outside pressures like parents, school, or media might make it seem like only one choice is the right one, this year’s Bothell grads are trying to embrace the post-high school path that is right for them, whether that means college, or not.
