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High
school students get lots of advice about what they'll
need to succeed after graduation-from their families,
teachers, guidance counselors and college
representatives. Rarely, however, do they hear from
their peers on this issue. For this article we went to
the source - graduates who are now reaping the benefits
of what they learned in high school (or paying the price
for what they didn't learn).
Some
of the young people we talked to are attending four-year
schools. Others are taking the community college route
to earn credits without breaking the bank. Still others
are out in the workforce. Despite their different paths,
there are many similarities in the advice they would
give to those who are still in high school. Here is a
sampling:
- Time
management: Knowing
how to balance multiple demands was mentioned more
than anything else. Having relied for so long on mom
and dad to help keep them on track, some graduates
said they felt sorely unprepared to prioritize
responsibilities on their own once they left home.
One grad who admits to having slacked off in the
area of personal responsibility during high school
says that he paid the price during the first couple
of years of college. "Once you are in college,
there are lots of different components, not just
academic, that you have to learn to juggle. You have
to be very organized. In college you also have a lot
more free time. I had to learn how to handle all the
freedom and still get my work done.
- A
solid knowledge of core subjects like English and
math: Good
writing skills, whether to complete college papers
or to write clear and concise job applications,
topped the list of skills post-graduates say they
draw on most from high school. Math was also a
subject area that those interviewed say they use
frequently in education and other areas of their
lives. For example, a senior majoring in photography
at Drexel University says he uses math every time he
mixes photo developing chemicals or calculates the
pixel size of a picture. Outside the classroom, a
solid math foundation also comes in handy as high
school graduates manage their money, figure their
taxes or keep track of inventory at part-time jobs.
- Taking
challenging courses:
Many of the grads interviewed said the higher level
subjects and advanced placement (AP) courses they
took while in high school were very beneficial once
they hit college. "I am very glad to have taken
three AP classes and one university-in-high school
course before attending college," says one SUNY
New Paltz student. "Besides the obvious
academic preparation they provided me with regard to
early exposure to what college curriculum would be
like, they also allowed me to bring in 12 credits as
a freshman, which was a nice benefit." Indeed,
she believes all high school students going on to
college should consider taking at least one advanced
level class solely for the experience.
- Take
more than just the minimum foreign language
graduation requirement:
Grads say this can sometimes mean less work once in
college since many colleges will consider additional
foreign language coursework in high school as
comparable to their own freshmen and sophomore
language requirements.
- Learn
what interests you: Taking
a demanding course load in high school, studying
hard and getting good grades are all important to a
teen's future success. However, one young student
who recently took time off from college to
reevaluate her major, wishes she had also spent more
time in high school exploring her interests. Some
valuable ways for kids to discover what they want to
do with their lives include: Internships, volunteer
work, part-time jobs, school-to-work programs and
study abroad.
- Enjoy
the ride: Yes,
college is hard work. Yes, holding down a job can be
tough. But life after high school is also fresh and
exciting. Though it is always important to put forth
a best effort, many of the high school graduates
surveyed said they wish someone had told them that
it was okay to relax a little, too.
Getting
your teens ready to leave the nest
Here
are some things parents can do to help their sons
and daughters prepare for the "real world"
of college and/or work:
- Transfer
responsibility for schedule-keeping to them.
- Encourage them to stretch themselves academically in
high school. Don't let them slack off -- even in their
senior year.
- Help
them move "outside" their teen culture by
getting involved in part-time jobs or volunteer work
related to their career interests.
- Talk
to them about how to balance their busy schedules
with a little relaxation.
- Support
their choices, whatever they are. The question for
many families of soon-to-be graduates seems to be
not if, but where kids will go to college. One
parent whose son decided to forgo college to pursue
his musical career - and was recently a guest
performer with country singer Shania Twain - talked
of the importance of supporting whatever learning
pathway your teen chooses. Time and again, high
school graduates echoed this sentiment, saying that
although college is important, it is really only one
of many viable post-graduate options. Also, it's
important to realize that college-delayed is not
college-denied. In fact, a little extra time spent
out in the job market can often motivate young
people to work all that harder at furthering their
education.
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permission to reprint this article, please contact the
Capital Region BOCES Communications Service at (518)
464-3960.
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