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Fast Facts

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"Provide innovative, high-quality curriculum for more than 12 million students annually" (American Association of Community Colleges [AACC]).

Some benefits include: lower cost, the ability to explore different courses of study, personalized attention through smaller class sizes, and the ability to obtain professional certificates.

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After you graduate, this is a time to find out more about yourself.  What are you interested in and how does this translate into job skills.

Write a resume, have references, dress neatly and professionally, apply for jobs in line with your experience and skill levels, develop contacts, do online job searches, apply to a variety of jobs, follow-up with job leads, be sure to write thank you notes for all interviews.

It's important to maintain a positive attitude and be willing to accept positions to gain experience.  It's important to put effort into all pursuits.

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Once you meet with a recruiter and commit to serve you  must register with a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS).  Then you undergo the following steps:
1. Take the Armed Services Vocational Assessment Battery (ASVAB)
2.  Pass the physical exam
3.  Met with a counselor and determine a career
4.  Take the oath of enlistment
5. Then you will be direct ship or placed in the delayed entry program
(www.todaysmilitary.com)

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What is it?  A gap year is a period of time students use to explore areas of interest, typically taken between high school and college.  It helps to fill in what wasn't learned in school and focuses on self-discovery, decision-making, and problem-solving.

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Things to explore: Experimental education, Interning, Volunteering, Travel, and Work Exchange.  Things to consider: you may want to apply and get accepted to college before starting your gap year, consider finances often schools will try to hold your scholarships but you will have to reapply for financial aid, how will you afford your gap year you may want to look for work exchange programs, consider the benefits of the gap year such as great maturity, confidence, and career readiness, and that colleges are increasingly more accepting of gap years as they see the benefits students gain that translate well to campus.
(Kern, 2010)

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"30 million jobs that pay good salaries for workers without a bachelor's degree" but require some post-secondary education (Datapoints, AACC).

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Students who choose to enter the workforce after high school can benefit from: instant earnings, experience, increased employability, career exposure, responsibility, on-the-job training, and paid tuition.

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Can fast track a student into highly skilled career

Provides training and instruction into highly skilled jobs and professions

Focus is on practical education vs. academics

Many schools offer degree-transfer programs
(www.gocollege.com)

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Choose to serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard. The military provides a variety of career paths, and has many benefits including: housing, money for college, insurance and retirement benefits, and travel.