Opinion: Life after high school for those who do not prepare

Life after high school is a very interesting experience. The real world is a very different place; you’re on your own. Average students who didn’t pursue college are faced with real world challenges and difficulties, problems that they never were taught in school. Is high school only preparing you for what teachers want you to pursue ? All I hear when we talk about our future is “college this, college that,” but what if we want to pursue a different path and get a job or a career without college straight out of high school? Teachers don’t teach you how to find a job or how to apply to a place you want to work. We are not taught on how to pay taxes, good mortgage deals, how to earn credit, or how to manage your finances.

My cousin, who graduated a couple of years ago, had trouble finding a job. He was an average student in high school and chose not to pursue college. He says that school didn’t really teach him about the reality of the real world. Now that he is alone and has a lot of questions concerning what to do with himself now that he is eligible to work. Schools do have a program in the 11th grade called “mock interviews,” which they bring in managers to simulate a real interview experience and sometimes even hire you. My cousin didn’t even know where to start and felt like school didn’t prepare him for his search. In high school, he had the mentality that he was going to attend college and everything he learned would be used in the future. Now he always seems worried about job applications and the requirements. He always seems doubtful about getting the job. He asks himself, “did I do something wrong or did I not fill out a part?” He has no training or even the slightest idea on how to have an average interview.

I mean school and teachers aren’t suppose to baby you. I believe that there are certain steps that you need to take on your own. You, yourself, should go out and get advice from friends and family or any other adults you trust and are prospering.

The odds are stacked against him. Everything learned in high school: science, english, and government seems unimportant while working at a job that requires pure labor, flipping burgers, etc.

Life is a whole new experience after high school. It’s only you and your parents who are pushing you toward your goals. There’s no more offering help nor anyone teaching you how to do things. Having no work experience leaves you with a blank resume and nobody to recommend you. I’m not saying high school was of no help or everybody is going to be stuck in the same situation, but what I am saying is that high school should not only have one expectation. High school should also teach about other ways of living.