Back To School Tips and Advice

Options for after High School

Hi guys, long time no see!! Today I'm going to talk about a couple of popular options for students graduating high school. Now, keep in mind I am no expert, but I will do my best to provide good answers. Also, know that I'm not pushing you to do any of the things here, this is just informative. 

Have a good read,

Makayla X

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Guys, I'm excited to say that I am only 20 days away from my graduation date!!!! I began this book years ago when I was in sophomore year, so it's very emotional for me to write this chapter. As you know, I've done chapters on everything from eating lunch, to making friends, so this time I thought I'd explain a few things that I considered, and eventually decided on for my future. The things I'll discuss are:

The workforce

College

Military 

College

College was the very first thing I considered. I knew I needed higher education, but I also knew it would come at a cost.  I would have to apply for loans, grants and apply for countless scholarships, which was very overwhelming for me. Whilst on this hunt to find the right college, here are some tips I have to help choose the right one. 

-Use collegeboard.com to help.

On the college board, you can find pretty much any college. It tells you facts about the student body, all the majors and minors offered, as well as more specific things like grants and scholarships you can apply for. You can find several schools you like and compare and contrast the costs/downfalls/good things and make a good decision.

-Apply for as many scholarships as possible. You will more than likely get at least one, but maybe more. If you're in a situation where you cannot pay for your schooling, this is especially important. ( It's one of the many reasons I realized that college might not be an option  for me right after high school). 

-Make sure to take the SAT and for the love of everything chocolate, study!! Studying seems like a dumb thing to do, but the better your SAT the better chance you have at getting into schools, an even achieving higher loans/school supplied scholarships. I bombed the SAT (I only got a 950), and schools became increasingly hard to look at due to criteria. 

-Whatever you do DO NOT get senioritis in your last few weeks of school. Colleges can reject your acceptance if you fail or don't live up to expectations!!

The Workforce-

This was the second option I thought about. I legitimately was worried that I couldn't afford to go to college, so I made sure I had a job that was steady for the rest of this year. Working is nothing to be ashamed of; some of the most needed people in the US are people who are willing to jump into the new entry-level positions. If you are considering going to work after school here are some things you should know. 

-Open several savings accounts.

Having an account for general savings may not be enough; bankers suggest that you have an account for emergencies in which you should save an average of 6-8 months worth of income in, they also suggest you have savings accounts you will not touch, that charges interest. (Interest means your money will multiply over time).

-Think about having a roommate, or roommates. This will pretty much make paying bills and living life 1000x easier. 

-Have a job that you enjoy. If you work at a job you hate (like I do), then you are more prone to not go to work or call out. If you have a job you enjoy, you will enjoy making money which makes all the difference. 

-Work as much as you can, but take as many days off you can. Most jobs don't rollover vacation days so use them up while you can. 

The Military

This may surprise you, but I recently enlisted with the US Army. It provided me the best options all while providing a steady job, free college and a stipend for rent/clothes/food. I'm not allowed to leak any details pertaining to my enlistment, as it risks my personal info, but here's what I can tell you about the US Military & what it can offer you. 

-You get complete healthcare, including dental for reduced or free costs. 

-They pay you to learn a trade (like to become a navigator, a CDL licensed truck driver, etc). A lot of the time you'll get a bonus (40K minus, or plus), but don't expect it.

-You get veterans benefits. (This is for grocery stores/restaurants. You will sometimes get free/reduced costs).

-You will get and stay physically fit, and learn how to be composed.

-You will be part of .05% of the population who wears the uniform!! Hooah!

If you want to contact your local recruiter, go to  goarmy.com and check out the options! Also don't forget about the other branches (Navy, Marines, Airforce, National Guard, and Reserves).

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That's it for today guys! Thanks so much for reading it really means a lot to me!! 

~Makayla X