Paths After High School — More Than One Door
Aligned to CTE:CC-6 — Jump$tart National Standards in K-12 Personal Finance Education & Advance CTE Career Clusters.
What this lesson teaches
There are at least five routes out of high school: a four-year college, a community college or trade school, a registered apprenticeship, the military, or starting your own work. They differ in how long they take, what they cost, and whether you earn while you learn. None of them is the fallback for the others.
Worked examples
Example 1
A four-year degree typically takes 4 years and costs money the whole time. A registered apprenticeship takes 3-5 years and pays you a wage from day one, rising as your skills do.
Example 2
Community college can be the cheapest start: two years of general credits at a fraction of university tuition, then transfer if you want the degree.
Example 3
You can change routes. Plenty of licensed electricians go on to run companies, and plenty of graduates go back for a trade certificate. The first door is not the last one.
Practice questions
- List five paths after high school and one advantage of each.
- Which paths pay you while you learn?
- Pick one path and name what you would need to do in the next two years to keep it open.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Caminos después de la prepa — hay más de una puerta
Hay al menos cinco rutas al salir de la prepa: una universidad de cuatro años, un colegio comunitario o escuela técnica, un aprendizaje registrado, el servicio militar o trabajar por cuenta propia. Se diferencian en cuánto tardan, cuánto cuestan y si ganas mientras aprendes. Ninguna es el plan de repuesto de las otras.
Ejemplo 1: Un título de cuatro años normalmente toma 4 años y cuesta dinero todo ese tiempo. Un aprendizaje registrado toma de 3 a 5 años y te paga un salario desde el primer día, que sube conforme suben tus habilidades.
Ejemplo 2: El colegio comunitario puede ser el inicio más barato: dos años de créditos generales por una fracción de la colegiatura universitaria, y luego transferirte si quieres el título.
Ejemplo 3: Puedes cambiar de ruta. Muchos electricistas con licencia acaban dirigiendo empresas, y muchos egresados regresan por un certificado técnico. La primera puerta no es la última.
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