Deciding the next step after high school can be a daunting task for upcoming graduates. At Eaton High School, seniors have decided on a variety of different paths for their future. At a young age, high school students are expected to make a decision that affects the next ten plus years of their life. With such importance, this decision should be adequately considered.
The months of October through December mark one of the few deadlines to submit applications to colleges. Depending on which action plan the student intends to take, their commitment must be made by a certain date. Whatever conclusion is being reached, high school seniors are making an incredibly crucial decision at a very young age.
Many options arise following graduation. Students may choose to attend a college or university for academics, some may choose to continue a desired athletic career, and some may choose to put their efforts toward working and gaining an income.
Senior Kiauna Smith has thoroughly considered what factors are most important in her college decision process. Smith said, “The personality of the college is definitely a big factor. At the campus, it needs to feel like a place I can call home for four years.” She wants to stay relatively close to home, ruling out any colleges that are not in or neighboring Colorado. Another principle that is important to her is if a kinesiology program is offered.
Smith has been a prime member of the three-in-a-row State Championship winning softball team at EHS. She said, “My primary interest is finding a school that will give me a high quality education, and if they also have a high level softball team that I can play on, that is just an added bonus.” Currently, she is attending camps and exposure tournaments to make the opportunity of playing softball in college available for her.
Going a different route, Ryan Sharp (25) is looking to embellish a career in engineering. Sharp is keeping finances in mind while his decisions are narrowing down, and is planning on attending the cheapest; but also most fulfilling college for his interests. “So far, I have toured Colorado School of Mines, and South Dakota School of Mines. I have been keeping in mind what campus life is like, and what it would be like to be in college at that place,” said Sharp. The process in choosing where Sharp wants to take his next journey has not been an easy one. He has been working really hard to make sure he finds the right college for the career path that he wants to pursue, but also find a college that is financially fitting for him.
Regardless of what a student decides to do after high school, it is still a big decision that will determine a lot of their life moving forward into adulthood. Senior year is very testing in this aspect. As the first semester of this school year is coming to an end, seniors of EHS have a lot to think about to make a decision they feel confident about.
