For some of you high school has been an amazing experience full of good friends, epic parties and, hopefully, some useful education!  For others, its has been a struggle. Maybe you’ve experienced bullying, struggled academically or just felt like you don’t fit in.

Regardless of your high school experience the end of grade 12 signifies the impending next stage…..your debut into the “real world.” Now it’s up to you to decide what to do.

Ahhhhhhhhh, scary.

At 17 or 18 years old it’s tough to make a decision that can impact the rest of our life. Very few students know exactly where they want to go or what they want to do. Even those that say with confidence, “I want to be a doctor,” or “I want to own a landscaping business,” often change their mind once they get a taste of what else is out there  – and that’s totally okay.

For the past 12 years you’ve been told where you need to be and what classes to take (with the exception of a few electives) so the freedom to make big, life changing decisions is a new experience and one that you might need a little bit of help with.

When I was finishing grade 12 I had no idea what I wanted to do. I only applied to one university, and luckily got accepted, but I did it largely because I didn’t know all of my options. Based on the information from my guidance counsellor, parents and friends, university was the logical next step.

You finish high school, do a four year degree and get a job….right? 

Well, my story was definitely not this linear. I finished high school, spent 10 years in post-secondary completing three degrees, changed my major three times, worked in nine different jobs and travelled to 10 countries. During this time I learned ALOT of lessons and I figured out a lot of the things I didn’t want to do and a few things I might want to do. 

I’m writing this post because I wish I had a resource that allowed me to gain a better understanding of what options were available to me after high school. I spent a ton of time working with career counsellors and psychologists trying to figure out what the right path was for me. I attended many lectures and seminars trying to gain a better understanding of the what was out there and I spent hours making lists and analyzing my likes, dislikes, hobbies, abilities and interests (I tend to overthink things).

My goal with this post is to save you some time, and money, by presenting a number of options and the pro’s and con’s of each.

The Pro’s and Con’s of University, College, Trade School, Travel, Gap Year, Armed Forces and Entrepreneurship.

University

Universities specialize in academic and professional programs (think engineering, biology, law, computer science…). Universities offer a series of different degree programs including:

• • Bachelor degree (BA, BSc…) (~4 years)

• • Masters degree (MSc, MA…) (~1-3 years)

• Doctoral degree (PhD) (~ 3-5 years)

PROS	CONS
Usually correlated with higher earning potential According to Stats Canada, in 2011 adults with a university degree or college diploma earned, on average, 74% more than those who had a high school diploma or trade certificate (2).	Time consuming (4 years to complete). This means you likely won’t enter the work force until age 22 or later.
No regrets. It’s very unlikely you will look back on your time in university and regret it. Education is never a waste. So, if you feel a strong push to go to university do what you can to make it happen.	Not everyone is prepared for university right after high school. If you don’t know if university is the right fit then maybe take some time to think about it or take a few college classes to see what you like. Don’t waste your time or money if you don’t feel committed.
The university experience!! If you are looking to experience frosh week, tiny dorm rooms, parties and pack on the freshman 15 then university might be the right fit.	Huge class sizes - especially first year classes. It’s easy to get lost in the crowd if you are afraid to speak up. But, class sizes do tend to get smaller year after year.
You get to choose from a huge curriculum with tons of options for what you want to study. Everything from degrees in biology and engineering to sexuality studies and mobile computing. You can even take classes on Harry Potter, Beyonce, witchcraft and drugs in popular culture. There is really something for everyone!!	Can be very theoretical - lack of hands on work experience. As a result, university does not always prepare you with the specific skills you need for the job market. Make sure you consider the future job market when choosing your degree. It’s predicted that jobs in areas like accounting and financial analysis could be taken over by technology. However, jobs that didn’t even exist 10 years ago like ‘social media content creator’ are exploding. It’s hard to predict which professions will have a decline in hiring and also what new professions will emerge as technology and society continues to advance and change…but it’s something to think about. Looking forward I would guess that degrees in computer science, engineering and design are safe bets!
A degree will open the door for many career options. Employers often prefer candidates with a a degree over a certificate or diploma (but it depends on the position)	A graduate degree will cost you $6,907/year or $27,628 (1). If you want to get your MBA or go to med school it’s going to cost you A LOT more.

College or Trade School

I have separated college and trade school into two pro/con tables however, the goals of the two schools are similar. They both focus on job specific programs that train students to go directly from school to work (think: early learning and childcare certificate, photography, journalism, culinary training, carpentry etc.) Typically range from 1-4 years.

College

PROS	CONS
Generally offer shorter programs that universities certificate (1 year) diploma (2-3 years) Some offer degree programs in applied areas of study (4 years)	Although college programs are generally less than university, they are still expensive.
Offer upgrade options. Helpful if you need to improve your high school grades in math or science of even improve your language skills. Might help you ease into post secondary and determine what is the right fit for you.	Some jobs might prefer a candidate that holds a degree over a diploma or certificate.
Programs tend to be more applied and career focused as opposed to more theoretical	Although you will graduate with all of the skills necessary to perform your chosen career you won’t have a lot of flexibility if you don’t end up liking your chosen job. Many university degrees offer general transferable skills allowing people to move from one career to another. The skills learned with many college degrees (e.g. photography, culinary school) aren’t as flexible.
Usually have smaller class sizes then a university	More limited curriculum. Often if you want to pursue a 4 year degree you will have to transfer to a university.

Trade School 

PROS	CONS
Shorter time commitment. Many programs are two years instead of four.	As with all post secondary options, there is a cost associated. However, trade school is generally less than university or college options.
Trade school prepares you for the specific job you want to do. When you graduate you will have the knowledge and skills needed to perform that job. For instance, if you go to school to become a cabinet maker, you will be capable of building cabinets when you graduate your program.	The skills you learn in trade school are specific to the job you want. As a result, your schooling won’t provide you with a lot of transferrable skills. So, you might have to go back to school if you decide that you no longer want to pursue this job.
A lot of the programs set you up to be your own boss. For instance, if you graduate as an electrician you can open your own business “ABC Electric”…. hello ultimate earning potential!!!
In many apprenticeship programs you can start earning money while you are going to school - this is good for your bottom line!
There is demand for trades people in Canada. According to a globe and mail article, “Canada is looking at a shortage of one million tradespeople by 2020 (3).” As baby boomers in the industry are looking to return there are not enough young people to fill their spots.

Travel

If you’ve always dreamed of seeing the world  then travel might be the way to go.

PROS	CONS
Expand your horizons. One of the best things about travel is experiencing new cultures, meeting new people and discovering new perspectives.	Cost - travel can be expensive but you can find a destination that will accommodate most budgets. Choose countries where your dollar will go a bit farther (Thailand, Vietnam, Nicaragua)
Cost - travel can be expensive but you can find a destination that will accommodate most budgets. Choose countries where your dollar will go a bit farther (Thailand, Vietnam, Nicaragua)	Scams, theft, crime and severe consequences. Make sure you read a lot about your destination before you head out. Read up on local customs, what is considered appropriate vs. inappropriate, what is legal vs. illegal. Things can be very different than what you are used to at home and you don’t want your trip of a lifetime to turn into a nightmare. Do google search on something like “travel turned to nightmare, drugs in Thailand” for some crazy, scary stories that are sure to keep you in line.
Eat exotic food. Experiencing new foods can be one of the best parts of travel. The first time I travelled to South East Asia I was REPULSED by cilantro. It’s a very divisive herb, you either love it or hate it. I was in the hate camp for years. I would spend literally 30 min each meal picking cilantro out of my noodle soup….Not speaking Thai I couldn’t always express my distaste for cilantro to the waiter. Also, just a heads up, cilantro is on EVERYTHING in Thailand. The moral of the story is that somehow over time I grew to really enjoy it. This wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t travel (or maybe it would have…) This was a totally stupid and pointless story.	Illness - travellers diarrhea - sometimes your stomach needs time to adjust. You might poop your pants….or come very close. Make sure you get the proper shots before you travel to a new country.
Check out volunteer opportunities. Travel for pleasure and to make a difference Make sure you are travelling with an organization where your volunteer efforts are truly helping instead of burdening the local people. Search “voluntourism” to gain a better understanding of what I am talking about.	Your parents might try to deter you from taking a year or two to travel because they might fear that you won’t have a desire to come home and go back to school (if that’s what you want to do). I hesitate putting this in the CON list because, in all honesty, if you run into something that you are really passionate about while you are travelling or just decide you want to be a nomad for the rest of your life….that’s okay too. You need to do what makes you happy.
Appreciate home - travel often gives you an appreciation for home. Seeing how other people live around the world can make you very grateful for what you have. Our girl Dorthy (from The Wizard of Oz) said it best, “There’s no place like home."	Homesickness. Sometimes you really miss your mom….or your puppy. AND If/when you have tummy troubles you will really miss your bathroom. Not all toilets are created equally. Do a google image search of “squat toilet” and you will understand what I am talking about.
Travelling can make you grow up. You have to learn to be organized, you have to manage money, you have to look out for your self. These are important life skills.
It’s awesome to travel while you’re young and relatively free of responsibilities. If you don’t feel ready to attend post secondary but want to learn from the ‘school of life’ then travel might be a great option for you.

Gap Year

Perhaps you don’t have the desire (or money) to travel. You can still take a “gap year” to work and save money, to volunteer or maybe to upgrade a high school course that you bombed. Maybe you just need a bit of time to think about your next step.

PROS	CONS
Opportunity to make money/save money	You might feel like you aren’t making as much “progress” as your friends who have chosen other options Remember, a lot of them will be leaving to go to school, travel etc. so you want to make sure you have your own thing going on.
Opportunity to take some additional time to really think about what you want to do next. Looking back, it’s a lot to ask of a 17-18 year old to figure out what they want to do with their life…maybe you aren’t ready to make that decision yet….and that’s totally okay. This might be the only time in your life that you have this kind of opportunity. Long breaks are harder to take when you have a career, kids and a mortgage.	There is such a thing as wasting your time. If you take a year off to work with the goal of saving money and then you blow every cent you earn on beer and pizza…you will probably regret it. It’s a good idea to have some sort of preliminary plan in place regarding how you want to spend your time during your gap year.
You will gain new experiences and life lessons just by getting out there and trying something new.	If you have been accepted at a school and think that you might want to go after your gap year you need to look into deferring your acceptance. You don’t want to have to go through the whole process again.

Canadian Armed Forces

The Canadian Armed Forces is another area you might consider looking into.

PROS	CONS
Free school. Well free in the sense that the military will pay for your schooling while you serve. According to the Government of Canada website - for every two months of service in Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) you will receive one month of paid tuition.	You might require additional education once you leave the military. E.g. might be trained as an naval electrician so all of your experience is on a ship. After leaving the navy if you want to do electrical work in peoples homes you may have to do some upgrading.
Get paid while you study. The CAF will pay for your tuition and books, you will also receive a salary and benefits (full medical, dental and paid vacation) while attending school (4).	There is always the possibility of active duty…that’s a tad scary.
In addition to your academic education the military also offers “military training, occupation training and second language training.”	Depending on your position in the Canadian Armed Forces and what you do/see, mental illness and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could be things you experience
An opportunity to travel and see the world.	All of the travel and deployment can be difficult when you get older and want to settle down or have a family.
Early retirement and a pension.	You must commit a minimum of three years.

Entrepreneurship

Are you confident, motivated and full of great business ideas?  Maybe entrepreneurship is right for you!

PROS	CONS
You get to be your own boss!!!!	A high possibility of failure.
Possibility for unlimited earning potential and financial freedom.	No benefits. You pay for your own healthcare, pension etc.
Potential for the flexibility to work where you want, when you want. Also, unlimited creative flexibility	Work, work, work. There is no 9 to 5 when you decide to be an entrepreneur. Starting a business is a ton of work and you have to be ready to put in the hours if you want it to be a success.

To Sum it all up….

When choosing what to do after high school there is NO right or wrong answer. Pursue whatever feels right to you. If you change your mind, that’s okay, in fact that’s totally normal. You don’t have to have everything figured out by the time you graduate.

If you have other ideas for what you can do after high school I would LOVE to hear them. Please leave a comment below. 

References

(1) Stats Canada (2017). Tuition fees for degree programs, 2017/2018. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170906/dq170906b-eng.htm

(2) Stats Canada (2014). Graduating in Canada: Profile, labour market, outcomes and student debt of the class of 2009-2010. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-595-m/81-595-m2014101-eng.pdf

(3) The Globe and Mail (2017). Looking for a job? Why you should consider a trade. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/looking-for-a-job-why-you-should-consider-a-trade/article9117896/

(4) Government of Canada (2017). University. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/caf-jobs/education-benefits/paid-education/university.html