For many seniors the high school era is near its end, but that also means a start to the next chapter, college! A majority of students choose to continue their education after high school whether it’s through trade school, or college. But how does one decide on their path, even more without a visit.
College is a fresh start for high school seniors, considering how you make sure your fresh start doesn’t have a damper by choosing the wrong school. Which makes sense why so many people put so much thought into their college decisions, sometimes years. Short answer, who are we kidding there is no short answer.
“College is really expensive and um through various veterans benefits, if I stay in state, I can go to school for free. But the University of Washington specifically, I chose because of overall the merit, I guess, you could say. When you say the University of Washington, people like to think of it, it’s like a really big deal,” Junior Deja Reed said.
As said, finance is a big part of choosing a school, but some students choose their schools without ever visiting the campus first, which to many is a big shocker. Although this could be saving you time and money. When it’s time to leave high school, people usually have their plans laid out in front of them, so not having a college visit isn’t really a big concern.
“I was looking at Everett community college, because I have heard they have a good esthetician program as well, but they never got back to me. The primary teacher of the esthetician program at Evergreen got back to me right away and was ecstatic to hear I was interested,” Senior Genna Stoeckle said.
To many families, college is a huge milestone and almost a generational pass down of the torch. So many choose to go where their loved ones before them experienced their college chapters.
“My aunt went to college at UW for medicine and I’ve always looked up to her and without even seeing it, it became my dream school,” Senior Siri Jemmett said.
Things like this almost become your second home without knowing it, so in the end it just becomes natural for you to begin to crave the normal. Advocating for the fact that many choose to stay close to home.
“ I kind of grew up going to the U district and like being in Seattle and stuff, because my mom went to UW and so and it’s a really big part of like Western Washington culture,” Reed said, “ I would say, like football games, basketball games, all the things like that, so I’ve kinda been immersed in it since I was young, so I’ve always kind of known what it’s like.”
