Beginning as young as three years old, children are placed in the education system. Laws require that students, for the most part, attend school through twelfth grade, where they will then graduate high school. Society pressure dictates students to then attend a four-year university, or even a two-year college if necessary beforehand. Being able to indulge in this educational opportunity is not required, like the past years of education, so there are different ways to handle it.

Some students use this opportunity of a college education as a way to refine their academic resumes. These are the students that take courses that are notoriously "easy A's" in order to maintain a 4.0 GPA. Usually, their main concern is is graduating with high honors and a perfect GPA. This focus specifically on grades and academic success enables students to hopefully have the ability to impress future employers with their academic success. Their university experience is mostly spent studying and doing everything possible to simply boost their GPA and graduate with perfect grades. A strong transcript is likely to make an impact on a future employer.

Another path to take for this next stage of education is a more challenging one. This route requires stepping out of a comfort zone or major and using the institution to teach you subjects that you may have never had the opportunity to learn in high school. For example, my natural strengths fall into the categories of English and history related subjects and my weaknesses particularly fell into the science fields. Upon coming to college, I decided to branch out and enrolled in a computer science course -- a choice that proved beneficial, as I am now enrolled in a cybersecurity minor. This method of engaging in education also involves hard work and heavy studying, but will likely not produce the perfect grades that the style above does. By enrolling in subjects that challenge you as an individual, it is very likely that you will not perform as well.

Many individuals choose to value extracurricular activities and internships more than academics. University of a breeding ground of opportunity and connections and utilizing all of them is incredibly important. Joining clubs and organizations cannot only help improve your social experience, but can also provide connections on campus and across the world that you can call upon later on in life. These ties allow you to connect with people during job interviews or even use already established connections to get a foot in the door. Once you can get your name out there, it's a lot easier to find success! Colleges are filled with potential resources -- other students, professors and alumni. By placing emphasis on preparing for your future, you are likely to have more success after college.

Finally, there are people that realize that the atmosphere of a university or college is not suitable for their mentalities and desires. These individuals often find solace in attending a trade or technical school to specifically improve upon the skill set that they want to pursue as an adult in a career. Others immediately enter their next chapter, either through the military or a job opportunity that does not require the next step of education. Also, some people very well may just need the extra time to figure out what they want to do! Asking an eighteen-year-old to develop an intricate plan for their entire future is a grandiose task that many are not yet prepared to complete. Until they feel confident in their decisions, it's best for them to take the time off before moving forward.

Education after high school graduation is an intimidating subject that many approach in various ways. No style of engaging with education is incorrect as well as you benefit from it! Take the steps necessary for your personal growth and success. They may be very different from the paths your friends take, but do not worry, it will all work out for you..