Providing Information on Further Education | Origin: HQ109
This is a general discussion for the following learning topic:
Enhancing Knowledge of Student Career Development --> Providing Information on Further Education
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
I already knew postsecondary options go beyond four-year colleges, but this module made me think harder about how we actually communicate that. We say "all paths are valid" but spend most of our time on college apps. There's a gap.
The financial aid piece stood out. We push FAFSA, but students and families don't always understand EFC or net price calculators. That's a gap I can close. Also, starting postsecondary planning in eighth grade—we have ICAPs but I'm not convinced we're using them for real conversations, not just checking boxes.
Going forward, I'll make sure students and families understand the full range of options--apprenticeships, military, two-year degrees, industry credentials. I'll bring in reps from apprenticeship programs and technical centers, not just universities. I'll do a better job explaining FAFSA, SAR, and net price calculators. And I'll make sure ICAP reviews actually drive postsecondary planning, not just course selection.
The importance of helping students understand that further education can look different for every student, which ever path way they choose can provide valuable opportunities for growth and success.
There are many options for students in planning for or actually staring a career following secondary education. There are also options to achieve career goals that alleviate potential financial burden.
I learned from others submissions about integrating these skills with the community. Are there local shops or organizations that can directly contact my students to provide them with post high school opportunities? Do they partner with local college programs? It made me want to start looking at our local community college offerings WITH my students as an entire unit or few day lesson and get them thinking about what they need to do to accomplish these things.
