For many high school students, one of the most stressful questions isn’t about grades, but the future. Did you know less than 30% of high school students know what they want to do after high school? According to a 2025 report from Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation, students feel “very unprepared” to pursue post graduation pathways. It is also stated that roughly 53% plan to attend college, yet still face uncertainty about their future. Nearly 75% of graduates feel moderately prepared for college or the next steps in their life. Another obstacle is the choosing of passion versus payment. Due to the current inflation the cost of college is a huge concern among both undergraduates and postgraduates. Several people struggle with finding their perfect career. However, this is not to be seen as discouraging. There are many students at Liberty High School who have a solid plan post graduation and they offer some friendly advice.
A good way to find a career is to look at what you are already doing and enjoy. Senior Savannah Balmuta has known since her sophomore year that she wants to go into psychiatry for adults. Her friends and teachers have inspired her. “I’m the type of person that allows people to feel comfortable talking to me about their issues and feelings. Because people are so comfortable to share personal and vulnerable things with me, it inspired me to look into mental health. Now I’m going to school for Psychiatry.” Savannah says. For her first two years after high school, Savannah plans to attend Laurel Ridge Community College and hopes to transfer to her dream school University of Virginia. Psychiatry requires a bachelor’s and medical degree which amounts to anywhere between 8-12 years of school. Despite the intimidating number, Savannah chooses to follow her passion in helping others with their mental illnesses.
Not everyone has the intense will as Savannah though. Eighteen year old Daniel Tobar Mora has chosen not to follow his dream career because of the amount of schooling it requires. “My dream career is to be an anesthesiologist, but it requires a minimum of 12 years of post-secondary education and training. For me, it’s too much,” explainsDaniel. Instead, Daniel chose to be an electrical engineer. He plans to do two years of NOVA Community College and hopes to attend Virginia Tech afterwards. Daniel shared advice based on his experience, saying that students should “follow your passion but also do what will make you happy.” He added that while he may not be pursuing his dream job, he still enjoys electrical engineering and believes students should choose what is best for their own lives.
As seen around the world, many students struggle with student loans and debt. Often students do not go to college because they believe the debt is not worth it and the pressure is too much. Senior, Guadelupe Villagomez Cortes, also known as Lupita, also agrees with this. “You don’t have to have anything decided after high school. The biggest mistake I see people make is pushing themselves to have their life decided and rushing into something –like college– when it’s often not even something they enjoy. It just wastes your money and time. So please don’t rush to figure out what you want to do. You’ll be seventeen or eighteen when graduating high school; you have time.” Lupita advises. Senior, Elizabeth Decaul agrees with this, although she has a slightly different outlook. “Do what is going to make you money. Don’t think you have to go to college to have a decent life. There are many 9-5 jobs that suit people just fine, and they are happy with their life and career.” says Liz.
People also become discouraged by what a career requires, whether it’s degrees, years of schooling, relevant work experience, and even things like hard specialized skills or something as simple as soft skills such as communication and teamwork. Senior, Mileigh Brady has only recently decided she wants to be a Veterinarian Technician. Mileigh has always had a passion for animals but she was discouraged by being a veterinarian because of the math it requires. “I was scared to officially choose to be a vet tech because it has a lot of math and math is not really my strong suit. But I eventually decided to do it anyway because I don’t want to doubt myself. So I think the biggest thing is to not psych yourself out.” recommends Mileigh.
Overall, the main idea is to not put pressure on yourself to figure things out. It will happen. There are some adults who are still finding their path and it’s completely normal. Explore your options. Maybe start by seeing what you enjoy and look into related careers. Remember college isn’t always for everybody and you don’t have to go in order to be successful. As Mileigh said, don’t overthink it and doubt yourself. I often think of something English teacher, Mrs. Zimmer once told me: “If you’re passionate enough about something, you’ll be good at it. And if not right away, your effort and determination will carry you through.”
