How to Decide What to Do After Graduation

As you get closer to finishing high school, people can’t seem to stop asking “what do you plan to do with the rest of your life?” That’s a big question to answer. It can even be a little scary - if what you choose to do after high school decides the rest of your life, will a “mistake’ set you back? Before going into a full-on panic about what will happen after graduation, here’s how you can start deciding what you want to do when you finish your diploma.

Start figuring out what you like with high school electives.

It’s not easy to decide what you want to do as a career when you’re still working on high school courses, but that’s where your elective classes come in handy. Love math and think that you could be interested in pursuing a job that requires you to work with numbers on a regular basis? Checking out an elective class like pre-calculus can help you gain a deeper understanding of more complex mathematics, while preparing you to take on numbers-heavy classes post-graduation. Think a more creative career is in your future? Elective classes like public speaking or reading and literature can help you take the next steps toward developing a foundational understanding that can help you out in college or career school. You can browse James Madison’s high school electives to see what’s available.

Extracurricular activities can help you find new interests.

Classes aren’t the only way you can start figuring out what you want to do with your future. Extracurriculars can help you try out different hobbies and interests to see which you like best. With a self-paced online curriculum like James Madison’s, you can take advantage of different classes, activities, and groups in your area without having to stress about schedules and balancing your life with school.

Extracurriculars, such as volunteering at a local animal shelter, picking up a part-time job, or joining a local club can round out your education, as well as letting you make connections in your community. Maybe you volunteer at the animal shelter and realize that you want to work with animals every day. Or maybe you think you start taking part in a local group for car enthusiasts and realize you love learning the ins and outs of how automobiles work - becoming a repair technician could be the job you didn’t know you’d love!

Do your research.

There’s a lot of information out there about different jobs, what you need to know to do them, and what kind of skills you should have to be good at it. If you’re thinking about a particular career path after high school, check out detailed information about it on a site like the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You can view what kind of education you need, what kind of job training, and even see how in demand jobs in the field will be.

Take advantage of our career services.

When you’re a student or graduate of James Madison High School, you have access to our career services through our sister school, Ashworth College. Ashworth College Central Network gives you access to tools that can help you build your resume, decide what career path you’re interested in, and even prepare for an interview! Find out more about the flexible high school diploma with James Madison by working with an Admissions Specialist today. Just call to get started!