Every year, hundreds of thousands of high school seniors commit to four-year colleges in the U.S., according to the National Center for Education Statistics. But what about the students for whom that path isn’t the right fit?
Senior Angelo Mercado studied abroad in Germany during his junior year. He will return to attend Constructor University in Bremen to study physics and math. Mercado says his time overseas influenced his decision.
“After my junior year, I realized that I liked the [German] education system,” says Mercado. “It was super affordable. I knew I liked Germany, so I [thought] why not apply to schools there?”
Other seniors have decided to stay closer to home. Senior Paddy Jenkins-Law will enroll at Portland Community College this fall to pursue an associate’s degree in Fire Sciences.
“I want to do a job that helps people,” says Jenkins-Law. “One of my neighbors was a firefighter, and he’s been a big part of my life. I want to be like him.”
Ben Murff graduated from Lincoln in late January and is currently working at the Multnomah Athletic Club. He plans to attend Seattle Community College and transfer to the University of Washington. Murff hopes to work in the film industry.
“I didn’t apply to [the University of Washington] this year because I knew I wouldn’t be able to afford it,” says Murff. “I applied to a couple of other schools, but I decided that I still wanted to go to Seattle.”
Senior Claudie Mutati plans to move to Scotland after graduation and major in English language and literature at the University of Edinburgh. Mutati originally wanted to major in psychology but changed her mind when it came time to apply.
“Don’t overthink it,” says Mutati. “College decisions are stressful for everyone because it’s where you will spend the next four years of your life. But you have to realize that college admissions are so subjective. Anything can happen.”
