With the Class of 2025 preparing for their upcoming graduation, many high school students still don’t have all the facts and data when planning their next steps after high school. Likewise, having somebody to talk to about topics like these could not only be helpful but also insightful. It’s right about this time of year when most students start worrying about their life after graduation, so finding useful information should be at the forefront of every senior’s mind.
The first thing that everyone should understand are the A-G requirements, and every school district has varying requirements, but most follow the same criteria. These requirements are for immediate admission to a four-year university. In other words, if you take these courses, you can jump directly from high school to a university.
The most substantial points involve at least two years of a world language, other than English, and one year of visual and performing arts. Most students make the incorrect assumption and believe that these are the same requirements needed for graduation, but graduation requirements are different from those required by the UC’s and the Cal States.
Basic promotion requirements simply consist of everyday classes, like three years of social studies, four years of English, two years of mathematics, two years of physical education, and one year of health. These requirements sometimes confuse incoming freshmen.
The next step is comprehending the IGETC, or Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum. As with A-G courses, IGETC is the same concept but for freshmen entering community college. These courses are the required classes, in addition to one’s major, that are needed for transferring out of a two-year community college and into a four-year university.
On the flip side, UC San Diego student and former Explosion staff member, Edgar Torabyan, has some useful insight into why most newcomers are lost when discussing college requirements. “I think it often comes down to the fact that, in high school, you have to take specific classes in order to graduate,” he said “When you go to college, you’re sort of given hundreds of classes that you can take. I think the confusion comes from that.”
As a consequence, students later have the misconception that they’ll need to complete another four years of classes, on top of the two years they’ve done in community college, simply to earn a bachelor’s degree. However, upcoming graduates will be relieved to learn that their community college courses will transfer to a university. In total, most students will only need two additional years to earn their bachelor’s degree.
In addition to the different types of college requirements, school tuition costs are a big talking point. While tuition costs vary, California residents often pay 50% of what people out of state pay for an education at a school like UCLA
Although this fact seems appealing, Edgar provides a valid counterargument for paying out-of-state tuition costs. “This is, again, one of those things that comes down to where you get accepted, but in some cases I think out-of-state tuition is definitely worth it,” he argued. “If you get accepted to a university here in California, for example, but you also get accepted to Harvard, which is out of state, I think many people may choose to go ahead and pay the out-of-state tuition for Harvard.”
Instead of attending a traditional university, many people opt to commit to a trade school. These institutions can help prepare you for several different careers, including construction, plumbing, welding and carpentry. Unlike standard colleges, trade schools will take up to one year of learning, which is only a fourth of the time it takes to earn a bachelor’s degree in college. According to Universal Technical Institute and other private trade schools, you can earn your certification for up to $25,000 per year. On the other hand, a top public school, such as UCLA, will come at a cost of over $42,000 per year, before federal funding from FAFSA.
For this reason, some people see a trade school as a sweet deal. While everybody should discover their true passion, they are also entitled to know the drawbacks. Edgar said that what type of school a student attends is “really up to them.”
“There’s nothing preventing them from doing so,” he said. But he later added, “Trade jobs can be physically demanding and can wear you down over time.”
At the end of the day, your next step is entirely up to you! Knowing the differences between A-G and IGETC courses can be useful when planning for the future. In addition to knowing the different curriculum and requirements, understanding tuition costs, and the difference between trade schools and colleges, is a major talking point.
And ultimately, if Edgar can manage all of this and earn a college degree, then anyone can do it! Apart from this, hearing advice from somebody who has been through the system is often reassuring.
And if you wish to learn more about topics regarding higher education and differing majors, please check out two articles written by current senior, Angelina Badalyan: one is about the value of community college and the other is about Business Economics as a major.
