August 15, 2020
An information-packed reference source that details a multitude of post-secondary possibilities. After opening with a discussion of assessing one's interests, personality, and financial needs, Morgan plainly lays out teenagers' options after high school in sections covering various academic and vocational educational options; military, civil, and foreign service paths; entering the workforce; and taking a gap year. The emphasis throughout is on being true to one's core values and making choices that are realistic and suited to readers' own situations rather than succumbing to others' notions of what one ought to do after high school. Guided questions posed for thoughtful consideration are peppered throughout. Refreshingly, the author tries hard to make the book inclusive of the various socio-economic backgrounds, although some statements and advice assume a middle-class framework in which parents expect young people to attend college and are able to tour campuses before applying. However, detailed and balanced discussions of military service and trade schools (along with important warnings about for-profit schools) round things out. This updated edition of Morgan's 2014 original is packed with information, balancing encouragement, empathy, and enthusiasm with sober, pragmatic advice anchored by worksheets, timelines, and other practical tools. A useful and comprehensive handbook for teens contemplating life after high school. (resources, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)
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