You’re supposed to have this figured out by now, right? Are you going to choose college or trade school? A four-year degree or a paycheck that starts sooner? The pressure to decide can feel like your whole future hinges on making one right choice at the end of high school.
But the truth is that the college vs. trade school decision is bigger than a single form or deadline. It takes real planning and thought to work out what’s best for you, so it’s understandable if the process feels overwhelming.
If you’re worried that you’re the only one feeling the pressure, you’re far from alone. Research on teenagers making this kind of choice shows that career indecision is common and, in some cases, is linked to symptoms of depression.[1] That reaction makes sense, because this is one of the biggest decisions you’ve faced in your life so far. To try to take some of the pressure off, this page will explore:
Higher education includes several distinct paths, and no single one is right for everybody. A four-year college is built around a bachelor’s degree and can be the right fit if your career requires one, like:
Community college offers a lower-cost way to cover general requirements or earn an associate’s degree. This takes two years before moving on to a four-year school. It’s also a common way to test college itself at a lower price before you commit to four years.
If college doesn’t seem like a good fit, vocational school and trade programs train you for a specific skilled job, like:
These programs usually take several months to two years. Apprenticeships are another option, enabling you to earn a wage while a mentor trains you on the job.
Each of these options stands on its own. They lead to different tools for different goals, and your goals may reflect your interests, finances, family situation, and the kind of day-to-day work you’d enjoy. But framing this as a college vs. trade school decision, as if it’s one binary choice, can make it harder than it needs to be.
Choosing a career path can feel like you are deciding your whole future and even who you’re going to be. But you’re not finalizing your entire identity with this decision. Psychologists who study adolescent development describe identity as something that keeps forming well past high school. It’s shaped by the roles you try on as you go.[2]
This decision is a starting point, and starting points can be changed later. Lots of people discover a new direction later in life, and that’s okay. The choice between college and another route is a big one, but it isn’t the only one you’ll make about your future goals.
If you freeze every time someone asks, “So what’s your plan?”, you’re having a common reaction. Some students feel mild hesitation. Others experience it as truly distressing, especially in the final year of high school.[3] As noted earlier, career indecision is connected to mental health conditions such as depressive symptoms, and that link grows stronger when indecision comes with a sense of feeling stuck or powerless.[1]
It might seem like this is a decision you should make on your own, but research has found that having support through the high school transition process makes a real difference. One study looked at high school seniors approaching the move to college. Their career anxiety was closely tied to:[4]
The pressure you’re under is real. If you still feel stuck, it doesn’t mean that anything is wrong with you or that you’re not capable of making the right choice. The decision carries a lot of emotion, and acknowledging that is a healthier place to begin than pretending it should be easy.
For a lot of teens, some of the pressure of this decision comes from who’s watching you make it. Research on college students has found that strong parental involvement in career decisions, even when it comes from a caring place, is linked to more career indecision.
Part of that link comes from the pressure of meeting someone else’s expectations.[5] If a parent, grandparent, teacher, or relative has strong opinions about what you should do, it’s fair to notice how much of the thinking is coming from you and how much is coming from them.
A study of young adults found that student loan debt was linked to high levels of stress, and that the connection to anxiety grew stronger for people whose financial footing already felt unstable.[6] A broader review of dozens of studies on personal debt found a consistent pattern linking debt to higher anxiety and depression.[7]
Many college degrees and training programs pay off financially in the end, so the goal here is running numbers on the cost side. Try building a realistic budget for each path, including:
Whichever paths you’re considering, it helps to ask yourself four questions:
Separating those questions and answering them honestly can make the decision less loaded. It can help you notice when “everyone in my family goes to college” is doing more of the deciding than your own future goals are.
Mission Prep is here to help you or your loved one take the next steps towards an improved mental well-being.
If a four-year degree isn’t calling to you, that is useful information to help guide your decision. The skilled trades cover a wide range of in-demand jobs, from electricians and plumbers to welders and industrial technicians. Many of these fields offer solid job growth and competitive wages.[8]
Apprenticeships are one of the most overlooked alternatives to college. You train under an experienced professional in the field and learn the skills that the job requires. As noted above, you earn while you train, which can help offset some of the financial worry of education after high school. When you complete the apprenticeship, you hold a nationally recognized credential you can build your career on.[8]
Vocational and trade schools work in a similar way. They offer focused, hands-on training on a shorter timeline than a traditional college degree. These programs exist because the workforce needs people with these skills, which often makes trade school a direct route into steady work.
Some trade programs have direct employer connections, so the move from classroom to paycheck can be shorter than in a lot of four-year majors. If you like working with your hands, or seeing the results of your effort at the end of a day, this path may fit you better than a classroom would.
The bigger point is this: Alternatives to college mean there is more than one way to start a stable and satisfying career. The right one depends on what actually fits you, regardless of which option someone in your life would choose for you, or which sounds the most impressive.
It might be encouraging to know that the distress that comes with decisions like this responds well to support. One study followed young adults who asked for help with career choice difficulties. Most had noticeably elevated psychological distress before starting a structured career guidance program, but it dropped significantly afterward, whatever level it started at.[9]
Building confidence in your ability to cope helps too. Teens with stronger self-efficacy (the belief that you can handle what’s in front of you) tend to have better stress management skills and better overall mental health.[10] Here are a few ways to develop that:
Mission Prep provides treatment for teens experiencing various mental health conditions. Mental Health support is a phone call away – call 866-901-4047 to learn about your treatment options.
See our residences in Southern California’s Los Angeles & San Diego areas.
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Whichever direction you choose, it’s important to get as much help as possible with the stress of deciding. If the pressure around your decision has started to spill into other areas of your life, like your mood, sleep schedule, and how you’re getting along with the people around you, that’s a sign you might need some extra help.
At Mission Prep Teen Treatment, we offer a variety of treatment programs to help manage concerns with anxiety, low mood, family friction, or trouble sleeping. Our expert team incorporates evidence-based therapeutic approaches and innovative interventions to foster sustainable change for adolescents and their families.
Whether you or your teen could benefit from residential treatment at one of our locations or something more flexible, like an outpatient mental health program delivered virtually, our team can help.
Mission Prep Teen Treatment accepts insurance and is in-network with most major providers. We are happy to help you check your insurance coverage for mental health care.
Start the admissions process online or call 866-901-4047 to speak with a caring member of our team who can answer any questions you might have. Reach out for a free, no-obligation conversation.
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