With the school year beginning in mid-August, seniors are already being questioned about the decisions and plans they have for their future.

Leaving high school and entering into new circumstances could look like attending college, trade school, joining the army or military, immediately entering the work force and a load of several other options. Many students form these ideas based on experiences they received in high school.

The UNMC high school alliance, which gives high school students in Omaha the chance to discover what being a health care professional may look like with different classes, labs and shadowing opportunities, is one program that helps students get a glimpse of what a future in the medical field might look like.

“I want to go into the medical field,” senior Susie Valderrábano said. “The hopes are becoming a surgeon, but that could be changed.”

Burke band student, Glenn Blumer, is excited to bring music into his future.

“I’d like to be a band director. I got interested in becoming one after so many years of band, just loving making all the connections that I have now, as well as being one of the next generation teachers that students can look up to,” Blumer said.

Activities that students are involved in such as band, theater, UNMC alliance, journalism and more, tend to affect seniors and the way they pick their career plans.

For some students, college is not the right path when they map out their goals. There are several options, but for some, college is necessary as there is a certain degree they need to obtain before entering the work force.

Valderrábano is choosing to apply to only three schools: University of Washington, Washington State University and University of Oregon.

“What I‘m looking for in a school is a high admissions rate into graduate school and a college that has a major in my interest,” Valderrábano said. “Biology is a major area, but do they have a substantial program? I would like the school to be known for their program. I want a school in an area that would give me opportunity, probably a bigger city to have opportunities with internships. I love my family but I don’t care if I’m close to them… maybe one that is further away so I can get the experience of being on my own.” 

With Blumer’s plans on being a band director, having a bachelors degree in majors such as ‘music theory’ or ‘music performance’ are necessary.

“I think that college is right for me,” Blumer said. “I am looking for a good music program where I can grow more as a musician, and places to connect and find people like me. I’d have to say I’m interested in UNO or UNL, as they both have pretty good music programs.”

There is a lot on senior’s plates right now- applying for schools, figuring out scholarships, deciding what they want to major in, along with several other things. It is good to have ideas right now, because senior year flies by and before you know it, you’re off into the real world. Even though it may seem stressful, there is excitement in the changes that will come, along with finding out the exciting things that the people you’ve been with for 4 years are deciding to do in the future.