Deciding whether or not to continue with higher education can be a daunting task for some. It can be very difficult to find the right college or technical school for one’s intended major or work force or even to find a school that suits a person. Some students at GCHS have already started applying and looking into schools that suit their needs.

One such student is Hannah Cochran, a current senior, who wants to attend college after graduation. She plans to study health and law studies. “My post high school plans are to attend an undergraduate university and major in biomedical engineering or a double major in biochemical engineering. After that, law school for a Juris Doctor with a health emphasis,” Cochran said. She is interested in those majors because of her post college plans.  “I want to go to college because it’s essentially the only way to obtain an upper level position in the law or biomedical field,” Cochran said.

Like many others, Cochran is unsure at this point about where she wants to attend college. She currently does not know which college she is going to go to, but she is interested in many and is working on applying and getting accepted in to them. “I’m interested in the University of Chicago, Harvard, Case Western Reserve, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, and the University of Virginia,” Cochran said.

Similar to a lot of seniors, Cochran has spent the past couple of weeks working on her college essays. These essays are important, because they allow schools to learn more about individuals and helps people to stand out among their peers.  “I’m working on my essays for all the schools and I plan to submit them by this weekend,” Cochran said.

While many students will pursue college, others are considering different options. Zachary Mann is also a senior at GCHS; however, he is not interested in a traditional college program, but he is looking into a different form of higher education. “After high school I plan to continue my welding education with a 5 month program, I don’t plan to attend college or any vocational or technical schools,” Mann said. “I have applied to become part of a welding program. In the summer, I will be verified to weld and can instantly get a job.”

Mann is very passionate about welding. “I’m interested in welding because it’s a dying art, and it is also extremely fascinating and hard to get the hang of. It’s also a very high demand job that has spots that need to be filled. The last reason why I chose welding is because it gives me an opportunity to get a very good job that pays extremely well, without being in debt and taking years to complete,” Mann said.