Seniors are preparing themselves for the world beyond school doors, but plan to follow different paths. Rocelyn Samano and Nathan Francisco will go to college, while Andrew Johnson plans to join the military after graduation.
Samano’s goal is to study medicine to be an oncologist, a doctor who specializes in treating people with cancer.
“I choose medicine because I want to help people who went through the same ordeal as my father [did with cancer],” Samano said.
Samano said she has already taken a few of the courses, such as chemistry, biology and calculus; however, she still needs to take the Medical College Admission Test in order to get into a medical school.
However, going to medical school will be expensive. According to studentloanconsolidation.pro, “the first year of medical school the average cost is about $25,000 plus books, housing, travel costs, and other fees.”
But Samano already has a back-up plan.
“If I really decide I can’t handle being in the medical path, then I would probably do something in culinary arts, a chef,” Samano said.
Francisco plans on going to college “for water engineering.”
“I guess you could call it plumbing, but it’s more complicated than that,” Francisco said.
According to Francisco, his father wants him to do it since “it’s basically the family business.”
When he was younger, his father taught him how to do some things and, in a way, he grew to like it, he said.
“If I were to pick something else, it would be firefighter, but that’s kind of hard to achieve now,” Francisco said.
He said he doesn’t see much of anything getting in the way of him gaining what he wants.
“It’s easy getting a job in engineering. Every building needs [an engineer], and the pay is pretty good,” Francisco said.
According to a survey done by the National Association of Colleges and Employers on ehow.com, “engineers earn some of the highest average starting salaries among graduates holding bachelor’s degrees.”
Johnson, however, said he plans on joining the Air Force after graduation.
“I have the option of college or military, so I chose to go to the Air Force like my cousin and uncle,” Johnson said.
Besides the health benefits and insurance people gain from going into the service, according to airforce.com, Johnson said he decided to go for different reasons.
He would have “the chance to travel and have no school worries.”
When he was younger, Johnson “thought about joining the Air Force like his grandfather,” and, now that he is older and in his senior year of high school, he has “deeply considered going.” His mother is okay with him going, as well, he said.
Even though all three seniors have already mapped out their future careers, there are other things they look forward to as adults.
After finishing medical school, Samano plans to work at a hospital and maybe start a family.
Johnson hopes that he will live a proud life after the Air Force and thinks it is a good choice, since he will not “let anyone tell him otherwise.”
Francisco said he wants to live a normal life as he matures into an adult. A normal life for him would consist of working at his job, going home to eat his wife’s home-cooked meals and sleeping.
