PARENTS: HELP YOUR STUDENTS START PLANNING FOR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL WITH FREE COLLEGE AND CAREER TOOLS
College Board’s BigFuture Shares Information About the Reach and Impact of Career and College Search Tools that Help Students Prepare for Their Futures
Background:
Imagine how overwhelming it can feel for students to figure out what comes next after high school. Every student should be able to access the tools and resources they need to unlock their future. That’s where BigFuture comes in. BigFuture provides free college and career tools to help students choose the best option for them.
Students want to pursue opportunities after high school that will lead to a fulfilling career, but their options for “what’s next” are often limited to careers they’ve been exposed to in their family, community, or in school. At a time when 57% of high school graduates are starting in a two-year degree and training program, or joining the workforce directly, rather than enrolling in four-year programs, only 20% of students have heard a lot about non-4-year options.
The best way to help all students find and select the best pathway for them is to allow them to explore all their options in one place. BigFuture allows for easier navigation through all options available to students, including but not limited to four-year degrees. Students can explore careers, plan for college, and pay for college with actionable tools that are personalized to them. With the new FAFSA having opened in December, students and families have more questions about financial aid.
Every student is unique and so is their path to future success. When students know about the range of postsecondary pathways available, they can better understand how those align with their goals, interests, and academic achievements, and make the best decision for their future. We want to help students and families see career success as the destination and education as the pathway to achieve it.
MORE ABOUT AUTUMN CAVINESS:
Autumn Caviness is a proud graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, where she received her PhD in Journalism and Master of Arts in Radio-Television-Film. Autumn also holds an MA and a BA in Communication from Texas A&M University. A self-proclaimed 90s R&B aficionado, Autumn is passionate about helping students discover and honor the college and career melody that resonates within their hearts and their minds. Her story includes a phenomenal chapter at Austin’s only HBCU and first institution of higher learning, Huston-Tillotson University (HT) where she served as a Communication Professor, Director of the Center for Academic Excellence, Special Assistant to the President, and Director of Marketing and Public Relations.
Produced for: College Board