High school is a strange and difficult time for students to have to make major decisions about their futures. Over the past decade, changes in the educational landscape, the economy, and the job market have made those decisions even tougher, resulting in a wide-range of possible futures for high school students about to graduate. In a recent New York Times piece, fifteen students from four American high schools were asked to comment on where they saw themselves after graduation, and their answers provide an interesting look into how this generation’s high school graduates have adapted to a changing social and economic climate.

Given the responses published by the New York Times, the majority of high school students do see themselves attending college to better their job market prospects. However, the types of schools, types of jobs, and plans for achieving success in both areas spread across a wide spectrum, with reliability on financial aid, family assistance and job security influencing future outlooks the most. Check out the feature here, and let us know what you think about the answers! Do you think the aims of these students are realistic? Would you choose a similar path? What are your plans after graduating high school? We want to hear it all!