After Graduation,what next?
One of the toughest questionsthat high school graduates face is the dreaded "what next?"
As the job market gets increasinglycompetitive, a high school diploma is no longer enough to guaranteeemployment. More and more employers are looking for candidateswho possess work experience as well as some sort of certificationor degree.
The reality is that manygraduates are not always able to embark on a four year Bachelor'sDegree program.
Some may not feel readyor prepared for University, while others may have financial constraintsthat force them into going into the working world directly aftergraduation. Here in Cayman, students who find themselves in thissituation still have options: enrolling in an Advanced Level (A-level)program or pursuing an Associate Degree.
Full time students can completean A-level program in two years. In order to be a full time studentthe candidate must enroll within one year of his/her high schoolgraduation. "We don't want to have a 21 year old in a classroomfull of 17 and 18 year olds," explains Jean Bahadur, principalof Cayman Prep and High School, one of the two schools on theisland to offer A-level classes.
It is for this reason thatthe school also offers the program on a part time basis. "Wehave recently started an A-level and certificate program for adults,"she says. "[Classes} are held at times when full time workerscan attend".
Students who are pursuingan A-level certificate usually choose three individual subjectsthat they will study for the two years.
This means that a studentwho chooses, for example, English, geography and physics willpursue only those three subjects for the program's duration. Theargument can be made that studying only these individual subjectscan be rather limiting. Ms. Bahadur disagrees. "There areso many cross-references that [a student] learns much more thanjust that subject," she explains.
Recent changes now allowA-level students to choose how they would like to be tested. Studentscan be tested at the end of both their first and second year,or can they can take a cumulative final at the end of their secondyear. Upon the successful completion of the A-level program theexternal examination board, such as the University of Cambridge,sends the student a certificate of completion.
If the students choose tocontinue their education they can now apply to a university. Ifapplying to a British University, or one with British ties, theA-level classes serve only as matriculation requirements. Americanand Canadian universities, however, are likely to give advancedstanding to those who have completed A-level classes. In otherwords, these universities do not consider A-level programs simplya requirement, but rather give university credit to those whohave completed the program in good standing.
Still, because the focusof A-level classes is specific to individual subjects, studentsshould not expect to get more than six credits per subject passedat A-level. This means that in the best-case scenario one's advancedstanding would be, at most, one semester.
Like A-level programs, AssociateDegree programs can also be completed in two years if taken ona full time basis. The Community College of the Cayman Islands(CCCI) also offers this degree on a part time basis, and eveningclasses are offered to ensure that it is accessible to a greatpart of the population. The part-time option is offered as a convenience,and adults wishing to take classes on a full time basis are welcometo do so.
Unlike the A-level curriculum,Associate Degree majors take on a more 'liberal arts' approach.For example, a student who has decided to major in social studiesat the CCCI will take economics, English, history, math, Spanishand science courses in order to graduate.
The students who successfullycomplete this program will walk away with an Associate of Artsor Associate of Science degree. At this point they may also choseto apply to a four-year institution.
This is where there is amajor difference between the two programs. The liberal arts approachtaken by Associate Degree programs allows students to cover adiverse number of subjects. When applying to four-year institutionsthis translates to more credit transfers and further 'advancedstanding'. "Most of our majors require between 60 and 70credits," Mr. Basdeo, president of CCCI, explains. "Inan American institution [one usually takes] 120 credits in 4 years[to complete a Bachelor's degree]. If all your credits are transferred,you've reduced costs by at least 1 and 1/2 years. That means yougraduate one a half years earlier. That is why I call it 'the$100,000 Option'!"
Students appear to be catchingon. In 1994, the first year CCCI offered A-level courses, theirstudents had the best test result Cayman had achieved, in bothquantity and quality. "[In 1996] we offered both the A-leveland Associate Degree [programs]. Only 4 students opted for A-levels,"explains Mr. Basdeo. The remaining 88 students opted for an AssociateDegree.
So how does someone choosewhich path to take? "It depends on what the student wantsto pursue," says Mrs. Bahadur, "and where the childis hoping to go. Within the Ivy League [schools] A-level is wellaccepted." Mrs. Bahadur believes that A-levels are "morerecognized by certain institution" than an Associate Degree.
Mr. Basdeo disagrees. Hebelieves that the liberal arts style curriculum of the AssociateDegree program gives students "better preparation for universitywork." As for the recognition question, it appears as ifCCCI Associate Degree holders are having no problems getting intoprestigious universities. Columbia University and the Universityof Pennsylvania in the United States, as well as the London Schoolof Economics in England, are a few of the universities acceptingCCCI's Associate Degrees.
Still, the point is notto deem one path 'right' and the other 'wrong'. What may be rightfor one person is not necessarily so for another. "I wantpeople to know they have options," Mr. Basdeo emphasizes,"so they can make an educated decision as to what to do."