Post-Graduate (PG) Year a



Weston High School - Guidance Department

Post High School Alternatives

High school seniors are faced with tough decisions about what they would like to do once they graduate. Many students choose to follow a traditional path to college, but there are many students who pursue alternative routes to the life/career of their dreams. Below you'll find a list of some of the many options you may consider with links to helpful websites. If you have any questions ask your guidance counselor or check out the Career Center, which is located behind the Stockyard.

Post Graduate (PG) Year: See the attached list of schools and a brief description of what you can expect from a PG year.

Military Service: There are five branches of the military in which a person can enlist. Enlisting in the military can offer a wide variety of job training skills in many different vocational areas. A contractual agreement of two years or more of service in one of these branches is required once you complete your basic training.

The five branches of the United States Military:

Army ()

Navy ()

Air Force ()

Marines ()

Coast Guard ()

Volunteer and Community Service Programs: There are many organizations that provide service and community aid to people in urban, suburban and rural settings. People who enroll in these types of programs feel they are doing something worthwhile that makes a difference in the community. Your length of involvement in service can vary from program to program, but some ask for a commitment of up to two years so it is important that you research each of these programs thoroughly.

A few volunteer and community service programs:

Peace Corps ()

City Year ()

Americorps ()

Habitat for Humanity ()

Big Brother/Big Sister ()

Earthwatch Expeditions ()

Outdoor Adventure/Non-Traditional Classrooms: Many students want to explore other parts of the country or the world. There are many options for this, including some that give academic credit. Some non-traditional classrooms could be the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, a ship in the Caribbean, or kayaks on the Snake River in Wyoming. The length of these trips can vary from three weeks to a year, so it is important to research each program thoroughly.

Some outdoor adventure/non-traditional classroom programs:

Outward Bound ()

National Outdoor Leadership School ()

Appalachian Mountain Club ()

Semester at Sea ()

Sail Caribbean ()

The School for Field Studies ()

Specialized Health and Beauty Training: There are many programs that specialize in preparing students to work in the personal health and beauty industries. These training programs can be very rewarding.

Programs in the health and beauty industry:

Blaine Beauty School ()

Spa Tech Institute ()

Barbizon Modeling School ()

Rob Roy Academy ()

Study Abroad Programs: Pursuing your education in another country is a great way to learn while immersing yourself in culture and traditions of a foreign land. The length of time spent abroad can vary from program to program.

Possible Study Abroad Programs & Information:

()

AFS Intercultural Program ()

Friends World Program ()

Greenheart Travel Program ()

Youth for Understanding USA ()

International Student Exchange Programs ()

Vocational Training and Internships: Internships can be a great way for students to gain experience and to learn skills by being placed on-site and fully immersed in the industry/job.

Here are some great internships programs:

The Dynamy Interim Programs ()

Center for Interim Programs ()

Time-Out Associates ()

Post-Graduate (PG) Year a.k.a. The 13th Year of School

A post-graduate (PG) year is typically an additional year of academic study in a boarding school style of learning, where the student is transitioned more to the college lifestyle. The PG year is usually offered by independent private schools throughout the country and stresses the ideal of the student's achieving their greatest potential.

Which students may be interested in another year of high school?

• Those interested in a year away from home before the college experience for academic, social or physical growth.

• Those interested in building on existing academic foundations to present a more complete picture to colleges and universities.

Why might a student choose to enroll in a PG year?

• To increase proficiency in a particular area of study such as music, art, theater or athletics.

• Family illness, divorce, or an untimely family death may lead a student and their family to consider a PG year.

• Smaller enrollment allows each student to be better known by the faculty, administrators and coaches, which allows for proper studying and supervision before the transition into college.

How do colleges view students who partake in a PG year?

• College admission officers view a PG year as a period in which the student enhances the chances of success upon matriculation to their college. From having a year away from home before college the student is able to gain independence, decreasing an admission risk compared to a student coming straight out of high school.

For more information about PG years, contact your student's high school guidance counselor.

Resources:

The Association of Boarding Schools

The National Association of Independent Schools

The list below contains independent boarding schools throughout New English that offer a PG year. (Some of these schools may change their programs, so it is important to contact the school directly.)

* All Girls School

** All Boys School

Massachusetts:

Berkshire School, Sheffield

Charlemont Academy, Charlemont

The Cambridge School of Weston, Weston

Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School, Waltham

Cushing Academy, Ashburnham

Deerfield Academy, Deerfield

Northfield Mount Herman School, Northfield

Phillips Academy at Andover, Andover

Riverview School, East Sandwich

*Stoneleigh-Burnham School, Greenfield

Wilbraham & Monson Academy, Wilbraham

The Williston Northampton School, East Hampton

The Winchendon School, Winchendon

Worcester Academy, Worcester

Maine:

**Bridgton Academy, North Bridgton

Fryeburg Academy, Fryeburg

Gould Academy, Bethel

Hebron Academy, Hebron

Hyde School, Bath

Kents Hill School, Kents Hill

Maine Central Institute, Pittsfield

Connecticut:

**Avon Old Farms, Avon

Canterbury School, New Milford

Cheshire Academy, Cheshire

Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford

The Gunnery, Washington

Hotchkiss School, Lakeville

Marianapolis Prep School, Thompson

**Oxford Academy, Westbrook

Pomfret School, Pomfret

**St. Thomas More, Oakdale

Suffield Academy, Suffield

Westminster School, Simsbury

**The Woodhall School, Bethlehem,

New Hampshire:

Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro

Kimball Union Academy, Meriden

Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter

Tilton School, Tilton

Vermont:

St. Johnsbury Academy, St. Johnsbury

Vermont Academy, Saxtons River

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