SMART Goals for Choosing College, Trade School, or Work After High School
Updated: 3 days ago
"What are you going to do after high school?" If you are between 18 and 25, you have probably heard that question more times than you can count. Maybe you heard it at graduation. Maybe you hear it at every family dinner. And maybe you still do not have an answer. SMART goals make choosing college, trade school, or work less overwhelming.
That is okay. Not knowing what comes next does not mean you are lazy or behind. It means you are facing one of the biggest decisions of your life, and nobody gave you a simple way to make it.
College, trade school, the military, or going straight to work are all real paths. Each one can lead to a good life. Each one also costs something, whether that is money, time, or freedom. SMART goals help you look at each path in small steps, so you can make a choice you feel good about instead of guessing or putting it off.
Why Choosing What Comes Next Feels So Hard
As a mom of four, I watched each of my children face this decision in a different way. Some knew right away. Others drifted for a while. What I learned is that most young adults are not stuck because they do not care. They are stuck because the choice feels too big.
Here is why this decision can feel overwhelming:
There are too many options. Hundreds of colleges, dozens of trades, five branches of the military, and thousands of jobs.
The cost is scary. College loans, tool costs, and lost paychecks all add up.
Everyone has an opinion. Parents, teachers, friends, and social media all say different things.
It feels permanent. Many young adults are afraid that if they pick wrong, their life is ruined.
Instant answers are not available. Unlike a video game or an app, there is no quick result. You have to research, wait, and try.
The truth is that very few choices at this age are permanent. People change majors, switch trades, leave the military for college, and go back to school at 30. What matters most is that you take a step, learn from it, and keep moving.
What Are SMART Goals?
SMART goals are a simple way to take something that feels too big and break it into small steps you can actually do. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Specific: You know exactly what you will do.
Measurable: You can count it, check it off, or see that it happened.
Achievable: It fits the time, energy, money, and support you have right now.
Relevant: It matters to you and moves you toward what you want.
Time-bound: It has a clear window, like today, this week, or the next fourteen days.
For choosing what comes next, SMART goals help you research one path at a time, talk to real people, and compare costs, like "I will talk to two electricians about their jobs by the end of this month."
The Four Main Paths, in Simple Words
Before you set goals, it helps to know what each path really looks like.
College: Two-year community college or a four-year university. Leads to an associate's or bachelor's degree. Often costs the most up front, but some careers require it.
Trade school or apprenticeship: Training for skilled jobs like electrician, plumber, welder, HVAC tech, nurse aide, or mechanic. Programs can take months to a few years. In a registered apprenticeship, you get paid while you learn.
The military: Usually a four-year enlistment. You get training, a paycheck, housing, and education benefits like the GI Bill. You also give up a lot of freedom about where you live and what you do.
Going straight to work: You start earning right away. Many jobs offer on-the-job training, and some employers help pay for school later.
Let's Look at the Money
Numbers can help you make a clear choice. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports what full-time workers age 25 and older earn by education level. For 2025, median weekly earnings were:
High school diploma: $966 a week
Associate's degree: $1,135 a week
Bachelor's degree: $1,578 a week
Let's do the math for one year. There are 52 weeks in a year.
High school diploma: $966 × 52 = $50,232 a year
Associate's degree: $1,135 × 52 = $59,020 a year
Bachelor's degree: $1,578 × 52 = $82,056 a year
The difference between a high school diploma and a bachelor's degree is $82,056 − $50,232 = $31,824 a year.
But remember, these are averages. Many skilled trades pay very well, and the Department of Labor reports that people who finish a registered apprenticeship earn an average of $86,000 a year. College can also mean debt. The best choice is the one that fits the work you want to do and what you can afford.
How to Break Choosing College, Trade School, or Work Into Smaller SMART Goals
Choosing what comes next can feel like one huge problem. Below, we break it into five phases.
Each phase is a smaller goal, and under each phase are small steps you can start this week.
Each step shows you four things:
SMART Goal Example: the exact goal, written so you know what to do, how much, and by when.
Why It Matters: how this small step helps with the bigger problem.
How To Do It: practical ways to get started.
How To Measure It: how you will know you did it.
Use these as a pattern. Change the details so each goal fits your time, energy, and situation.
Phase One: Getting to Know Yourself
You cannot pick the right path until you know what you like, what you are good at, and what you can live with.
1. List What You Enjoy
SMART Goal Example: By Sunday, I will write down ten things I enjoy doing, even if they seem silly.
Why It Matters: What you enjoy often points to the kind of work that will keep you motivated.
How To Do It: Include hobbies, school subjects, games, and chores you do not mind. If you love building things in a video game, write that down.
How To Measure It: Ten items are on your list.
2. Name What You Are Good At
SMART Goal Example: This week, I will ask three people what they think I am good at.
Why It Matters: Others often see strengths we miss in ourselves.
How To Do It: Ask a parent, a friend, and a teacher, coach, or boss. Write down their answers.
How To Measure It: Three answers written.
3. Decide What You Do Not Want
SMART Goal Example: By Friday, I will list five things I do not want in a job.
Why It Matters: Knowing your deal breakers rules out paths quickly.
How To Do It: Think about sitting at a desk all day, working outside, working nights, or being away from home.
How To Measure It: Five deal breakers listed.
Phase Two: Exploring Your Options
Now take your list and turn it into real paths you can research.
1. Take a Free Career Quiz
SMART Goal Example: This week, I will take one free career interest quiz and write down my top three career matches.
Why It Matters: A quiz can give you ideas you never thought about.
How To Do It: CareerOneStop, from the U.S. Department of Labor, offers free career tools.
How To Measure It: Three careers written down.
2. Research Each Career
SMART Goal Example: By the end of the month, I will look up each of my three careers in the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Why It Matters: You will learn the pay, the training needed, and whether jobs are growing.
How To Do It: For each career, write down the median pay, the education needed, and the job outlook.
How To Measure It: Three careers researched.
3. Talk to Real People
SMART Goal Example: This month, I will talk to two people who work in a career I am interested in.
Why It Matters: Real people can tell you what the job is actually like, including the parts nobody posts online.
How To Do It: Ask family friends, neighbors, or people at church. Ask, "What do you like most and least about your job?"
How To Measure It: Two conversations done.
Phase Three: Counting the Cost
Every path costs something. Write it down so you are not surprised.
1. Compare the Price
SMART Goal Example: By the end of next week, I will write down the total cost of one college program and one trade program.
Why It Matters: Seeing the numbers side by side helps you make a real choice.
How To Do It: Include tuition, books, tools, and living costs. Check if the school offers financial aid.
How To Measure It: Two total costs written down.
2. Fill Out the FAFSA
SMART Goal Example: If I am considering college or trade school, I will complete the FAFSA within the next 30 days.
Why It Matters: The FAFSA can open the door to grants, which you do not have to pay back.
How To Do It: Go to studentaid.gov. Ask a parent or school counselor to help if you get stuck.
How To Measure It: The FAFSA is submitted.
3. Do the Debt Math
SMART Goal Example: This week, I will figure out what my monthly loan payment might be before I sign anything.
Why It Matters: Loans feel like free money now, but they come due later.
How To Do It: Let's say you borrow $20,000 and pay it back over 10 years. That is 120 months. $20,000 ÷ 120 = about $167 a month, before interest. With interest, the payment will be higher. Ask the school's financial aid office for a real estimate.
How To Measure It: You know your estimated payment.
Phase Four: Trying It Before You Commit
You do not have to guess. You can test a path first.
1. Shadow Someone for a Day
SMART Goal Example: By the end of next month, I will ask to shadow someone at work for one day.
Why It Matters: A day on the job can tell you more than hours of research.
How To Do It: Ask someone you talked to in Phase Two if you can follow them for a day.
How To Measure It: One shadow day completed.
2. Take One Class
SMART Goal Example: This semester, I will take one class at a community college in a subject I am considering.
Why It Matters: One class costs much less than a full program and shows you if you like it.
How To Do It: Look at your local community college schedule for evening or online classes.
How To Measure It: One class finished.
3. Talk to a Recruiter or Program Advisor
SMART Goal Example: This month, I will meet with one recruiter or school advisor and bring a list of five questions.
Why It Matters: Advisors and recruiters can explain the details, but you need to ask the right questions.
How To Do It: Ask about the real costs, the time commitment, and what happens if you change your mind. If you meet a military recruiter, bring a parent or trusted adult, and never sign anything the same day.
How To Measure It: One meeting done, with all five questions asked.
Phase Five: Making the Choice
At some point, you need to choose. Remember, you can change your mind later.
1. Narrow It to Two
SMART Goal Example: By the end of next month, I will narrow my options to my top two paths.
Why It Matters: Two options are easier to compare than ten.
How To Do It: Use everything you learned in Phases One through Four.
How To Measure It: Two paths chosen.
2. Make a Pros and Cons List
SMART Goal Example: This week, I will write five pros and five cons for each of my top two paths.
Why It Matters: Writing it down helps you see the choice clearly.
How To Do It: Include money, time, freedom, and how you will feel doing the work.
How To Measure It: Twenty items written down.
3. Set a Decision Date
SMART Goal Example: I will make my decision by [date] and tell one person I trust.
Why It Matters: Without a deadline, it is easy to keep putting it off.
How To Do It: Pick a date about four to six weeks out. Put it in your phone calendar.
How To Measure It: Decision made and shared.
You do not need to work on every phase at once. Pick the one step that feels most doable today, and start there.
Is Your Goal Realistic and Relevant?
The goals in this article are examples, not rules. Money, family needs, grades, health, and where you live all shape which paths are open to you. Look at your own life and see if there are other ways to break this choice down that fit you better.
Check Every Goal Against Your Life
Before you start, ask yourself:
Is this step small enough to do on a busy or discouraging day?
Did I give myself enough time to finish it?
Does it fit my money and situation?
Does it help me get closer to a real choice?
If a Goal Isn't Working, It's the Process, Not You
Missing a goal does not mean you are a failure. Usually the goal was not broken down enough, or the time frame was too short. That is a problem with the plan, and plans can be fixed.
Make it smaller: If researching three careers is too much, research one.
Give it more time: Give yourself two months instead of one.
Change the how: If reading feels hard, watch a video about the career or call someone instead.
You can also ask others what has helped them. That is why we have free community groups, where people share their overcoming stories and practical advice.
Examples: Breaking Down "I Don't Know What to Do With My Life"
"I have no idea what I like."
Smaller: Notice what you enjoy each day.
SMART goal: For the next 14 days, I will write down one thing I enjoyed each evening.
Other small steps: Take a career quiz, try a new hobby, or volunteer once.
"College is too expensive."
Smaller: Learn the real price after aid.
SMART goal: I will submit the FAFSA and look up one community college's cost by the end of the month.
Other small steps: Ask about apprenticeships, employer tuition help, or the GI Bill.
"I just want to make money now."
Smaller: Find a job with training or growth.
SMART goal: This week, I will apply to three jobs that offer on-the-job training.
Other small steps: Ask employers about tuition help or promotions.
How to Find Your Own Smaller Steps
Ask yourself: Which part of this choice scares me most? Is it money, failing, or disappointing someone? What is one thing I can learn this week that would make the choice easier? Who could I talk to? Small answers to these questions become your next SMART goals.
Measuring Time for Choosing Your Path
Most people need a few months to make this decision well. Try giving yourself about 90 days. That is roughly 13 weeks. If you work on one small step each week, you will finish 13 steps before your decision date. If that feels too fast, give yourself six months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is college always the best choice?
No. College is the right path for many careers, but trade school, apprenticeships, the military, and on-the-job training also lead to good jobs. The best choice depends on the work you want to do.
What if I pick the wrong path?
Very few choices are permanent. Many people change majors, switch careers, or go back to school later. Each path teaches you something.
Can I work and go to school at the same time?
Yes. Many people take evening or online classes while working. Some employers even help pay for school.
Is it okay to take a gap year?
A gap year can help if you use it with a plan, like working, saving, and exploring careers. Set SMART goals so the year has a purpose.
How do I talk to my parents about my choice?
Show them your research. When parents see your plan, costs, and goals in writing, they often feel better about your choice.
When Everything Feels Too Much
Choosing your future can feel heavy, especially when everyone seems to have it figured out. Remember: small steps count.
Focus on one phase at a time.
Track your progress and celebrate small wins.
Remember that you can change paths later.
Talk to someone you trust when you feel stuck.
Be kind to yourself. You are learning.
Journal Prompts for Choosing What Comes Next
Use these prompts to think through your choice:
What kind of work makes me lose track of time?
What am I most afraid of when I think about my future?
If money did not matter, what would I try first?
What is one small step I can take this week?
Who do I know that could help me learn more?
What would my future self thank me for doing today?
Journaling helps you notice what matters to you and turn it into small, clear steps.
Where to Go From Here
Becoming independent is easier with support. At Surviving Life Lessons, we believe in life survivors helping life strugglers. Our Life Skills & Resilience group shares practical skills for adult life, and our Career Growth & Advancement group helps you plan your next steps. You can also browse our Community Groups Catalog to find every group that fits where you are right now.
Next, read SMART Goals for Young Adults: An Independence Guide or Break Big Problems Into Small Steps: The SMART Goals Guide.
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References
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Education Pays (Earnings and Unemployment Rates by Educational Attainment): https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/unemployment-earnings-education.htm
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/
Apprenticeship.gov, U.S. Department of Labor: Apprenticeship 101: https://www.apprenticeship.gov/sites/default/files/Apprenticeship101-20260501.pdf
Federal Student Aid, U.S. Department of Education: https://studentaid.gov/
CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.careeronestop.org/
About the Author:
Deborah Ann Martin is the founder of Surviving Life Lessons, a published author, poet, speaker, and trainer with over 20 years of management experience across multiple industries. An MBA graduate, U.S. veteran, single mother, and rare cancer survivor, Deborah brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her writing on resilience, leadership, personal growth, and overcoming adversity. Her mission is to empower others with practical wisdom and real-life insight to navigate life’s challenges with strength and purpose.
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