Going to university used to be a passport to future success, but that’s no longer the case. For some students, it’s still a good choice that leads to a successful career after graduation, but for many their degrees are worthless pieces of paper. Choose the wrong program and graduation is more likely to lead to disillusionment and debt than a steady paycheque.

Yet parents, guidance counselors, and politicians still push higher education as if it’s the only option for building a secure future. In this book, Ken S. Coates and Bill Morrison set out to explore the many educational opportunities and career paths open to Canadian high-school students and those in their twenties. This book is designed to help young adults decide whether to pursue a degree, enroll for skills training, or investigate one of the many other options that are available.

In this special excerpt, we take a wide-angle look at the world that awaits you after high school and how to cope with it while making the best decisions for a prosperous future, including 1. Preparing for Life After High School, 2. Surviving and Thriving in Post-Secondary Education, and 3. Who Are You and What Are Your Choices? This book will help you consider all the options in a clear, rational way.