For the past few months, the first question most seniors have been asked was, what are you doing next year? Or did you commit to a school yet? Although the overarching question as to where seniors’ futures will take them does linger among the conversations, now with graduation approaching, many seniors have figured out an answer to such a question.
One type of school that seniors are going to next year is state schools. Senior Sofia Prober is going to be an undeclared major hoping to go into Biology in the fall at San Diego State University (SDSU).
“I chose SDSU mainly because of their research opportunities, specifically in biology. They have a great program where I can get first-hand experience in research and eventually be a part of a research project in a paid position. However, another main reason was the location and being able to stay in California,” said Prober.
Another type of university that many San Marcos graduates will be attending is the University of California schools. One of these students is Natasha Bender who will be majoring in Biology at UC Davis.
“They had a very pretty campus with unique architecture which was bikeable and walkable. It is a good school for my major, Biology and the area is very nice, with a cute downtown, and good weather,” said Bender. “The whole school seemed so happy and with positive energy; I could really see myself there. The culture on campus also seemed more chill with no expectations to be forced into anything.”
Some other students are choosing to go to private universities.
For example, senior Estela Wilson who will be majoring in Marketing at Pepperdine said, “The campus doesn’t compare to anywhere else. I really like being close to a big fashion city. People-wise, having good quality friends with a social scene was important.”
Another option that a large part of Santa Barbara students choose is SBCC.
Public Health major Jolie Mardiat said, “I’m going to SBCC to save money.”
This pathway is very financially smart for Santa Barbara residents due to the SBCC Promise Program which allows SB residents up to two years free of charge.
For those students who are ready to venture further from home, out-of-state universities are a good option. For example, Ryan McLain is a senior going to Wheaton College as a Biochemistry major and will also be playing golf for the school.
“The people there were really good and out of the type of colleges I was looking at, it was considered like the ‘Harvard’ of the private colleges with a good blend of education and sports,” said McLain.
Some students also choose to take a gap year or not attend a university at all. All of these options are extremely important and personal decisions. No matter what anyone chooses, the San Marcos chapter of the seniors’ lives is ending. Wherever people may be going next, it’s exciting to see how the lives of our graduates may unfold. Congratulations class of 2024!
