Throughout high school, students are encouraged to think about their futures: what they want to study, where they want to go and what careers they see themselves in. Seniors, in particular, start to think more about what they are going to do as they prepare for the transition to adulthood.

Yet, for many, including me, these decisions can feel overwhelming. The expectation to have everything figured out at such a young age is daunting, especially when it feels like there’s so little time to explore different career paths before making important choices.

I have always known I had a passion for biology, and taking AP Biology and Principles of Biomedical Science in high school helped solidify that interest. However, while these courses introduced me to various specialties such as ecology and genetics, they only scratched the surface of what the field offers at an advanced level. While taking these classes did let me know ecology wasn’t something I wanted to pursue after high school, I still didn’t have enough exposure to confidently determine what I wanted to specialize in.

This lack of exposure to diverse subjects isn’t just an academic issue. It directly impacts students’ confidence in their post-high school decisions. Limited access to specialized courses due to the number of graduation requirements, along with a lack of real-world experiences, can make it difficult to explore potential career paths. Without these opportunities, it’s easy to feel lost in the what-ifs of choosing a career.

Because of this, it would be beneficial for students to have more opportunities for career exploration through field trips, job shadowing and hands-on experiences. One possible initiative could be a dedicated Career Exploration Day, similar to Service Day, where instead of volunteering, students could choose a career field of interest and spend the day shadowing professionals in that area. This would allow students to gain real-world insight into various careers before deciding whether to go to college to pursue a degree.

One experience that significantly influenced my career interests was a field trip with my biomedical science class to the Stanford Veterans Affairs hospital during my junior year. There, I was introduced to different fields of medicine, including cardiology, sonography and emergency medicine.

For the first time, I was able to see firsthand what these professions entailed, and I realized how much I enjoyed sonography. Observing the anatomy and physiology of the human body in real time made my body buzz with excitement. This experience not only deepened my curiosity about medicine but also helped me identify career paths I hadn’t previously considered.

I also commend the organizers of the March career speaker events, where professionals share the nonlinear paths they took to reach their careers. I attended one of these talks my sophomore year, initially unsure of how much I would gain from it. However, I left with a newfound appreciation for the diversity of career journeys and the importance of following one’s passions. These events are a great step toward helping students understand their options and expanding them to include more fields. Interactive Q&A sessions would further enhance their impact.

Another major challenge students face when exploring interests is the rigidity of graduation requirements. As someone passionate about biology, there were so many courses I wanted to take — Human Anatomy and Marine Biology to name a few — but fulfilling core requirements left little room in my schedule. A more flexible curriculum would allow students to tailor their coursework to their career interests. Many European countries have taken a different approach to career preparation by allowing students to specialize in their last two years of high school. Systems like Germany’s dual education model or the UK’s A-level system provide students with the opportunity to focus on subjects that align with their career interests, whether they plan to attend university or enter a trade. This model is successful because it gives students a deeper understanding of their chosen fields while still in high school, reducing uncertainty about their next steps.

By contrast, many U.S. high schools follow a more generalized curriculum, limiting students’ ability to explore potential careers in depth. Adopting aspects of these specialized programs—such as offering more career-aligned electives or allowing students to focus on specific disciplines earlier—could help students feel more confident and prepared when making post-high school decisions. For example, offering journalism as an alternative to a traditional English class or allowing students who play year-round sports (both within and outside of school) to fulfill their PE requirements through those activities could give students more freedom to take courses that align with their goals.

While I had ample opportunities to explore different sciences because I knew what I liked to study, my interest in world history was limited by course availability. Paly only offers World History freshman year, with the closest related course being Foreign Policy Honors, which I was unable to enroll in because of high demand.

Meanwhile, friends from other schools excitedly discussed their AP World History and AP European History classes — courses I wish I could have taken before selecting a major for my college. Without access to these opportunities, I gradually pushed history aside, but I wonder if I would have pursued it further had I been encouraged to do so.

While I understand that some graduation requirements are tied to the University of California and state mandates, it’s worth reevaluating them at all levels to improve student engagement and preparedness for college. Ultimately, high school should be a time for exploration, not just a checklist of required courses. By increasing opportunities for career discovery, expanding academic flexibility and providing real-world exposure, schools can better equip students with the confidence and knowledge they need to make happier, informed decisions about their futures.