By Rachel Antrobus and David Maduli

What do high school seniors really need as they prepare for life after graduation? We asked them—and what they shared might change how we think about postsecondary guidance. In this blog, you will discover how listening to high school seniors can focus postsecondary support on the topics and approaches that are most effective for students.

Today’s high school students are navigating an era of unprecedented change, which is shaping their educational experiences and future aspirations. It is critical for educators to center students’ voices—their hopes, fears, and frustrations—so they can accurately assess and meet students’ greatest needs and support students’ postgraduation plans.   

Why Capture Student Voice? 

As students approach high school graduation, many find themselves unequipped to transition to postsecondary life or enter into careers. This is especially pronounced among potential first-generation (first-gen) college students and students from low-income backgrounds, who face unique challenges in knowing exactly what resources and support might be essential. To address this problem, WestEd conducted a statewide student study of California’s graduating seniors, capturing over 10,000 minutes of data from a diverse cross-section of 90 California public high school students across various regions and demographic groups. We used an innovative approach developed by Dr. Yvonne Olivares that offers a deeper understanding of the realities students face as they prepare for life after school. Students’ insights reveal what’s working, what’s missing, and what must change to ensure that every student has a pathway to college and career success. 

A New Approach to Capturing Student Voice

Traditional focus groups often limit participation and overlook key perspectives. Dr. Olivares’s methodology changes that. By blending cognitive interviewing, memory associations, journaling, emotion clarification, problem-solving, and flexible focus groups, this approach is able to capture authentic student insights without the constraints of groupthink or rigid scheduling. This method requires similar resources as traditional ones, but it allows us to engage students on their terms—accommodating those with jobs, family obligations or transportation barriers who are often excluded from research. As a result, we heard from a wider, more diverse range of students and discovered their real challenges, like financial uncertainties and lack of postsecondary guidance. 

Key Findings: What We Learned by Listening to High School Seniors

Students across socioeconomic backgrounds feel overwhelmed by the complexities of financial aid systems, with first-gen college students struggling most—many unaware of long-term financial planning or financial aid available through the FAFSA and CADAA . Our research reveals major barriers in postsecondary readiness, with financial uncertainty emerging as a top concern.

While some public high schools offer college access services, individualized counseling, and financial literacy classes, college access is uneven, leaving many students without the high level of support they need. When asked, students proposed practical solutions: Start career and financial planning sooner—as early as middle school and no later than early high school—and integrate these discussions into core coursework that ensures all students are getting much-needed guidance and information.

We also found a stark divide between first-gen and non-first-gen students when it comes to career aspirations. First-gen students are prone to limiting their career goals to what they see around them, assuming that if they face barriers, they’ll have to settle for jobs that require lower academic credentials and provide significantly lower income than the jobs they envisioned in their initial career goals. In contrast, their peers with college-educated parents are more aware of alternative paths open to those with similar academic credentials. 

This lack of clear career guidance fuels fear and uncertainty, especially among students with high needs. As one first-gen student of color put it, “I don’t know everything I need to know about college/career, I just don’t really know what questions to ask.”

The vast majority of students say that consistent support makes a difference—individual counseling and mentorship, trusted advisors, workshops during the school day, and frequent reminders all go a long way. Ensuring that all students have dedicated places and people to guide them could be the key to overcoming their experience of uncertainty. 

Students said that timely, structured guidance could drastically change their confidence about their lives after high school. 

What Students Really Want: Clear, Honest Guidance on College and Careers

High school seniors are asking big questions about their futures: Is college worth it? Can I succeed without it? How do I pay for it? But too often the answers come too late—or not at all.

Students aren’t just looking for information; they need a roadmap and real conversations, not lectures. They want guidance integrated into school earlier, trusted online tools, and spaces to plan with knowledgeable educators—so that they’re not left to piece together their futures on their own using TikTok and Google searches as their guides.

As one senior put it, “Make it not as much a lecture and more like a conversation.” The message is clear: Rethinking how we communicate postsecondary options can be a game changer in preparing students for what’s next.

Students Know What They Need—Are We Paying Attention?

High school seniors and recent graduates know firsthand what’s working—and what’s missing—in their transition to postsecondary lives. It’s time for educators, leaders, and policymakers to listen and act. Here’s how: 

  • Make Guidance Clear and Accessible—Answer students’ biggest questions early and often by integrating college, career, and financial planning into curricula, student services, and partnerships.
  • Expand Possibilities—Most good jobs require postsecondary training, so build strategies for all students to have access to guidance—with a focus on expanding career possibilities and overcoming barriers for first-gen students who may require enhanced support. 
  • Put Student Voice at the Center—Engage students often and directly; listen closely to students to inform responsive programs and services.
  • Expand Networks—Strengthen local and regional networks that can aid in providing real-time information and experiences that help and inform students’ transition from high school to college and career success.

Wherever you are and in whatever role—in a classroom, boardroom, or meeting—ask students what they need and how they need it. Even when students don’t know how to frame the perfect questions, they know how they learn best. Once you listen, commit to action. They’re ready to speak; are we ready to listen and respond?

If you’d like to learn more about this study or explore how WestEd could help you capture student voice, reach out to the Center for Economic Mobility.

Rachel Antrobus, EdD, is Director of Intersegmental Projects at WestEd’s Center for Economic Mobility. She specializes in providing place-based technical assistance aimed at expanding career pathways and practices within K–16 education systems, supporting the conditions for students to get the guidance and resources to help increase their long-term economic mobility.

David Maduli, EdM, MFA, is a Program Associate at WestEd’s Center for Economic Mobility. He works on professional development design, practitioner engagement, and technical assistance for educators and leaders who are working to build pathways that connect students to postsecondary and workforce opportunities.