Pathways
A 2-year school offering affordable associate degrees and career certificates.
What is Community College?
The primary subject or career field you choose to focus on while in college.
What is a major?
Free money for education awarded for good grades, talents, or background that does not have to be paid back.
What is a scholarship?
Salt Lake City’s flagship public research university, known for health sciences and sports in the Big 12.
What is the University of Utah?
A 3-digit numerical average of all your high school grades that begins accumulating in 9th grade.
What is a Grade Point Average (GPA)?
Specialized schools that focus on hands-on skills for trades like automotive, welding, or cosmetology.
What is a trade or technical school?
The 2-year degree you typically earn after finishing a program at a community college.
What is an Associate Degree?
Financial assistance usually based on financial need that does not need to be repaid.
What is a grant?
Regional institutions like MTECH, Davis Tech, or Bridgerland Tech that offer tuition-free hands-on career training for high school students.
What are Utah Technical Colleges?
Organizing your work, managing time, and building solid study habits.
What are study skills?
A 4-year school where students can earn a bachelor's degree and often live on campus.
What is a college or university?
The standard 4-year degree awarded after finishing undergraduate studies at a university.
What is a Bachelor's Degree?
Money borrowed to pay for tuition and expenses that must be paid back later with interest.
What is a student loan?
Utah's largest public community college, offering associate degrees and smooth credit transfers to 4-year universities.
What is Salt Lake Community College (SLCC)?
Classes taken in high school that earn both high school and real Utah college credit at a low cost.
What is Concurrent Enrollment (CE)?
A pathway where you learn a skilled trade directly on the job from a mentor while earning a paycheck.
What is an apprenticeship?
An advanced degree earned after a bachelor's degree, usually taking 1 to 2 extra years.
What is a Master's Degree?
The free online federal form seniors complete to apply for grants, loans, and work-study.
What is the FAFSA?
A free federal residential program for eligible youth ages 16–24 offering trade training, housing, and job placement, with major Utah campuses in Clearfield and Ogden.
What is Job Corps?
Utah’s aptitude assessment tool used in high schools to align student strengths with future career pathways.
What is YouScience?
A commitment to branches like the Army or Navy that provides full job training and money for future college tuition.
What is the Military / Armed Forces?
Official documentation proving you completed specialized training for a specific licensed job, like an EMT or electrician.
What is a professional certification or license?
A program allowing students to work part-time jobs on campus to help cover living costs.
What is Work-Study?
Located in Salt Lake City, this trade training facility partners with Utah's leading union to train apprentices in plumbing, pipefitting, welding, and HVAC.
What is the Utah Career Center?
Elective high school courses in fields like health science, IT, or trade skills that earn official state pathway recognition.
What are CTE (Career and Technical Education) Courses?