postsecondary

"Postsecondary" simply means after high school. Think of "secondary" as your high school years, so everything that comes after that is postsecondary. It's a broad term that covers many kinds of learning you might do once you've earned your diploma. This could be college, university, trade schools, vocational programs, or other job training. You wouldn't use "postsecondary" for elementary school, because that comes before secondary school.

Imagine Sarah graduating from high school. She begins a nursing program at a local college, so she is now in postsecondary education. Or maybe Mark decides to become an electrician; his apprenticeship is also postsecondary training. It's all about what happens after those high school years.

The term "postsecondary" refers to any form of formal education or training pursued after completing secondary education—that's typically high school, but it can also include equivalent programs like a GED. It's an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of options beyond the traditional K-12 system.

While many people immediately think of college or university when they hear "postsecondary," it's much broader than that. Postsecondary education includes vocational schools, trade schools (like plumbing or welding), community colleges offering associate's degrees, certificate programs focused on specific skills (like coding bootcamps), and even apprenticeships where you learn a skilled trade through hands-on experience.

The context of usage is important. You'll often see "postsecondary" used in discussions about financial aid, government funding for education, workforce development, or statistics related to educational attainment. For example: "The new grant aims to increase access to postsecondary opportunities for low-income students." Or, "A growing number of employers are partnering with postsecondary institutions to create job training programs."

It's a useful term because it avoids limiting education to just four-year degrees and acknowledges the value of all types of learning that happen after high school. So, if you're thinking about what comes after graduation—whether it's university, a trade school, or something else entirely—you're entering the world of postsecondary education!