Gresham High School’s motto is “every student prepared for success.” Not college, Gresham takes pride in that but, how much of the public school system influences students choices to go to college?
In 2016, 69.7% of high school graduates were enrolled in a college or university in Oregon.
Out-of-state cost of attendance is about $50,000 at places like University of Oregon. In state cost is about $25,000, less but over 4 years is about $100,000.
That is just the cost for students to go to school, not including an apartment or private living to go to school in that city.
Lots of students use Oregon Promise to help pay for college, Oregon Promise is an organization that covers most tuition at community colleges in Oregon.
Gresham High School graduate of 2017 Madison Williams said “I wouldn’t take out a (student) loan… I have oregon promise.”
But, the fact that 24 year olds will have a mortgage priced payment isn’t the only thing. Most kids don’t even know what the want to do into their junior or senior year. Williams said she feels like it is needed to have a college education to get a good, well paying job.
Junior at Gresham, Andre Johnson also said that he would like to go to college but, doesn’t know what he wants to do. He thinks it will help finding a good career.
Over the school life of these students they have been influenced to think that you need college to get a good career. They either learn it at home, school and looking at a lot of jobs now-a-days that say you need a college education.
The planning that students do isn’t very precise. Freshman Makayla Moss said she will save up for college and take out a student loan if she has to. But, saving up for college is a lot of money. With the price that college is you would have to save up for a long time.
Students just jump straight to college like it’s needed education, and most students just say they’re going to college without having a career path planned for college and after college.
Educators should influence students that want to go to college to start planning and finding a career path at a young age, or that college isn’t needed for every career.
There are many careers that don’t need college, Most students don’t realize that they need to find a career before deciding whether or not to go to college.
