Education

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Education

If you decide to continue your education, it’s time to consider your options. Most young adults will consider one of the following four options when choosing a college path:

• Associate’s degree at a two-year school.
• Bachelor’s degree at a four-year school. (More and more students are choosing to go to a two-year school and upon completion transfer to a four-year school to finish. Oftentimes this is done because it is much less expensive to attend a two-year school.)
• Apprenticeship program in the trades. This is hands-on learning. If you like building, designing, and working with your hands and have interest in careers involving construction, carpentry, plumbing, electricity, or many other alternatives in the trades industry, then an apprenticeship program might be a good match for you. These programs are generally four-year programs where you work on the job and increase your skills and responsibilities over the four-year period. Additionally you may begin earning a wage on day one of the apprenticeship. Some apprenticeships may require some post-secondary education prior to applying. You need to have a good work ethic for an apprenticeship. You might also be required to have membership in a union representing your trade.
• The military. Beyond learning skills that can put you on the track to a good salary after you leave the service, you might also get your tuition paid for while you are in the service.

Try these online resources

A terrific Website available to all individuals considering going to college is "Big Future" by the College Board. This site is filled with resources to help you identify your interests, consider career options, research schools, and understand costs and options for paying for college. Additionally, they have a guided process to help you build your individual plan. We encourage you to click on the link below to help you with your college planning:

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/majors-careers

Those attending college and earning a bachelor’s degree generally earn more money over their career than those with only a high school diploma. The lifetime earning potential of those with a bachelor’s degree is $2.6 million versus $1.55 million for a high school graduate (source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019). While these are the averages and your experience could be much different, it is important to have an understanding of what these paths look like for most.

If you choose college, it’s important to understand that you are making a financial investment in your future. College is expensive, and it’s important that you be committed to achieving a degree and understand what you are responsible for paying to attend college.