Why Go To College?

Consider these average 2001 earnings:
High school dropout�$22,100 a year
High school graduate�$30,056 a year
College graduate�$54,704 a year (Bachelor�s Degree)

Sometimes it�s hard to stay in school if you think you need to be working to earn money. But if you finish high school and go on to college, you�ll have a wider variety of jobs to choose from, and you�ll earn more�especially in the long run.

If you�re having trouble deciding what to do, talk to your school counselor or visit www.studentaid.ed.gov to fill out an interest inventory. Based on your answers, the questionnaire will provide a list of careers that fit your interests. You can then use the college search tool on our site to find schools offering courses of study appropriate to your career choice.

Think of college as an investment: you spend money now so you can earn more later. Take a look at www.studentaid.ed.gov for information about the federal student aid programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education.You can also call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).