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As things currently stand, the majority of high
school graduates in the United States go on to
enroll in college. According to the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 61.4 percent of students who
graduated high school in the spring of 2020
were enrolled in colleges or universities by the
following fall. The previous year, the percentage
of high school grads enrolling in college was
even higher, at 66.2 percent.
With roughly two-thirds of high school
students matriculating to traditional colleges
or universities after graduation, it’s no surprise
that most students and their families view this
type of path as the “normal” or “right” one to
follow. While four-year college is currently the
standard pursuit for recent high school gradu-
ates, though, that doesn’t necessarily make it
the right choice for everyone.
Graduating high school is a major milestone
in life, and deciding what to do after high
school is a major life decision. All students
graduating owe it to themselves to treat their
CHAPTER 3
COLLEGE:
WHAT YOU SHOULD
KNOW AND WHAT
TO CONSIDER
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