1. Step Right Up!
Learn Under The Big Top!

2. Opening Night!
Welcome
Overview of the Weekend Schedule
Door Prizes
Silent Auction
Housekeeping

3. Why College?
 2/3 of the nation’s jobs will require some form of post-
secondary education by the end of the decade
 Research is showing that increased college attainment is
actually an important factor in job creation, not just
preparation
 Highly skilled workers are able to adapt and progress along
with changes in their fields and this actually fuels economic
growth
Jamie P. Merisotis, President and CEO, Lumina Foundation

4. Why College?
 Nearly 4 out of 5 jobs destroyed by the recession were held by workers with a
high school diploma or less
 By comparison, those with a Bachelor’s degree or better gained more than
180,000 jobs during the recession
 Since January 2010, workers with some college or an associate degree gained
1.6 million jobs, those with a bachelor’s degree or higher gained another 2 million
jobs
 People with a high school diploma or less lost another 230,000 jobs
 Unemployment rates for new 4 year college graduates peaked at 11.1% in
January 2012 and declined to 6.8% in May.
 Unemployment rates for new high school graduates peaked at 30% in January
2012 and were still 24 % in May.

6. The Path To
College Enrollment
The college enrollment process is filled with potholes that often
derail our students:
College preparatory courses – 31% in scholars program, 13%
of in AP classes
SAT or ACT – can’t navigate the registration process, can’t
pay for tests, lack of transportation to test sites
College Visits – lack of transportation, opportunity
Admissions Requirements – lack of knowledge/understanding
Application Process – cost, lack of knowledge of completion
requirements

7. What Makes the
Difference?
Attending a high school with a
strong college-going culture
Filling out the FAFSA
Applying to multiple colleges

9. We want
Our students
to be
the Ring Master
Not the clowns
in the tiny car