Students
| Information for current or future scholars |
 |
The competition is tough—
In the next several years, more students will graduate from high school than at any time in history. How can you set yourself apart from the crowd? Get a solid education. You’ll need it to succeed. Businesses demand it, and the global economy requires it.
| Did you know…that most students in a recent survey said if they could do high school over again, they’d work harder and take more challenging courses? Almost 40 percent of high school grads reported gaps in their preparation for college. |
It’s a matter of keeping your options open. A rigorous education opens more doors and offers more choices – and that’s true whether you decide to go on to a two- or four-year college or to go straight to work (in addition, those who do go to college – right away or later – are more likely to earn a degree).
What’s more, the stronger your education, the better your standard of living. The annual income of someone with a bachelor’s degree, for instance, is almost twice that of a high school grad – over the course of a lifetime, college grads earn almost $1 million more. But even students who don’t go on to college do better, if they’ve taken academically rigorous courses. Recent research indicates that for high school seniors, an improvement in math performance equals a significant boost in annual earnings.
The State Scholars Initiative (SSI) is helping thousands of students to excel by motivating them to take a rigorous course of study in high school – one that will give them a boost in college and their careers. A good education is so important that companies in your community are teaming up with educators to support SSI. To find out more about SSI and what your state is doing, link to the items in the information box. Talk to your teacher or counselor today about the State Scholars program.
"For the first time, I feel like I am controlling my future. For the first time, I don’t feel lost trying to figure out what to do.” Eighth-grade student, New Jersey middle school
