C H A P T E R 8 :
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE -- EDUCATION
79
Competing Voices
". . . I want to go to a good college, so I pressure myself into doing the work
for making good grades." (10th grade girl)
". . . I think children should be taught more about actual life lessons than
basic education. I feel most kids that graduate high school and don't
immediately go on to college move out on their own with no knowledge of
actual life. . ." (Mother of 1st grade boy)
Overview
Most students plan to go to college, although their parents' expectations are slightly
lower. From the teachers' perspective, only one-third of their students plan to attend
a four-year college. Parents and students have similar expectations about how their
college education will be paid, but differ in their understanding of each other's sav-
ings plans and financial worries.
College Plans
College is the main plan for most secondary students after they finish high school
(Exhibit 8.1). Seven in ten (71%) secondary school students plan to attend a four-
year college, while 8% plan to attend a two-year community college. Parents are less
likely to see college in their teens' future. Half of parents of secondary school stu-
dents (52%) think their child will attend a four-year college, and 16% think their
child will attend a two-year community college.
Teachers' perspectives on their students' plans differ, particularly in the number
of students who will be working full-time after high school:
·
Secondary school teachers think that one-third of their students (32%) plan to
attend a four-year college;
·
Three in ten (28%) of their students plan to work full-time;
·
Two in ten (19%) of their students plan to attend a two-year community college;
·
14% plan to attend a technical or vocational school; and
·
7% plan to do something else.
OBSERVATION:
Teachers' responses may be more realistic than
pessimistic. According to the Current Population Survey 1999, only 23% of
adults have at least a four-year college degree.
