While four-year college is the route students traditionally take after high school, it’s not the only one. Increasingly, graduates are opting for two-year community college (either replacing the four-year degree, or using it as a stepping stone to a four-year school) trade school, the armed forces, or simply entering the workforce directly out of high school.
Residents of the Upper Valley have access to both the Vermont and New Hampshire community college systems. The community college systems have established a constant tuition rate, so students can cross the border within a 50-mile radius and still pay in-state tuition.
“People are realizing the value of community college,” said Alex Herzog, vice president for Student and Community Affairs at River Valley Community College in New Hampshire. “There’s a stigma about going to CC (community college) that you’re getting less education, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. Students actually get more one-on-one time because faculty is focused on teaching and not doing research. It’s more bang for your buck.”
River Valley’s student body is about 75 percent part-time and 25 percent full-time students. Credits earned can be transferred to University of New Hampshire, as well as any accredited school across the country. Herzog said the school has worked hard over the past three years to make more funding available to students, and this year will award $350,00 in academic and need-based scholarships.
Katherine Hughes, coordinator of academic services at the Community College of Vermont, said that in the past decade, the college system’s fastest growing demographic has been traditional college-age students.
“It’s been driven by the economic recession, which has caused a lot of families to re-evaluate how to use their resources, and they certainly go a lot farther at CCV than at a big private or public institution,” Hughes said.
Full-time tuition at CCV is just under $6,000 per year. As in New Hampshire, credits can be transferred to four-year schools, and CCV graduates can go on to earn their bachelor’s degree from Castleton for the same tuition they paid at CCV.
“There is a list of programs into which students (from CCV) are automatically accepted in the state,” Hughes said. “It may take a little more time and coursework, but the opportunities are there.”
Trade school is another option, and it’s becoming increasingly popular. The historical stigma notwithstanding, the reality is that communities need skilled workers in a variety of fields, from plumbers to electricians, chefs to auto mechanics.
“In the past, students who enrolled in a program in a tech center were seen as kids who were not college bound, however that has definitely changed,” said Tim Herbert, school counseling coordinator at the Hartford Area Career & Technology Center (known as HACTC) in White River Junction.
HACTC doesn’t offer a degree, but it does offer career training to students, most of whom are still in high school. Hanover, Hartford, Lebanon, Mascoma, Windsor and Woodstock all have programs where students spend a half day at their home school and half a day at HACTC getting career education. Herbert said that about 25 percent of their students go on to four-year schools, while 75 percent typically go directly into the workforce.
“Employers out in the community are lining up to hire our kids because they know they have the skills and they’re good entry-level workers,” Herbert said, adding that the school has an internship program for seniors throughout the Upper Valley.
Less common in our area, but no less viable is the military option, where students can get a four-year degree financed by the government in return for service.
“I know of seven students who are going into the military next year; the highest in the Upper Valley, I’d put money on it,” said Al Flory, a guidance counselor at Mascoma Regional High School. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for the right kid.”
Flory noted that there are many steps necessary to apply for a military academy, and interested students should speak to their high school counselor at the end of junior year.
“My son went to the Air Force Academy and earned a civil engineering degree completely tuition free. He has to do five years active service and two years reserve,” Flory said. “He’ll be at a variety of different bases around the world for the five years. I’m proud of the decision that he made and he did it entirely on his own. It’s a hard decision.”
All of the experts consulted by Valley Parents noted that some high school students simply don’t know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. In those cases, attending a community college or trade school allows them to further their education while maturing and focusing on their goals. No matter what the student’s interest, a good place to start is in the high school counseling office.