Currently, college is on the minds of the majority of seniors here at Morton East.  

According to “Oldest Universities In the US” by “Top Universities” Harvard is considered to be one of the oldest universities. Established in 1636 and chartered in 1650. It was originally called “New College ” but later its name changed to Harvard, in honor of its benefactor, John Harvard. Along with this throughout the years the acceptance rate of Ivy colleges has been decreasing more and more. According to “Ivy League acceptance rates hit “shocking” lows amid pandemic upheaval by CBS News” acceptance rates at Ivy league have been decreasing every year and one of the factors was the coronavirus pandemic. Ivy League schools made the SAT and ACT testing optional which encouraged more students to apply. For instance, Columbia University said the number surged by more than 50% of applicants. According to “How much does college cost?” from College Data, they estimated that the 2021 average tuition rate ranges from 10,740 (Public Colleges) 38,070 (Private Colleges), and 27,560 (Public Colleges for out of state students) Some of the expenses included are room and board, tuition, expenses, books, transportation, etc. In addition, according to “How much college costs around the world” from the insider, tuition rates are much more affordable or even free in other countries compared to the US. About one-third of countries do not charge tuition for public institutions, and in 10 countries, tuition fees are less than $4,000, according to the report. Moreover, according to “The most popular college majors” from Niche, one of the most popular majors in America is Business Management with 289,384 degrees awarded, and in second place Nursing with 141,632 degrees awarded. 

In a survey of 105 Morton students, 79 out of 26 students said they would attend college. 

“According to our data from class of 2021, 2% of students went to the Military, 8% to trade school or apprenticeship, 35% to a four year college, 29% to a 2 year college and 26% to work or volunteer full time,” college and career center advisor Lyndsay Legel-Carmody said.

This year’s seniors are following suit.

“Yes, I plan to continue my education after high school because I believe that you can get farther and achieve so much more with a diploma. It is also a good idea to be more informed on future work that may be ahead of you. For example, going to a college or university will open more doors and will also give you more ideas on what you want your future to look like.” senior Ashley Garcia said.

Some students will be entering college with credits already, thanks to their scores on the Seal of Biliteracy test. 

“Si, planeo continuar mi educación después de la high school y sea en un colegio comunitario o una universidad cercana,” senior Lizbeth Rendon said.

We asked students what were some of the challenges they thought they would face when getting a higher education.

“One challenge of continuing your education after high school is the tuition costs. It is statistically more expensive to study in the US than in other countries,” sophomore Justin Carrasco said.

Hopefully, their education here at Morton has prepared them for more rigorous college coursework.

“One challenge of attending a higher education is how advanced the work will be. Personally, it’s hard for me to understand any subject related to English, science, and math,” senior Alex Pichardo said.

Students were asked to list some positive things about attending higher education.

“One positive thing about attending higher education is that you will realize what works for you and what doesn’t. For example, you can change your majors and realize what is more for you. You will also enjoy your work life more when you are doing something that you love.” senior Ashley Garcia said.

And, many are “in it” for their parents and families. 

“(For me, going to college helps) you make your parents proud and secure the future for your children,” senior Javier Guzman said.

Students were asked if given the chance, would they study abroad.

“If I had the chance to study abroad, I would definitely take it because I can learn more about a different area and potentially unlock a new and improved me. I could be more open and not have to keep my life private from my parents,” senior Ashley Garcia said.

Sometimes college and study is about opening the door of opportunity. 

“Si tomara esa oportunidad de estudiar en otro pais, pero tambien depende de que beca me ofrezcan y si ofrecen programas de la carrera que me interesa,” senior Lizbeth Rendon said.

Another student agrees.

“If I had the opportunity to study abroad, I would take it because as I mentioned before it is cheaper to study abroad than in the USA even with living expenses included. I would have the opportunity to learn more about other people’s cultures and visit new places,” sophomore Justin Carrasco said.