• Why Go To College?

    Your biggest challenge in deciding whether or not to go to college will be to come to grips with the things that are important to you now and that you anticipate may be important to you in the future. This means that you’ll need to spend a good deal of time thinking about yourself, what is important to you, and why.

    • Why Go to College?

      • To find out more – about yourself, your world
      • To give yourself the opportunity to change and grow
      • To become more independent
      • To live in a community of your peers
      • To meet people from other geographic, economic, cultural backgrounds
      • To learn to think critically and develop your ideas
      • To explore an interest in-depth
      • To be in contact with mentors who can guide you
      • To open up options for further study, career possibilities, and earning power

      Six Wrong Reasons to Count Out College

      • It’s too expensive. College does take money, but your education may not cost you as much as you think. Private, public and community colleges have developed a financial aid formula that takes into account your family situation and the cost of college. Financial help is available from both the colleges and the federal government.
      • Nobody in your family has ever gone. Once you have expressed an interest in college, you probably will find your family to be supportive. If not, you can help them to understand by explaining all the good reasons you have for wanting to expand your future options. Many colleges are particularly interested in serving “first generation” college-bound students.
      • You won’t be able to keep up with the academics. Many people with mediocre high school records discover that they blossom at the right college. In addition, most colleges offer incoming freshmen assistance with study skills, writing workshops, math tutoring, and other academic supports. Colleges want their students to succeed.
      • You’re worried about making new friends. Nearly everybody worries about that. By the end of the first month, most students have found others with interests in common and feel at home in their new environment.
      • There’s too much work involved in applying. Effective applications do take effort, some more than others. Applications to state universities, however, are usually easier to complete than those to private colleges. Using the Common Application may make applying to multiple colleges easier.
      • Your grades or scores are not high enough to gain admission. There is a college for each person who is determined to go. The more you learn about the variety of colleges and their selection process, the more options you will discover. Community colleges do not require the SAT or ACT but they do require an assessment test to determine levels of reading, math and writing.

       

      Financial Aid 

      Need more information about FAFSA and other financial aid opportunities for college? Click . 

      Did you know CIS has a whole database of different scholarships across the state and country right at your fingertips? 

      • CIS Career Information System website:  
        • Username: 1MLC  Password: MLC10

      • OSAC: 

      • FAFSA: 
      • Oregon Promise: