SAF Study Shows Montana High School Students Value Higher Education But Need Information and Assistance to Get There

Student Assistance Foundation (SAF) recently commissioned a study to learn more about the attitudes and beliefs high school students have about higher education in Montana. Through surveys and focus groups with more than 700 Montana high school sophomores, the study concluded that students continue to be concerned about the cost of college, but believe the investment is important to their future success.

According to the study, Montana students strongly favored attendance at a four-year institution, although a significant number of students are considering programs available through two-year colleges or vocational programs.

Students who do not plan to go to college cited uncertainty, financial hardship, dislike of education and poor grades as reasons for not pursuing education beyond high school. Even though 78% of the respondents indicated plans to pursue higher education in the future, only 4% of the students surveyed are actively engaged in researching their options after high school, which the study said could cause the high levels of uncertainty and anxiety also expressed by many of the students.

"We find that students and parents often believe the senior year of high school is when they should be planning for college," said Kelly Chapman, EVP of foundation activities at SAF. "In reality, students should be thinking about their post-high school options beginning in their freshman year of high school, if not sooner, and evaluating their progress towards their goals on an annual basis."

According to Chapman, students who know they want to go to college can take proactive steps starting in their freshman year to prepare for success in higher education. Those steps are:

• Exploration – Students can go online to learn about various occupations and educational requirements and then match those to colleges that offer programs in their field of interest. Some search tools, like the Montana Career Information System (MCIS), are available at no cost through http://www.safmt.org. MCIS also includes scholarship search tools to help students explore ways to pay for college.

• Rigorous High School Courses – Students who want to pursue college will be glad they opted for additional math and science courses as electives, because these courses tend to be challenging and prepare students for the rigors of higher education. School guidance counselors are a great resource for students who want to strengthen their high school resume with college preparation coursework.

• Dual Enrollment – Students who take advantage of opportunities to earn college credits while still in high school are further along the path of obtaining a degree and usually save money because they don’t have to pay for room and board while they are still living at home and attending high school. Guidance counselors and college admissions counselors can advise students on the availability of dual enrollment programs in their area.

• Financial Preparation – The financial aid process can be complicated, so it’s important for students and parents to understand all the options for paying for college.

Nearly 70% of the students in the study plan to use scholarships to pay for college, but most students will not pay their way through college on scholarships alone. Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 15 of the student’s senior year of high school is imperative for students to access federal student aid, educational grants and student loans. Events like College Goal Sunday can help families complete the necessary paperwork.

In a related study, SAF partnered with the Research & Analysis Bureau at the Montana Department of Labor & Industry to determine what information and services were provided throughout the state to help students learn about and gain access higher education. Respondents included two-year and four-year colleges, high schools, middle schools, community based organizations and state government.

Those responding reported their key objectives were to promote career awareness and career planning, make students and families aware of the benefits of postsecondary education, inform students and families about financial aid opportunities and assist them in applying for financial aid.

"There are many organizations and hundreds of people working to help Montana students succeed in higher education," Chapman said. "The support and information is out there, and we’re working to help students and parents navigate the road to success in higher education."

Both studies are available through the SAF Web site, http://www.safmt.org.

Contact:
Kelly Chapman, Executive Vice President of Foundation Activities
Student Assistance Foundation
406.495.7390

Jeannie Huntley, Marketing & Communications Director
Student Assistance Foundation
406.495.7394