Are you a recent High School Grad?

Congratulations! You have just received your High School diploma. High School can be a great experience for some and for others a mixed experience. Either way its one of the most memorable experiences of your life.

From unforgettable times of fun, mischievous behavior, summer loves and parties. It was a time of summer fun at the family reunions. Followed by Friday night lights at the homecoming games wondering how the party was going to be that night.

You will cherish these good times for the rest of your life. High School is a very emotional time for many teens and everything matters. High school is a stepping stone in your walk of life and foundation for the next step.

What’s next?

You now have your whole life ahead of you. Have you thought about what you want to do with it? Everyone’s path is different but we all have options. Some of those options include but are not limited to; college/university, trade/vocational school, military, or join the workforce.

While college may not be for everyone there are some statistics that support why you should at least consider it. CNN reported in 2016 that “Of the 11.6 million jobs created after the Great Recession, 8.4 million went to those with at least a bachelor's degree, according to a new report from the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University. Another 3 million went to those with associate's degrees or some college education.”

What school should you attend?

Choosing what post-secondary path you should take is not an easy decision. We encourage you to write down the pros and cons of each choice you have. Narrow your choices down to a top 5 and make a decision from there. Here are some DO’s and Don’ts when making a decision.

DO’s

• Do your research

• Develop a list of criteria you want to use to evaluate and weed out  your choices.

• Focus on your end game

DON’T

• Rush your decision

• Be a follower

• Decide out of rebellion

• Fail to visit the institution

• Settle assuming you wont get your top choice

How will you pay for it?

Paying for school is often one of the biggest obstacles to obtaining a post-secondary education. There are however people and resources out there to assist you. The Oakley-White family has a long history of well educated and talented family members. We understand the importance of education. That is why we have started the tradition of the family scholarship. While it wont pay for the full cost of your education we want to show our support to direct descendants of the Oakley-White family. Below you will also find some other resources to help you with financing your investment in your future.