Seventh and Eighth Grade Timeline

• Save money for college. It's not too late to start.
• Get involved in extracurricular activities such as school clubs, student government, sports, or community volunteer work to develop leadership skills, character, and teamwork skills.
• Learn good study skills.
• Determine which classes you need to take to prepare yourself academically for college.
• Study hard and earn good grades.

You may be wondering why it’s so important to start working on your college plans so early. Here are four quick (but very important) reasons why:

1. Every bit of education you get after high school increases the chances you’ll earn good pay. Most college graduates earn a lot more money during their working years than people who stop their education at high school.
2. The more education you get, the more likely it is you will always have a job. According to one estimate, by the year 2028, there will be 19 million more jobs for educated workers than there are qualified people to fill them.
3. Continuing education after high school is much more important for your generation than it was for your parents’ generation. Today most good jobs require more than a high school diploma. Businesses want to hire people who know how to think and solve problems.
4. Education beyond high school gives you a lot of other benefits, including meeting new people, taking part in new opportunities to explore your interests, and experiencing success.

You Can’t Get Rich If You Ditch

Over a lifetime, a high school dropout working full‐time will earn $300,000 LESS than a high school graduate and more than $1 MILLION less than a college graduate. If you want to do well, graduating is a necessity. Here are a few more reasons why to stay in school:

1. High School dropouts are four times more likely than college graduates to be unemployed.
2. Graduating from high school will most likely determine how well you live for the rest of your life.
3. On the average, high school graduates earn $175 more per week than high school dropouts. College graduates earn $368 more per week than high school graduates.

You have a lot to lose by giving up and everything to gain by being serious about school.

If you have any questions about planning and financing a college education or selecting a career, please call 800.986.4322 (toll-free) or email us at collegeplanning@esfweb.com. If you wish to visit a College Planning Center, please call for an appointment to ensure that a counselor is available.