No One Right Path

Public universities, community colleges, Ivy Leagues, trade schools – there is no one right path after high school for all students. In fact, only 61.8% of high school graduates enrolled for the fall term of college in 2021, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“I’m pretty on the fence right now about whether I want to go to college right away or take a gap year,” Harvey said. “This is the one chance I have in my life to just go explore. When else am I going to get an opportunity like that?”

For students like Harvey, taking a gap year could mean joining programs, working, and volunteering abroad, or exploring a multitude of other cultural possibilities.

“[Navy training] will be around the Great Lakes,” Adam Bibb Bentley ‘23 said. “After that, I would be able to go wherever I wanted if I got top in the class, so if I wanted that to be either Tokyo or Okinawa, or other places.”

For Bibb Bentley, college is not the next step but rather joining the Navy in order to become a saturation diver. Bibb Bentley chose to take this route for his future because of the benefits given to service members, including free essentials and healthcare, international travel, and training. However, as with the college application process, preparations need to be made for becoming a Navy member. Enlisters must take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test, pass a medical exam, and meet the requirements of the physical standards.

“I have psoriasis, which you can’t really ever see, but it disqualifies me [from the Air Force],” Bibb Bentley said.

On the other end, students applying for colleges also have factors limiting their options for university. Most Americans believe the cost is the primary reason people choose not to go to college. A survey conducted by AmeriSpeak found that 3 in 4 people agree that cost is the major deterrent to college attendance. Contrary to belief, many well-known colleges and universities make efforts to cover 100% of demonstrated financial need, helping make such an education affordable for students of lower-income backgrounds. 75 institutions in the U.S. meet this claim, including all Ivy League schools but one. 

“Play the game out because [a reach school] could turn out to be too expensive. However, it could turn out to be very affordable or even your most affordable option,” Carey said. 

For more aid with cost coverage, colleges offer financial and merit-based scholarships, which can be found directly on the college’s website. In addition, City High provides scholarships that upperclassmen can apply for.

The Herbert Hoover Uncommon Student Award is a scholarship that was established in Johnson County and is now available to juniors across Iowa. It requires students to come up with a vision for a project that would impact the community and accomplish it. The scholarship has led to Iowa City traditions still held today.

“The homecoming parade we all love, that City has on a Wednesday night, in the middle of homecoming week, was a scholarship-winning idea for the Herbert Hoover Uncommon Student Award 25 years ago,” Carey said.

The scholarship is one of the highest awards in the state, with approximately 15 students earning $10,000 each. 

Students also rely on the lower costs of in-state tuition to make college more affordable. At the University of Iowa, more than half of first-year students are Iowa residents. This makes a considerable difference, as in-state tuition costs $9,966 while out-of-state tuition costs $24,521. 

“I’m gonna go to [University of] Iowa for kinesiology and hopefully audition for marching band and choir,” Will Dickson ’23 said.