Student Initiative

1. “Why don’t students in rural America value a college education?” Does the student feel they are smart/mature enough to go to college? What program of study will the student pursue in college? Is the student willing to move away to find a job? Is the student willing to move away from family and friends? The economy is pretty bad right now. How will the student feel about quit- ting a job to go to school? If the student does not succeed in school, can they get their old job back? Does the student have enough confidence in themselves to invest the time and money to go to college? Student’s Future Are the students grades good enough to get into college? Does the student need to go to college? Are they better off pursuing a certificate? (e.g.plumber or electrician). What happens if the student graduates and then cannot find a job in their field- will they feel like they just wasted a lot of time and money? Will they see the value of their education in other ways? How will the student pay for school? Will the student qualify for financial aid? What type of grants are available for the student? Who can help the student find out what is available? Are adequate services available to insure student success (tutoring/work-study/child care)? Student Initiative How will the student get to school? Is there a school close enough to where the student lives that has the program they want? If not, will they be able to transfer credits from the local CC or college to another school? Logistics Student Progress/Retention If a parent/caregiver-Who will watch the students kids/family member while they are in school? Can the student go to school full-time, or if part-time, will they be able to schedule classes around work (or vice-versa)? Are on-line classes an option (are the classes available/ Is good internet service available)? How can we engage students to insure they stay in school and graduate?