The University of Louisiana System, with the assistance of university student leaders from across the state, launched a campaign to encourage middle school students to begin preparing for college now and emphasizing that graduating from college pays off. According to the UL system, graduates with four-year degrees will make $2 million in their lifetime.
“It’s aimed toward middle school students to try to ensure that they are paying attention to the college preparations and courses they need to take in order to meet admission requirements, be successful in college and not have to take remedial courses,” Sally Clausen, ULS president, said.
The System is reaching out to middle school students, particularly 8th graders, and their parents through informational posters, presentations by student leaders from the various universities and its website (www.ulsystem.net).
“All student leaders in the ULS have made an effort to get out to the 8th graders and try to make them aware that you just can’t start preparing early enough,” Clausen said.
“Education really begins in preschool but the decisions made in middle school become particularly critical.”
Clausen said this campaign will not only benefit students but also their parents and their university of choice.
According to the UL system, students will have greater chances to be successful if they are armed with the knowledge and preparations necessary for surviving college.
The Southern Regional Education Board has a list of objectives 8th graders should be accomplishing in order to ready themselves for college success. These objectives range from reading 25 books a year and writing research papers to taking advanced math courses and conducting and reporting scientific investigations.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2002 the average national earnings of full time workers with a high school diploma was $30,400 where the average earnings of those with a bachelor’s degree was $52,200. The program presenters are using these facts and others to target and encourage students to attend college but to be ready for it as well.
The program is planning to follow this group of 8th graders throughout high school and put them on a five-year plan, which will reach into their first year of college.
“Our hope is that we will have more successful students who will be eligible for free tuition,” Clausen said. “This could have a positive financial impact on their families.”
According to Alcie Maxwell, Student Government Association president, Nicholls has not yet gotten involved with the campaign due to school closures for hurricanes and a manpower problem.
Maxwell said the SGA will begin the program in area schools starting next year, plans to talk to radio stations about publicity and will get involvement from other campus organizations.
The campaign is taking into account the new admissions requirements that will go into effect beginning with the college freshmen of 2005. To be accepted into Nicholls beginning in 2005, a student will be required to have completed the Regents’ high school TOPS core curriculum and have a high school GPA of 2.0 or above or an ACT composite score of 20 or above or a certain high school graduation rank that has not yet been determined.
“We could lose 1/3rd of our potential freshmen if we don’t do anything. It would hurt students who will be dissatisfied if they can’t get into the college of their choice and would hurt the colleges which would lose money,” Clausen said.
“We also need more students to access universities. We don’t have enough of the population with a college education. Having more people with a college education can increase opportunities for success and strengthen the education of our state.”
Clausen said universities are partially run on student tuition and fees, and there will be less resources for universities if they don’t have increasing admissions.
“This campaign will be a win/win situation for the students and the universities,” Clausen said.
Nicholls’ admissions department is not directly involved with this campaign but has also been doing its part in educating freshman on the new admissions requirements. The department hosted high school freshmen fairs with presenters from the Board of Regents, TOPS and financial aid to educate parents and students.
“This August, the admissions department will also be involved in open house/orientation day in high schools and middle schools to make presentations because the participation at the freshmen fairs has not been what the Board of Regents would have liked,” Becky Durocher, director of admissions, said.