Economy affects seniors' college plans

Despite poor job prospects in an area with North Carolina’s highest unemployment rate, nearly one out of every eight Burke County seniors who graduated in June plans to go into the workforce rather than pursue higher education.
Five years ago, 51 of the 785 Burke County seniors — 6.5 percent — intended to go from high school straight into a job.
In the Class of 2010, 120 seniors out of 1,006, or 12 percent, said they planned to go to work.
Nonetheless, approximately 80 percent of this year’s graduates had their sights set on college. However, their plans may be changing right now. 
North Carolina’s schools each year survey seniors about their post-graduation intentions. In 2008 (the most recent year for which statewide data is available), 8 percent of all N.C. seniors planned to go to work; 47 percent planned to attend a four-year college or university; 38 percent planned to attend a community college, technical, nursing or trade school or private junior college; and slightly less than 4 percent were headed into the military.
Burke County’s Class of 2010 had different plans. Fully 50 percent said they planned to go to a community college or a trade, nursing or technical school. Less than 33 percent aimed to enter a four-year college or university.
Rexanna Lowman, Burke County Public Schools’ director of secondary education, believes local economic conditions and families’ financial situation are driving more students’ choices. She believes more are choosing to start at a community college,  because it’s less expensive than a four-year institution.
“I agree with what Rexanna’s saying,” said Emily Williamson, vice president at Western Piedmont Community College. “I think the economy is one reason” why many students choose a community college. “I also think it’s because Western Piedmont has a strong tradition of sending students on” to four-year colleges or universities.
Williamson explained, “Western Piedmont is unique among the 58 community colleges in the state because we started out as a college-transfer school. Most of the others started as technical schools. We didn’t add technical education until the ’80s.
“About half of our students are in a college-transfer program, which is higher than most places. Some of that is for economic reasons, but it’s also because people feel confident they will get a good preparation and the comprehensive articulation agreement means their hours transfer to all of the UNC institutions and most of the state’s private colleges. About 40 percent of our students who graduate with an associate’s degree transfer to a four-year school.”
After this area’s recession started in 2006, and particularly since the national recession began in 2007, Western Piedmont’s enrollment has soared. In 2005-06, the college had fewer than 2,800 students in curriculum programs, including about 2,100 pursuing associate’s degrees. Last year, when total enrollment grew 18 percent, there were 3,300 in curriculum programs including 2,700 seeking associate’s degrees.
“We have seen a higher yield from the local high schools,” Williamson added, “and our average age has gone down in the last few years.”
A big part of the N.C. community colleges’ appeal is their lower tuition, along with the option for many students to save more money by living at home. Western Piedmont’s tuition (including a student-activity fee and insurance) is rising this year to $59.75 per credit hour or $923.25 per semester (16 hours or more). That is less than the $963 tuition increase coming this fall at University of North Carolina-Charlotte, where per-semester tuition will rise to $3,044.
The UNC system announced its tuition increases after Burke County polled seniors about their intentions. Lowman believes some may enroll instead at a community college.
“We just started registration for fall,” Williamson said, “and so far the numbers are up again.”
Another indicator of the economy’s effect on students’ college plans is the number of Pell Grants, which are based on family income levels and students’ financial resources.
“Pell awards were up tremendously this year — nearly double the amount,” Williamson said.
Western Piedmont awarded $9.2 million in Pell Grants to approximately 2,200 students in 2009-10. In 2008-09, the total was not quite $4.9 million.
“We served more students, as a result of our increased enrollment, and more students qualified,” Williamson said. “The federal government also increased the amount of funds available. That’s a big economic stimulus in Burke County. A big portion of the grant pays for tuition, but also for books and sometimes other expenses.”
Western Piedmont will continue early registration this week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Thursday and until 1 p.m. on Friday. There will be another registration period Aug. 18-19 when the registrar’s office will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. each day.
The college’s student services office is open every weekday until 7 p.m. Williamson said there always is someone there who can answer questions about financial assistance.