It's never too early to start thinking about college. But you may be asking yourself, "College? What's in it for me?" Here are some reasons why you should consider going to college.

Reason 1

Graduates earn $1 million more on average over their lifetime than those who don’t graduate from college. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1998, 1999, 2000)

Reason 2

The more education you get, the more likely it is you will always have a job. A college degree decreases your chance of unemployment by nearly 50%. (college.gov)

Reason 3

It's estimated that by 2014, 90% of the fastest-growing careers will require some postsecondary education. (college.gov)

Reason 4

A recent study in Hawai‘i found that most employers were dissatisfied with the preparation of employees with only a high school diploma, particularly of their verbal and written skills. (3Point Consulting (2007) Hawai‘i P-20 Career Ready Study)

Reason 5

Almost half of “Hawai'i’s Hot 50 Demand Occupations” require post-secondary education and those jobs pay an average salary 230% higher than jobs that do not require postsecondary education ($53,000 vs. $23,000). (Hawai'i’s Workforce Informer – Nov. 2007).