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College expenses may keep some Lyons Township High School grads from attending
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Updated: July 23, 2012 6:31AM
Fewer Lyons Township High School graduates report they are going on to college in 2012 than in past years, and much of the hesitation could lie with the economy, according to Principal David Franson.
Franson said only 83 percent of the this year’s 840 graduates said they were going on to two- or four-year institutions, compared to 91.8 percent of graduates a year ago and 94.4 percent in 2010.
“We’ve discovered 17 percent of students in this class just haven’t reported,” he said. “Part of it is due to the fact they don’t know what they’ll be doing after high school.”
Other students are undocumented and don’t report plans. Some students elect to do a gap year, and a number of families don’t learn until July whether certain loans for school have been approved, Franson said.
School officials would like to change the self-reporting nature of gathering statistics for the number of students going on to college, as well as offers of scholarships and grants.
Franson suggested students be encouraged to report their post-graduation plans when they are picking up caps and gowns for the commencement ceremony.
A smaller decline was reported in the number of graduates attending a four-year college or university with 60.7 percent in 2012, compared to 65.8 percent a year ago.
A slight drop also was registered in the number of students attending a two-year college with 21.2 percent this year, and 23.9 percent last year.
Members of the Class of 2012 report they will attend 169 colleges, universities, community colleges and trade or technical schools, compared to 186 institutions in 2011 and 2010.
By far, the most graduates attend the College of DuPage, based in Glen Ellyn, with 216 enrolled, followed by students signed up for the University of Illinois, as will as the University of Iowa, Indiana University and DePaul University, Franson said.
The board also learned that five graduates also earned a pilot’s license after participating in LT’s aviation program in cooperation with Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Aerospace Institute in Florida.
Seven graduates plan to attend Embry Riddle, and of those, three hope to become aeronautical engineers, Franson said.
