07/13/12 — Grads choose education

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Grads choose education

By From staff reports
Published in News on July 13, 2012 1:46 PM

More than three-quarters of Wayne County Public Schools' recent 1,206 graduates say they plan to pursue their higher education goals through two- or four-year education programs.

Of the 1,206 graduates from the county's eight high schools, 948 (78.6 percent) said they plan to attend an institution of higher learning in the fall. The results come from an exit survey of graduating seniors.

Another 9 percent (108) said they plan to enter the military while 10.9 percent (132) plan to enter the work force. Just 1.5 percent (18) said they were undecided.

According to the survey, 269 graduates plan to attend four-year public colleges or universities in the state while 94 say they plan to attend a four-year, in-state private college.

Another 16 graduates plan to attend four-year out-of-state public institutions, while 10 graduates plan to enroll at a four-year, out-of-state private institution.

The survey indicates that 528 graduates plan to attend two-year community colleges in North Carolina, and 12 plan to attend a two-year community college out of state.

Also, 19 graduates said they plan to attend junior colleges, trade/business schools and nursing schools both in and out of state.

The results by school are:

* Charles B. Aycock: 240 graduates, 75 percent (180) college; 9.6 percent military; 14.2 work force; 1.2 percent undecided

* Eastern Wayne: 239 graduates, 79.9 percent (191) college; 12.1 percent military; 5 percent work force; 2.9 percent undecided

* Goldsboro: 118 graduates, 77.1 percent (91) college; 10.2 percent military; 9.3 percent work force; 3.4 percent undecided

* Rosewood: 114 graduates, 92.1 percent (105) college; 6.1 percent military; 0.9 percent work force; 0.9 percent undecided

* Southern Wayne: 235 graduates, 64.3 percent (151) college; 10.6 percent military; 23.8 percent work force; 1.3 percent undecided

* Spring Creek: 122 graduates, 83.6 percent (102) college; 4.1 percent military; 12.3 percent work force; none undecided

* Wayne Early/Middle College: 65 graduates, 93.9 percent (61) college; 1.5 percent military; 4.6 percent work force; none undecided

* Wayne School of Engineering: 73 graduates, 91.8 percent (67) college; 8.2 percent military; none work force or undecided.

"Our schools work to prepare students to be globally competitive for college and career," said Dr. Steven Taylor, superintendent of Wayne County Public Schools. "To have approximately 79 percent of our graduates elect to pursue academic aspirations and 20 percent elect to join the military or enter the work force indicates that daily efforts taking place in the classroom are having an impact."