Deciding to
Attend College
Native Americans go to college for the same reason as any American— to make a better life for ourselves and our families. The benefits of attending college are undeniable.

During your college years, you will:
  • Develop a vision for your future
  • Acquire knowledge that can never be taken away
  • Decide what work you will do in your life and obtain the skills you need to do that work
  • Begin to provide a brighter future for yourself and your community
  • Become a role model for your children and
    your tribe
  • The more you learn, the more of a resource you become
    to your community.
Remember Our Past…Build Our Future
The Facts

Did you know that...

  • People with a college education have better job opportunities—even in hard economic times. For example, more than 14 percent of U.S. citizens without a high school diploma were unemployed in 2009, compared to 6.8 percent of people with an associate's degree http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm.
  • A college education can help you fight poverty in your community. In hard times, the people with the least amount of education often suffer the most. In early 2010, the unemployment rate on some reservations often was between 50 to 75 percent (or more). However, 73 percent of graduates attend college to make a better life for their families and 64 percent want to use their education to help their people. (Source: American Indian College Fund.)
  • People with a college education earn more money. In 2009, an individual with a bachelor's degree earned a median of $1025 per week, while someone who failed to complete high school earned $454 per week http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm.