college & career
Career Conversation with Equinix
Interested in learning more Computer Science? Programming? Data Centers?
This 50 minute Career Conversation with top leaders in Equinix, based in Ashburn, Virginia will give you an inside peek at the careers within the organization and the various pathways to get there.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/11swdGZL1RiIcMHbXHq6eHuhUyou0Be1R/view
School counselors help students become college and career ready by:
Exploring college and career opportunities.
Developing skills in college and career decision-making.
Analyzing the interrelationships of interests and abilities.
Understanding college and career readiness.
Using college and career planning tools to determine postsecondary options.
RICHMOND — The State Council for Higher Education of Virginia (SCHEV) released its annual report on the number of degrees and certificates earned by higher education students. In 2019-20, Virginia’s public and private nonprofit colleges and universities awarded 122,869 degrees and certificates in areas such as health care, business, education, information technology and other demand fields. This is an increase from last year’s record of 122,168 awards. In addition, institutions support training to complete industry-based certifications and registered apprenticeship programs.
Chart 1: Percentage of Awards by Institution and Award Type
Key Findings:
Bachelor’s degrees constitute the highest number of awards. Out of the 56,766 bachelor’s degrees conferred, public universities conferred the most at 38,790 and private nonprofit institutions conferred 17,976.
Top bachelor’s degree programs include psychology, biology, liberal arts and sciences, business administration and nursing. Computer and information sciences, economics and political science rounded out the top eight programs. All of these degree programs had at least 1,000 graduates in 2019-20; together they made up about 30% of all bachelor’s degrees at public institutions.
The proportion of awards by race/ethnicity have changed over time and women represent the majority of recipients across all award types. The percent of Hispanic/Latinx individuals of total awards has increased 3 percentage points over the last 10 years—the largest growth for any group. In addition, women continue to represent the majority (59%) of individuals receiving a degree or certification.
While bachelor’s degrees grew slightly, associate degree awards declined slightly in 2019-20. Virginia’s community colleges and Richard Bland College conferred 17,667 associate degrees compared to 17,934 in the previous year. This decline coincides with a loss of enrollments at community colleges over the last several years.
Degrees in STEM-H fields (science, technology, engineering, math and health professions) continued to grow. Public institutions awarded 28,372 STEM-H degrees, or 33% of all degrees – the highest number and percentage ever. Private nonprofit colleges and universities awarded 9,995 STEM-H degrees, or 27% of all degrees.
The decline in enrollment may impact state goals. The Top Jobs Act of 2011 (TJ21) calls for the awarding, by 2025, of an additional 100,000 degrees to in-state undergraduates at public institutions and a “comparable increase” in degree awards at private nonprofit institutions. These awards represent an important intermediate step of The Virginia Plan for Higher Education’s target of 1.5 million degrees and workforce credentials between 2014 and 2030. Enrollment growth in Virginia has slowed, and the number of high school graduates will begin to decline after 2025. Unless more students enroll and complete degrees and certificates, especially at Virginia’s community colleges, the Commonwealth will not meet TJ21’s degree-award goals for public institutions. A rebound in associate degrees and growth among non-credit credentials are critical to meeting statewide goals and workforce needs.
The full reports and all SCHEV reports are available at schev.edu/reports.
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) launched a statewide video featuring college students encouraging high schoolers to attend some form of postsecondary education after graduation. The video is based around SCHEV’s and Educational Credit Management Corporation’s (ECMC) 1-2-3 Go! initiative, which provides a series of informational events and resources, including Virginia College Application Week, to help students make informed decisions about their education after high school.
As with previous components of the statewide messaging campaign featuring college and university presidents and mascots, the 1-2-3 Go! video offers a message of encouragement and valuable information for Virginia students and their families, including many facts and tips:
FACTS:
College graduates make about a million dollars more over the course of their lives than people with just a high school diploma.
“College” means many things; it can be going to a traditional college or community college, getting a certification or license, or training through an apprenticeship – it’s about pursuing any form of education after high school.
Approximately $120 billion in federal and $250 million in Virginia state aid programs is available each year to help students pay for college.
TIPS:
Research options for the best fit. Look at things like school size, location, costs, competitiveness, etc. Learn more by exploring and completing the College Opportunities Guide and Workbook and attending College Night Events across Virginia sponsored by ECMC.
Visit www.strivescan.com/virginia/ to review virtual tours, panels, and conversations with admissions offices from colleges and universities across Virginia.
Pay attention to college application deadlines. Most four-year colleges have early application deadlines in November and December, with regular deadlines in January and February. Community colleges have flexible deadlines, meaning that they accept applications as they are received.
Check for fee waivers. If a student’s family is eligible for free or reduced priced lunch, they are likely eligible for SAT, ACT and college application fee waivers.
Research and apply for scholarships. Scholarships are available through many sources, including schools, employers, banks, nonprofits, faith-based organizations and professional organizations.
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (aka FAFSA) beginning October 1. Many institutions and private scholarships require students to submit the FAFSA before they will consider them for any financial aid. Remember that financial aid is limited and generally awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Be aware of FAFSA priority filing deadlines. Some deadlines are as early as December, but the most common is March 1. Visit www.schev.edu/financialaiddeadlines for Virginia’s deadlines.
Visit www.schev.edu/123go for information on available financial aid webinars from the Virginia Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (VASFAA).
Compare financial aid packages, talk with your family and school counselors, and commit to your future! Many students make these decisions around May 1.
“Our colleges and universities have come together to inform Virginia students about the benefits of education beyond high school," said Erin McGrath, SCHEV's assistant director of college access & PK12 outreach. "We hope this new video will ignite excitement among high school students as they make plans to further their education in the coming years."