Going to school after graduation may be the last thing you want to hear about. But attending college after you earn your high school diploma increases your job opportunities, your earning power, and your ability to enjoy a better life.

Get a bachelor's degree, and you can make almost $21,180 a year more than your friends with just a high school diploma.

Do the math: $21,180 times a 30-year career equals over half a million dollars! ($635,400 to be exact). Even if you don't like math, you have to love that!

Information from the U.S. Census shows earnings increase with higher education:

• An associate degree can mean 35 percent more income than just a high school diploma.
• A bachelor's degree can mean 74 percent more income than just a high school diploma.
• A master's degree can mean 115 percent more income than just a high school diploma.

You already know pursuing more education or training can mean more money in salary over your lifetime. So what else is holding you back from a plan for your future?

My grades aren't good enough for college.

Good grades are important. Better grades can mean a better chance to get into the school and program of your choice. Good grades can also mean money for college. But colleges don't just look at grades and test scores when making admission decisions, either. Extracurricular activities, talent in arts or sports, and community service can also play a part in their decision. So, you aren't going to be the valedictorian next year? Plenty of successful college students weren't either!

I don't know what I want to be when I grow up ... But I know I don't want to ...

If you know what you don't like, chances are you know what you DO like. Talk with people whose careers or jobs interest you, asking where they went to school and what they thought of the program they took. Ask your parents, guidance counselor, or librarian for help in your career quest. Check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook. The handbook is online at www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm.

Tech school, community college, private college, or university? Which would be best for me?

Again, talk with your parents, guidance counselor, or anyone in a career you think you'd like. Ask what school they attended. Develop a list of schools you are interested in and contact them for more information. What tests and qualifications are required for admission? Know your options!

I can't afford it.

Most college students and their families don't write a check for their college education. Financial aid is available and is based on your family's ability to pay for college. Besides, after looking at how much more an education can pay you over a lifetime, how can you NOT afford it? Talk with your high school guidance counselor. Read Affording Higher Education, a KHEAA book that lists 4,000 financial aid sources available to Alabama students. It's available at www.kheaa.com.

Every plan has to have its first steps. Once you decide what general career direction you want to pursue, meet with your guidance counselor to discuss what classes to take to fit into your higher education goals.

What about...

• Community activities: Volunteered for your church's bake sale? Helped someone learn to read? Picked up trash during Commonwealth Clean-Up Week? Make a list of school and community activities as well as your volunteer and work experiences. Come up a little short? It's not too late to dive into a little community service, helping your community-and your college applications-at the same time!
• Visit businesses: Ask your teachers or counselor about a co-op or internship program that can put you to work making contacts and exploring careers while making money to help pay for college.
• Stacking up: How does your coursework (so far) stack up to college admission requirements? Do you meet the basic requirements of what you are aiming for, or do you need to make some adjustments to your schedule?

Bonus high school courses

Dual credit courses count for both high school and college credit. They can save you time and money in pursuing your education goals, so they are worth checking out.

CLEP program

The College-Level Examination Program offers more than 30 tests for subjects often taken during the first two college years. Many colleges use CLEP scores to award college credit. Some private industries, businesses, and other groups use CLEP scores to satisfy requirements for licensing, advancement, and admissions to training programs.

AP and IB

Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses can also count as dual credit for both high school graduation and college.

Check with both your high school guidance counselor and the colleges you are interested in attending for more information. AP or IB courses may also be available through independent study or a college or university.

Institutional challenge exam