www.thepapersonline.com Wednesday, May 28, 2025 Serving Kosciusko County and parts of Elkhart, Marshall & Noble Counties
Know Your Neighbor. . . . . 2➤ Good Neighbors . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Vol. 54, No. 49
Milford (574) 658-4111 • Warsaw (574) 269-2932 • Syracuse (574) 457-3666
114 W. Market, Warsaw, Indiana 46580
SO LONG HIGH SCHOOL — Pictured are Warsaw Community High School’s first graduating members of the class of 2024. Photo provided by Warsaw Community Schools.
College or join the workforce,
local guidance counselors give advice
By NATHAN PACE Staff Writer With high school graduations in the state underway, students are facing their futures. Local high school guidance counselors and administrative officials have had a front-row seat to how post high school plans have changed and stayed the same over the past few years. Katelyn Bradley is a guidance counselor at Tippecanoe Valley High School. “In our department, we always tell kids that our definition of college is any training beyond a high school diploma. ‘College’ does not just have to mean fouryear degree at a university. We have many students do four-year programs, two-year programs, technical school, apprenticeships and in-job trainings/certifications,” Bradley said. “We have several students that get certifications before they even graduate.” Enrollment Holding Steady The National Center for Education Statistics reported undergraduate enrollment had hit a relative low point in 2021, coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic at 15.4 million students. About 3 million less students compared to 2011; however, from 2021 to 2031, enrollment is expected to increase 9% and stats
from Warsaw Community High School support the projection. The combined percentage of students choosing a fouryear or two-year degree have seen slight upticks of 59% of its graduating seniors in 2025 compared to 57% in 2021. Valerie Burton is a guidance counselor at Warsaw Community High School and does see a cultural change despite the steady numbers. “I think 10 years ago, there was a much stronger cultural push for students to attend a four-year college right after high school, often with the message that it was the only path to success,” Burton said. “College was seen almost like a default next step, regardless of a student’s interests, goals, or financial situation. Today, that mindset is shifting. More students, families, and educators recognize college is one of many pathways, and success doesn’t look the same for everyone. Skilled trades, certifications, military service, entrepreneurship, and other options are being taken more seriously and respected as valid and valuable.” One interesting data point is military service has jumped at Warsaw from 1% of graduates in 2021 to 4% in 2025. Sara Roberts is also a guidance counselor at Warsaw Community High School
and pointed how the Warsaw Area Career Center can add clarity to post high school plans for students. “I advise high schoolers to take a variety of career center classes and try at least one dual credit class while in high school,” Roberts said. “Taking different career center classes can help students determine what type of career they may want to pursue and if they are ready for the rigor of college courses. If a specific career center class sparks interest, the student can then start to research different levels of degrees or certifications in that career field.” Saving Money At School Geoff Walmer is principal at Wawasee High School and said students do have methods they can deploy to save money in college. “Students have opportunities to earn several college credits while still in high school, either for free or significantly lower costs,” Walmer said. ”Students have the potential to complete a year or more of college, which, in turn, reduces the cost of completing a two or four-year program once they leave high school.” Bradley encourages students at Tippecanoe Valley to apply for scholarships. “There are a lot of ways to make college
A NEW CHAPTER — Trinity Roberson shows off her diploma in the 2024 commencement ceremony at Wawasee High School. Photo by Phoebe Muthart. more affordable and a lot of that relies on the students taking advantage of what is available,” Bradley said. “Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, look into scholarships offered by the colleges, compare college costs, and apply to all the local scholarships offered to you. They are plentiful.”