College Application Day!

It was a bit busier than normal at Lakota High School on October 24, 2018. High school seniors were looking ahead to next fall and submitting their first round of college applications as part of College Application Month in North Dakota.

As an incentive to start planning early and to participate in the activities, Bank of North Dakota paid one $35 application fee per student when they apply to a North Dakota college. Nicole Dinger from Lake Region State College volunteered and assisted Lakota High School Seniors.  

Faye Brosy Nelson, counselor at Lakota High School stated, “This is the second year our school has participated in this event. It is an excellent way to help students who feel a bit overwhelmed with the college application process to actually experience it and realize they can figure it out.”

Lakota High School is one of over 140 high schools across the state participating in College Application Month.

College Application Month is part of a national effort to increase the numbers of people applying to college early in the year. Recent data distributed by the North Dakota Department of Commerce states that 42 percent of North Dakotans complete at least two years of college, but numbers fall significantly after that. Only 28 percent of North Dakotans achieve a bachelor’s degree, and of that number, only 8 percent continue on to receive a graduate or professional degree. Bachelor’s and professional/graduate degrees both fall below the national average.

We are grateful to our partners in banking, secondary education and higher education for their assistance. This project is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate to young people in our state that they are valued and their communities are invested in their future,” states Bank of North Dakota President/CEO Eric Hardmeyer. “A well-educated workforce is essential to support the state’s economy.”

In addition to Bank of North Dakota, other partners in the effort include North Dakota Office of the Governor, North Dakota University System and North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.

For more information about College Application Month, visit bnd.nd.gov/college-application-month.