Today, October 16, 2015, Governor Branstad visited North High School to sign the proclamation declaring the month of October to be College Application Month. In his speech to North High School students, he spoke about how important post secondary education is in today’s workforce, “The most promising career requires training beyond high school,” he said. “Sixty-eight percent of all jobs in Iowa by the year 2025 will require more than a high school diploma.”

The College Application Campaign is a crucial step for those Iowa students who possibly want to be the first in their family to attend college or just want to expand their education. College debt and student loans can weigh heavily on some families but one thing about post secondary education is that it’s a great investment because it’s the one thing a person can do for his or herself that will pay off in the long run.

He also spoke about the alternatives students have in order to pay for college, some are scholarships, grants or student loans. He was very clear in saying student loans are not something that should be excessively used, but instead a person should “use only what you need because you will have to pay that back later… the less debt you have the easier it is to mange.”

This rings true because as a person gets older and considers things like owning a home or buying a car they become obtainable when they doesn’t have loans weighing heavily on your conscience and bank account.

Finally his best advice he could give to any students that are considering any form of post secondary education is, “It’s important to set goals, work hard and always be looking for opportunities and as you go on, look for the brighter things ahead.”

Gallery • 13 Photos

Colt Wyatt

Governor Terry Branstad visited North High School on Friday, October 16th to sign a proclamation involving students in Iowa and applying for college.