Editor’s note: All statistics, including the number of graduates, were collected by State College Area High School’s Counseling Office in the senior graduation survey. Data in the article below is accurate as of May 15. The number of athletic commitments was provided separately by the State High Athletics Department and is accurate as of May 5. According to SCASD’s Facebook page, 584 State High students and 33 Delta students are part of this year’s graduation.
Today, 565 seniors will walk across the stage at graduation. Each senior had a unique path, which will continue beyond high school.
Overall
State College Area High School serves 2347 students. Of these, 22.0% of students are economically disadvantaged, 2.3% are English language learners, and 13.6% receive special education services.
College Decisions
Out of 565 graduates, 469 plan to continue their education, with 248 attending Penn State University. This equates to 44% of graduates. For many, affordability and proximity are deciding factors.
“It’s close, and my parents work there, so it’s affordable,” Austen Canova said. “It seems like it’s gonna be a cool new experience, so I’m excited for that.”
Of those 469, 444 will attend 4-year schools and 25 will attend a 2-year college. 2-year colleges include schools like South Hills School of Business, which focuses career or technical education, allowing students to enter the workforce shortly after graduation.
Senior Marissa Klatt will pursue cosmetology at Ultimate Beauty School, with hopes of opening her own salon. “My end goal is to open my own day spa/salon,” she said.
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) schools are also popular, with 43 students attending campuses like Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, Cheyney University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), Kutztown, Millersville, Pennsylvania Western, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, and West Chester. The PASSHE schools receive more state funding than the Commonwealth schools (PSU, Temple, Pitt, etc), leading to the lowest tuition prices in PA for in-state students.
“It seemed like the best fit for me, especially for my major,” Reese Fischer, who is majoring in Art Education at IUP, said.
Love McGriff will attend Cheyney University, the country’s oldest HBCU, on a full scholarship.
“I wanted to go to an HBCU, so historically black college, to be around people who look more like me. So it’s gonna be exciting be around a different environment,” McGriff said.
The Pennsylvania College of Technology is another frequent choice, offering hands-on learning.
“The professors are focused on teaching, not just research,” Daniel Krebs, majoring in Game and Simulation Development, said.
Alternate Post-High School Plans
Of course, attending college or university is not the path for everyone—nor should it be. 48 students plan to enter the workforce, eight will start apprenticeships, and 33 are undecided or did not report. The CTC program supports those interested in the workforce or apprenticeship programs, offering training in trades like building construction. Ivan Atwood secured a job with Ceramic Tile Work LLC after participating all four years.
“It gave me so much intel,” Atwood said. “Even if I don’t use the specific little things that we’ve worked on most in the real world, I know how to do it in my own house.”
Gap years are gaining traction. After COVID, the number of students taking a gap year before enrolling in college has risen in popularity. This trend is present at State High, with students like taking a gap year to work in education for SCASD before attending college.
“I originally took a gap year because I couldn’t figure out which college I wanted to go to, so I wanted more time to think about that. But I know I want to go into elementary education and possibly Special Education too,” Cole said.
Cole noted that taking a gap year has become more acceptable among students in recent years.
“I know a lot of my friends are like, ‘Well, I wish I would have taken a gap year.’ And some of them even had to take a break for a semester after they already went into college,” Cole said. “So I think there is a stigma around it with some of the older generation, I guess, but with my friends and people around my age, there hasn’t really been much.”
Serving in the Military
Six students are planning on joining the military, with others pursuing Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) programs.
For Auggie Nicholas, joining the Naval ROTC program at Penn State, was inspired by family military service.
“My stepdad got the Purple Heart in Somalia as a Marine, and my grandfather fought in World War II with the Navy. So they had a lot of big inspirations, and they’ve all taken this path of self-sacrifice and this duty to our country. So I look up to them a lot,” Nicholas said.
Students participating in ROTC are commissioned as officers immediately after graduation and receive college funding.
“You’re held to a little bit of a higher standard,” he said of the program, which includes uniforms, classes, and leadership training.
“They march in the homecoming parade, just some extra responsibilities you have on top of being a college student.”
Academics and Athletics
Thirty-five seniors will continue playing sports at the college level, spanning 13 sports. These athletes will be moving all around the country—and even the world—to continue playing their sports.
Cooper Brushwood will play football and lacrosse at Sacred Heart University, achieving a childhood dream.
“So, this is definitely something on my mind ever since I was little. I’ve always had a goal of playing division one sport and specifically football and lacrosse. So, I think my parents have done a great job just keeping me grounded and realizing how it’s gonna be a challenge, but I’m also blessed at the same time,” Brushwood said.
Athletes put in countless hours at practices and games and lifts to reach the collegiate level. Nationwide, only about 6% of high school athletes reach college athletics. To get there, many student-athletes look at a number of schools before deciding on the perfect fit for their athletic and academic needs.
Sana’a Lunon will play rugby at Harvard. Lunon shared a visit that solidified her decision.
“I was like, ‘Mom, I can really see myself here, like I can see myself becoming the person I’m supposed to be, and the person that, like I want to be [at Harvard],” Lunon said. “And I feel like that wasn’t the experience that I had at the other places.”
Personalized Pathways
Some students are entering specialized programs. Sanai Abdullah will study biochemistry and molecular biology at Penn State through the Millennium Scholars Program, a selective program for high-achieving student-leaders in STEM majors.
“ [It helps] diverse students that are hardworking and basically helps them to attain their goals, but also get a PhD after. I would like to get a lot more research opportunities, one in the program and after. I probably wanna get my PhD in developmental studies,” Abdullah said.
The program includes mentorship and a Summer Bridge Program to build cohort support.
Caroline Concepcion will attend Parsons School of Design in NYC.
“For the first year, everybody takes the same classes, so that people…are able to take classes and then decide their major after they’re exposed to more types of art,” Concepcion said. “I am interested in the art, design and history program, which allows me to create art and study art, and what I hope to get out of that is becoming a museum curator.”
Located in New York City, Parsons provides students easy access to internships and jobs.
“They work directly with MoMA and the Met for internships,” Concepcion said.
Far from Home
While 77% of graduates will stay in Pennsylvania, others are heading across the country—and even the ocean—to pursue their goals.
Sophie Scourtis will begin her studies abroad in Florence through the College of William and Mary.
“I’m excited, I think it’ll definitely allow me to grow,” Scourtis said. “[I’m excited to] just being able to experience the culture over there and just grow from being in a different country to start off college, and then I’m excited to be able to go to William and Mary after.”
Lorelai St Sauver, headed to UC San Diego, said moving feels natural after relocating often.
“Moving so much, I know that I’ll be able to like find that community everywhere, so it doesn’t seem like super daunting because there’s nice people everywhere and like new experiences to be had. And also I was just really tired of being cold, so I wanted to go somewhere warm,” St Sauver said.
Selective Schools
Thirteen graduates are Ivy League-bound, including Maya Dombroskie (Dartmouth) and Jayson Lu (Cornell). Dombroskie plans to major in Quantitative Social Science and looks forward to study abroad.
“I think that I am most excited for the study abroad opportunities. There are some really cool ones. There’s one about government and politics in London that I’m hoping to do that’s really cool,” Dombroskie said.
Lu, who is majoring in Applied Economics and Management, is excited about multidisciplinary research programs.
“Of all of [the schools I was accepted at, Cornell] was probably the most academically rigorous school, and also I really liked the campus and the community as well as the specific program,” Lu said.
Public schools also offer strong options. Ally Duncan chose Penn State’s Schreyer Honors College for its opportunities and support.
“It was the strength of the program as well as the ability to have priority scheduling for classes as well as priority research opportunities,” Duncan said.
First Generation College Students
Some graduates are the first in their families to attend college. Senior Nubah, attending UNC Chapel Hill, spoke about navigating the process without parental guidance.
“My parents also gave up everything back in Bangladesh to move here and give me the education and the resources that I need and got. So I really want that I would, in a way, pay them back, but not in a financial way, but, pay their hard work back,” Nubah said.
Lu echoed this experience.
“It was definitely unique, kind of navigating a little bit more independently, but I think it definitely helped me become like a better leader and student because I was forced to kind of learn how to do things on my own,” Lu said. “But I also have had like a really good support system from other people as well. I’ve had like cousins who kind of guided me because they’re a little bit older, but they’re also friends who I’ve been able to lean on throughout this journey.”
Looking to the Future
As the Class of 2025 moves on, their varied paths reflect the diversity of experiences at State High. Whether staying close, going far, attending college, or entering the workforce, each graduate leaves with a story uniquely their own.
