May 1 is decision day for high school students

Every spring, millions of college-bound students make one of the more significant decisions of their young lives – deciding where they will study and earn their degrees.

For thousands, Long Beach State is their destination, and the campus looks forward to celebrating their future arrivals May 1, which educators commemorate as College Signing Day.

Incoming Long Beach State students are invited to share their plans to come to Long Beach State on social media using the hashtags #BeachBound and #CollegeSigningDay.

“Committing to a college is an exciting moment in a young person’s life,” Vice President for Student Affairs Mary Ann Takemoto said.

Higher education also provides benefits for the entire State of California. The Public Policy Institute of California projects bachelor’s degrees will be necessary for 38 percent of all Golden State jobs in 2030, but also forecasts only 33 percent of California adults who will be of working age that year will possess a bachelor’s degree. That condition would leave California employers short by some 1.1 million qualified graduates.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama is a major supporter of College Signing Day. She announced the creation of Reach Higher, an organization encouraging youths to continue their educations beyond high school, at a 2014 College Signing Day event. Reach Higher is now part of The Common Application, a nonprofit promoting college access.

Note to students choosing Long Beach State: May 1 will be more than just a day to declare college plans on social media. It’s also the deadline to for incoming freshman to accept their admission offers to the campus. See information on the admissions process here.