Student services posted this year’s college map on May 12, one week after a survey was sent to seniors on May 5. This year’s college map showcases the number of students from Central going to each college, as well as those with other postsecondary plans.

“I’ve heard complaints that the map looks so focused on college. We know that there are a lot of other students who have different post secondary plans who are doing employment and gap years and military,” Madalyn Corder, Central’s college and career counselor, said. “Typically we would have somewhere between two thirds and three quarters of the class. [This year’s map includes] over 90% of the class. So more of the class has been represented in this map than ever before.”

The map is located in the hallway to the right of student services. One change from previous years is the map only shows the number of students choosing each college or future plan.

“Normally for [College of Dupage] we would have 15 to 20 students a year,” Corder said. “That’s not true because we have close to almost 20% of students that go to [College of Dupage] every year. And so now this year, it’s like 70 something.”

The change may also change how other students view alternative post secondary plans.

“I think if I’m a student and I’m going directly into the workforce, maybe I’ll feel like I’m not doing something that everyone else is doing,” Corder said. “But now, when I see employment and there’s like nine or 10 I can be like ‘there’s like other students in this building who are doing that too’ and it makes you feel like this is a viable path.”

Corder and Jen Dotson, the college and career counselor assistant, collected the data for the map.