Megan Schultz | Gateway Technical College

At 20-years-old, I was able to graduate from college and start working in my field right away. I already was in a career I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Not many my age can say that--I'm so happy I chose Gateway.

Grad designs career through Gateway Declines scholarship to four-year college, opts for technical education

Megan Schultz opted against the full, four-year scholarship she earned to Carthage College and instead chose to attend Gateway Technical College and pay her own way.

Why?

Megan wanted an accelerated learning environment, providing her with the educational training to enter her career quickly but without courses having no connection to her future employment.

Gateway provided the perfect fit for her. Megan graduated in two years and secured a position at a Kenosha interior design company before graduating from college.

“As a 20-year-old, I was able to graduate from college and start working in my field right away,” says Megan. “I already was in a career I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Not many my age can say that – I’m so happy I chose Gateway.”

The college’s affordability, coupled with its ability to provide students with the opportunity to graduate in two years, also appealed to Megan.

“It was very practical for me in terms of cost. I didn’t have to take out a loan, I was able to pay as I went. I was working in my field before I graduated and I didn’t have a massive amount of debt – actually, I had no debt.”

It was very practical for me in terms of cost. I didn’t have to take out a loan, I was able to pay as I went. I was working in my field before I graduated and I didn’t have a massive amount of debt.

Megan says Gateway’s small class size fit her educational needs best, including even more access to instructors who prepared students well for the field they would enter.

“I had attended private school all my life, and I was used to a small class size. That’s what we had at Gateway.

“There wasn’t an astounding number of students in each class, and it made for a positive relationship with your instructors. I always felt I could go to them for extra help – I never felt they were too busy to not help me.”

That help included providing a solid foundation in computer design software. Megan says the computer design principles she learned at Gateway helped secure her current position, and she now does computer aided architectural renderings.

“Training on that software has made me a valuable employee, I believe,” she says.

As part of Megan’s training at Gateway, she interned at an area Kenosha design company. “The second day of working they asked me when I could start as an employee,” she said. “I work there now.”

“Gateway put my life on track to where I want to be. Some go to college to party. For me, it was to get the education for my career. That’s what I got. Gateway was my first choice.”