 As of 2013, according to Mitchell, about 40% of Sterling graduates will go directly to the workforce and the remainder would go to the military and/or to universities and colleges.Mitchell stated that "For a large number of people "this" is their college experience" citing that large number of Sterling students, dating to the 1960s, never went to colleges or universities after graduation.He stated that this is why some alumni of Sterling have a strong passion for the school.