Preparing for Your Future
- In Middle School and High School - Make the right course choices:
- College Preparatory (college prep) - prepares students to enter college after high school.
- Business - introduction to skills required in such professions as secretarial/clerical, data entry, accounting, and office management. Further schooling may be required.
- Vocational/Trade - prepares students for immediate work or further study in trades such as automotive repair, information technology, healthcare, culinary, cosmetology, etc.
- Junior ROTC - prepares students who may be interested in careers in the military - the Army, Navy, or Air Force. These programs may begin in the freshman or sophomore year, depending on the individual school.
- General - meets basic high school graduation requirements. These courses will not prepare a student to enter a four-year college.
- Challenge your reading interest (drama, literature, magazines, cultural, fiction, non-fiction, etc.)
- Note taking helps improve writing skills and test taking.
- Extracurricular Activities - participate in:
- academic fairs (science, history, math)
- community service
- music/art classes, drama classes, writing classes (journalism, school newspaper)
- school and/or community clubs/organizations (e.g. peer leadership, the Honor Society, SADD)
- religious programs (choir, teacher, technology programs, etc.)
- sports (player, counselor, coach, life guard)
- Honors classes - taken in middle school and high school. Advanced Placement - classes taken in high school.
- Keep a portfolio of your schoolwork (tests, reports, projects, art, etc.) and any extracurricular activities. Include awards (photographs are good records of your accomplishments), certificates, work record.
- Standardized assessment tests:
- Many school districts are requiring students to take tests in specific subjects. In these districts, students in grades 8 and 10 must receive a passing grade in order to advance to the 9th and 11th grades. And, in some of these districts, by 2003 students must pass their district's standardized test to be able to receive a high school diploma. These tests, they believe, will determine how well students have mastered reasoning and analytical skills in mathematics, English language arts, the sciences, and history.
- Many private and public organizations offer workshops on test preparation for a fee. In some instances they are free or they may be discounted. Information can be obtained by checking with your school counselor, your school or public librarian, by searching the Internet, or contacting local government agencies. Asks your classmates where they found information.
- Software and other publications can be purchased or may be available for lending to help you prepare for taking the assessment tests.
- Preliminary Standardized Assessment Test (PSAT) helps prepare you for taking the SAT I.
- For college applicants SAT I tests verbal and mathematical reasoning skills. Most college admissions offices still require these scores. SAT I is usually taken in the 11th grade, but it can be taken in the 10th if Algebra I has been taken. It is recommended that the test be taken at least twice so the best score can be submitted on your college applications.
- SAT II tests measure knowledge of a specific subject and the ability to apply the knowledge in the specific subject. Some colleges also require SAT II scores on admission applications.
- Academic summer camp programs can give an extra edge on preparing you for your future plans. There are many summer programs available, but it is important to check them out and apply early, s they fill up fast. Many organizations offer scholarships to attend their program. Summer camp programs are offered in art, sports, computers, drama/music, science/math (Upward Bound).
- Work or internships offer opportunities for hands-on experiences in related trades or vocations. At high schools that specialize in vocational training, students may be required to:
- Intern for a minimum/maximum of hours at businesses related to their field of study.
- Complete projects to demonstrate proficiency in the trade he/she is studying.
- Keep a portfolio.
- Pass specific tests in order to advance to the next step or level in his/her training course.
- Write reports.
- Make a final presentation or conduct a demonstration before a panel of judges as to his/her knowledge of the skill or trade before receiving a diploma or certificate of completion.
- May have to take additional courses or remedial courses to pass to the next grade or to obtain his/her high school diploma.
- Obtain information on schools or colleges that offer the training you will need to begin your future plans.
BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL
BUSINESS SCHOOLS specialize in advanced training in business related skills, e.g. computer/information sciences, secretarial, or banking. At completion of training, students may receive a Certificate of Completion or Associate degree.
COLLEGE is an institution of higher learning. With a college education, students are awarded degrees for completing specific course requirements.
- Liberal Arts Colleges offer a four-year curriculum of general information on specific subjects, preparations for further studies, and higher degrees - Bachelor's degree.
- Community Colleges offer two-years of study in particular subjects - Associate degree.
- University is a larger institution in which many colleges are housed (ex. law, engineering, nursing, and education). A broad range of courses and research opportunities are offered for advanced studies. Four-year programs are the minimum requirement. Undergraduate and graduate degrees
VOCATIONAL/TRADE SCHOOLS are educational institutions where advanced training in a variety of skills related to specific occupations is taught. Depending on the length of training and the institution's academic requirements, a student may receive a Certificate of Completion or Associate degree. Some schools also offer a transfer program to a four-year college for students interested in working towards a Bachelor's degree.
SCHOOL-TO-CAREER. After receiving specialized training in a trade or a skill, it may be possible to begin work immediately after receiving a high school diploma, a GED certificate, and/or a certificate for completion of basic requirements of a particular trade or skill.
BUSINESS SCHOOL
Two-year colleges offer an Associate's Degree in business administration or technical professions. Academic subjects offered at these types of institutions vary; including accounting, hospitality and tourism, business administration and office supervision, computer sciences, or medical assistant.
After receiving an Associate's Degree, a graduate can either begin working in their particular field of study, or continue their education at a four-year college to earn a Bachelor's Degree. A four-year college offers more advanced training in a variety of fields, such as business administration, business law, communications, economics, marketing, etc.
COLLEGE
College Fairs. College admissions officers travel around the country recruiting for their institutions at college fairs. Attending these fairs is always a great opportunity to collect information and ask questions on public and private two and four-year colleges, vocational/technical schools, and specialized schools. Admissions staff, sometimes accompanied by student representatives, are available to talk about the benefits of attending the institution they are representing. Student representatives can answer questions about their experiences as an applicant and as a member of the student body.
Attending college fairs is a cost-effective way to gather information on many local and national institutions (international schools may also have representatives at large fairs) without the expense of traveling to their campuses. The literature collected can be taken home and reviewed with your parents. Appointments can also be made for tours of campuses at this time.
College Tours. Many high school students, either by themselves or with their parents, take advantage of college open houses to tour college campuses. High school vacations and summers are popular times for these tours. Students who are in their sophomore or junior year in college usually conduct the tours. Appointments made through the admissions office can arrange individual tours.
If you live near a college campus, walking around the campus grounds and observing the activities of the student body can give you insight into the diversity of the school's population.
The Internet. The web is a convenient tool for researching colleges - in these days of the World Wide Web, just about every two and four-year college is connected to the Internet. Schools' applications can even sometimes be downloaded.
The Library. Public and school libraries have reference sections filled with books and catalogues with information that will be helpful in your search. Most books are for research only and can't be taken out of the library; however; there may be booklets and pamphlets available that can be taken. Photocopies can be made of pages containing information you want, or information can be downloaded from the web from the libraries' computers.
Other Resources. Your school's guidance office will have information on colleges, financial aid, and scholarships. Your guidance counselor can also be helpful in arranging college tours or meetings with admissions officers. Local and Federal government agencies offer resources and also run college fairs. Many community programs also offer college prep courses and plan college tours as a part of their programs. Check out the Reference section in bookstores for guides to locating colleges and where/how to apply for loans and scholarships. Talk to your parents, relatives, or friends who have attended college, they most likely have a lot to say about their college experiences. Be sure to include your parents in this process whether they have attended college or not, they will have a lot of questions and will be very much involved in the financial aid process.
Questions to think about college:
- What courses does the school offer that will help me get the best education towards the career of my choice?
- How much does it cost to attend the school and is there financial aid available?
- Does the school have health services?
- Will I feel safe on campus?
- Do I want to attend an urban, rural, or suburban school?
- How far away from home do I want to be?
- Do I want to be in a co-ed setting?
- How large a school population will I be comfortable with?
- How diverse is the school's staff and student body?
- What activities does the school offer, sports, clubs?
- What kind of housing is available?
- Remember one-size doesn't always fit-all — the same school your friends want to attend may not be the right one for you.
VOCATIONAL/TRADE SCHOOLS
In many areas of the world, young people have the opportunity to begin training for specific careers while they are still in high school. In addition the required academic courses, students in vocational training, spend more time during the school day in classes that specialize in particular careers. These training courses are usually offered at the beginning of the second year of high school. During the week, a certain number of hours are required to be spent in the classroom learning about the particular trade from books, videos, tests and quizzes, and discussions. And in order to really understand what it would be like to work in a particular trade, vocational schools usually have duplicated business environments in rooms of their schools. Students can work in fully equipped hair salons, automobile repair shops, daycare centers, or bakeries. The schools have licenses that allow them to repair cars, bake and sell goods on school grounds, or offer daycare services to school staff, students with children of their own, or parents who need a few hours to run errands.
Other names for schools offering training in specific careers are sometimes referred to as academies or charter schools. Career opportunities in the military are also offered to high school students through programs such as the junior version of the United States Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC).
SCHOOL-TO-CAREER
JOB HUNTING
DO:
- Have a checklist of possible employment opportunities.
- Know what days and times you will be available to work.
- Know the minimum wage.
- Know how much money you would realistically like to earn to be able to spend and save some of it.
- Do you know about the Child Labor laws that apply in your state? There are definite rules and regulations employers must abide by when they hire minors.
- If you are under the age of 18, you may need a working permit. You may also need to have a doctor fill out a health form stating you are physically able to work. Check with your school's guidance office to see where to obtain these forms.
- If you are in the United States on a visa, or student passport, you may need additional documents.
- Check at an immigration office or your school's guidance office if you have questions.
- When filling out a job application, come prepared with:
- Reference names and telephone numbers
- Your Social Security number
- Information on previous jobs (job duties, supervisors name, business telephone number)
- Resume of your job history, your skills (e.g. people skills, equipment experience, etc.)
- School history (grades, attendance, extra curriculum activities, community service)
- When filling out a job application, try to answer all questions briefly and to the point.
- Be courteous - in most jobs you will be interacting with the public.
- Remember there are a lot of people looking for jobs, so try to be as professional as possible.
- Smile. Who wants to look at a sour face?
- Provide complete addresses and telephone number(s) where you can be reached.
- Be on time for appointments.
- Call if you are going to be late.
DON'T:
- Don't limit your choices of job prospects.
- Don't apply for a job with dirty, wrinkled, or disheveled clothes or hair, it is almost guaranteed you won't get hired.
- Wearing too tight, too skimpy, and too short clothing is not appropriate at most workplaces.
- Don't chew gum, talk slang, swear, or speak too loudly while on an interview (or on the job).
- Don't approach a manager, a supervisor, a receptionists, or store employee by blurting out, "Are you hiring?" when you are checking to see if a business is hiring. Being polite still counts if you want to be hired.
- Neatness matters, on a job application if you make a mistake just draw a line through it and start over again.
- Don't leave out important information. When asked for your address, this means complete address:
- street
- apartment number or floor number
- city or town
- state (country if appropriate)
- zip code (or country code)
- county (sometimes required)
Opportunities to learn more in your chosen career:
- Once you are on the job, observing a more experienced worker as they do their daily tasks.
- Attend workshops offered by the employer. Workshops are a great way to learn about how a company functions and how your duties will impact it.
- Larger companies may offer paid tuition or tuition reimbursement to employees who desire to improve their skills and knowledge in a particular area related to the company. These types of company benefits may require employees to work for a specific length of time before he/she can take advantage of such benefits.
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