POST-SECONDARY PLANNING: JUNIOR YEAR POST-SECONDARY PLANNING: JUNIOR YEAR So you want to go to college….. According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education*, • PA ranks 5th in the nation for sending high school students to college • PA ranks 45th in the nation for graduating the same students According to higheredinfo.org, PA colleges and universities have an 80% retention rate (after the first year of school), and 65.7% graduation rate for Bachelor's degrees (graduation within 6 years) According to US News and World Report, 1 in 3 students do not return to college after the first year Collegeresults.org is a great site for checking retention/graduation rates *PDE website POST-SECONDARY PLANNING : JUNIOR YEAR Retention rates-WHY? POST-SECONDARY PLANNING : JUNIOR YEAR Academic issues, too expensive, don’t know what you want to do Academic issues • Learn how to study now • Ask for help/use resources • Challenge yourself academically Too expensive • Attend Financial Aid events, ask questions, fill out FAFSA form • Apply for scholarships • Dual enrollment/Transfer Don’t know what you want to do • Caution-the undeclared major can lead to spending extra time in college=more money • See what supports the school offers undeclared majors “Thinking well to be wise: planning well, wiser: doing well wisest and best of all” SURVEY RESULTS • Career Planning Process: 8% Lost 54% Think they have an idea but unsure 38% Found their career choice • Post-Secondary Planning Process 11% Lost 62% Think they have an idea but unsure 27% Found the perfect …Technical school, Community College, Four Year College, Job, Military Branch Survey Results: Only 197/401 students have researched careers/colleges online-49% Of those 197, 162 used the College Board website. Only 25 went on career exploration sites. The secret to getting ahead is getting started-Mark Twain GETTING STARTED Finding a career Planning a path FINDING A CAREER… • What are your interests? • What are you good at? • What kind of working conditions do you need in order to feel happy? SELF-ASSESSMENT mynextmove.org FINDING A CAREER… How to use mynextmove.org: •Open www.mynextmove.org. •Choose which option best fits your level of knowledge on future plans. • “I’m not really sure,” “I’ll know it when I see it,” or “I want to be…” Finding a career… Important things to remember about mynextmove.org: •If you’re unsure, take an ONET assessment test! •Check which word is associated with the profession: • Bright Outlook, Green, and Registered Apprentice. •Thoroughly look through the profession/career profile page. • Check out what skills and personality traits are important in that profession. • Find out how much education is needed for the profession. • Take a look at the average salary for the profession. FINDING A CAREER… • TIPS: • Accept responsibility-opportunities will not come to you • Find a mentor • Network • Join the free agent economy (“Paying your dues”) • Use an appropriate email address and voice mail message. • Think before you post-maintain an appropriate social media presence. FINDING A CAREER Top ten paying careers: • 10. Industrial-organizational psychologist. • 9. Computer and information systems managers. • 8. Marketing manager. • 7. Natural science manager. • 6. Architectural and engineering managers. • 5. Lawyers. • 4. Petroleum engineers. • 3. Chief executive officers. • 2. Dentists and orthodontists. • 1. Doctors and surgeons. http://www.askmen.com/money/career_150/177_career.html FINDING A CAREER… Top 15 growing fields: • Network systems and data communication analyst. • Personal care and home aides. • Home health aides. • Computing applications software engineers. • Veterinary technologist and technicians. • Personal financial advisors. • Theatrical and performance makeup artist. • Medical assistants. • Veterinarians. • Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors. • Skin care specialist. • Financial analyst. • Social and human service assistants. • Gaming surveillance officers and gaming investigators. • Physical therapy assistants. http://www.boston.com/jobs/galleries/30fastest_growing_occupations/ SO YOU THINK YOU’VE FOUND A CAREER… Does your expected job fit with your life style? • Ask yourself if… • You want to spend weekends with your family? • You want to work a traditional work day (9am-5pm)? • You will be able to afford your lifestyle? • Examples: eating habits or shopping habits • Does the career match your skill set? Your personality type? Great site for work-related personality type quizwww.roguecc.edu/counseling/hollandcodes SO YOU THINK YOU’VE FOUND A CAREER… See if you can do any of these during high school: • Job shadowing • Internships • Volunteer • Go to field related conferences • Talk to professionals in the field • Bring Your Child to Work Day As many as 1 in 3 students do not return to college after their 1 st year* 1 shadowing experience = 32% higher retention rate in college 1 internship experience = 52% higher retention rate in college *US News and World Report PLANNING YOUR PATH… You will probably NEED some type of post-secondary education Note-unskilled jobs are disappearing; demand for high skills is rising • Decrease from 40% to 20% of all jobs in PA from 1994 to 2011* Your path may include the following: • Technical School • Community College • Four Year College *PDE website PLANNING YOUR PATH… Annual Income by education:* • Less than HS-$12,684 • HS Diploma/GED-$27,010 • Some college, no degree-$28,000 • Associate Degree-$33,969 • Bachelor’s Degree (Four year)-$48,500 • Post-Graduate Degree-$64,261 PDE Website PLANNING YOUR PATH… PSAT-all juniors taking on 10/16 • Results back in December/Results Night/mycollegequickstart • Collegeboard.org for prep, SAT registration • Act.org for prep, ACT registration ACT vs. SAT? When to take the tests? What is a good score? • 2012 SAT National Average: Critical Reading- 496, Math- 514, Writing488 • 2012 ACT National Average: 21.1 PLANNING YOUR PATH… STARTING YOUR COLLEGE SEARCH Think about who you are and what you are looking for in a college: For example, size, location, campus activities/sports • Fiskeguide.com has a GREAT survey you can takeSizing Yourself Up Survey See the resource list for college search sites PLANNING YOUR PATH… As you develop a list of schools: • Go on the individual sites • Look up admissions criteria How many schools? Reach/Target/Safety? • 5-7 schools is recommended • 1-2 Reach schools • 3-4 Target schools • 1-2 Safety schools PLANNING YOUR PATH… The application process-preparing for it during junior year • Student Recommendation Form • Activity resume • Essay/personal statement • Course selection-choose wisely, explore programs (i.e. dual enrollment) KEEP YOUR GRADES UP! POST SECONDARY PLANNING JUNIOR YEAR QUESTIONS?