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?