High School Success: 9th Grade Career/College Unit

“Developing a Meaningful Plan for High School and Beyond”

Module Four

“Developing a Meaningful Plan for High School and Beyond”

What does it take? (Brainstorm)

Components of a Meaningful Plan for High School

and Beyond

• Informed DECISION-MAKING

• Well-planned COURSE SELECTION

• Valuable EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

• Meaningful SERVICE LEARNING/VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES

• Relevant PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT

• Effective TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES (SAT/ACT/ASVAB)

• Achievable POST-SECONDARY GOALS

Informed Decision-Making

• Be sure you have ALL THE INFORMATION

related to your options

• CAREFULLY CONSIDER the positive and

negative outcomes of each option

• MAKE your decision, keeping your GOALS

and VALUES in mind.

• Determine your OPTIONS

• List the POSITIVE and NEGATIVE OUTCOMES of

each option

• Determine your OPTIONS

• Take the MOST RIGOROUS courses in which you can be SUCCESSFUL

• Take MORE than the HIGH SCHOOL GRAD and the COLLEGE ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

• Take courses RELATED to a CAREER INTEREST

• COMMUNICATE your GOALS and INTERESTS to your COUNSELOR

Well-Planned Course Selection

Valuable Extra-Curricular Activities

• IDENTIFY athletic, cultural, community or other philanthropic

organizations that have meaning or value to you PERSONALLY

• LEARN about the GOALS of the organization/s to make sure

they are goals that are important to YOU as well

• Be sure you can COMMIT the TIME and ENERGY the

organization seeks

• While ENGAGED in the extra-curricular activities, be aware of

related CAREERS that may be of interest to you

Meaningful Service-Learning and Volunteer Experiences

• Familiarize yourself with the district SERVICE

LEARNING MANUAL

• Identify COURSE TOPICS of special interest to you

• Think of a NEED in school or the community that

relates to that course topic

• Ask your TEACHERS or SL COACH for

suggestions or approval

• Maintain your SERVICE LEARNING LOG

Relevant Part-time Employment

• Think of a CAREER that you may be interested in pursuing

• BRAINSTORM companies and jobs that may be RELATED to that career

• CONTACT those companies and let them know you are interested in working with them

• CONTACT the CAREER CENTER, FAMILY, FRIENDS for suggestions

Effective Test-Taking Strategies (SAT/ACT/ASVAB)

• BE AWARE of testing DATES and registration DEADLINES

• GO to www.collegeboard.com for SATs

• GO to www.act.org for ACT

• GO to www.military.com for ASVAB

• SET goals for test scores

• DETERMINE and KEEP a study/practice schedule

Achievable Post-Secondary Goals

• Know program, GPA, ACT/SAT/ASVAB and other entrance requirements for post-secondary options available to you.

• Monitor COURSES, GRADES, TEST SCORES and EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES on a regular basis to make sure you are on track toward your goals

• Adjust GOALS accordingly