Golden Eagle Charter School
College and Career Planning
Alice came to a fork in the road. "Which road do I take?" she asked.
"Where do you want to go?" responded the Cheshire cat.
"I don't know," Alice answered.
"Then," said the cat, "it doesn't really matter, does it?"
~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland ~
As the Cheshire cat notes in the quote above, action is almost useless without a goal in mind. The first step to college and/or career planning is to know what you wish to attain. Where do you want to go? What would make you happy? What are your interests and abilities? What kind of education or training is required for the career you have chosen? What kind of person is the best fit for this kind of career? Are you that kind of person?
Interest Inventories
"The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want."
~ Ben Stein ~
Interest inventories help us clarify what, deep down, we already know. But they can be extremely revealing. They are tools to help us look in the mirror, focus on what we need to see, and make some really important decisions. Below are some excellent interest inventories.
Inventories from Stanford University’s Career Development Center
http://cardinalcareers.stanford.edu/start/assessments
Clues for Clarifying Your Interests http://cardinalcareers.stanford.edu/start/assessments/Clues_For_Clarifying_Your_I.pdf
Start thinking about what interests you and what is important to you. Answer questions such as "What would you go out and do if you knew you would not fail?"
5 Lives http://cardinalcareers.stanford.edu/start/assessments/Five_Lives.pdf
Imagine you had five lifetimes to live. What would you do? What are your dream jobs?
Career Areas http://cardinalcareers.stanford.edu/start/assessments/Career%20Areas.pdf
Here is a list of sample career areas to start the brainstorming process.
Skills Worksheet http://cardinalcareers.stanford.edu/start/assessments/Career%20Areas.pdf
This worksheet can help you identify the skills you have and narrow the list of skills you want to use in the future.
Values Worksheet
http://cardinalcareers.stanford.edu/start/assessments/Values.pdf
Motivation and fulfillment are other areas to consider when exploring career options. This worksheet can help you identify what is important to you in the world of work.
Work Environment Worksheet http://cardinalcareers.stanford.edu/start/assessments/Work%20Environment.pdf
Would you like to work for a big company or small company? Would you like to work for a well established organization or a start-up?
Another good way to investigate your interests and abilities is to attend community college while you are enrolled in high school. Take a few classes in subject you think you are interested in. Try subjects you have never tried before. Our local Community College is:
College of the Siskiyous, 800 College Avenue,
Weed California, 96094
(530) 938-4462
http://www.siskiyous.edu