College and Career Exploration
It's not too early to start looking forward to your future! Check out the following college/career tools and feel free to talk to your counselors about any questions you may have. You can also find more information on the Counseling Canvas page that will be shared with you at the start of school.
As California is home to over 750 higher education institutions, the largest number compared with all the states, this website provides students with an all-inclusive guide for their college and career paths. Students and parents can explore thousands of colleges, community colleges, state universities, and elite research institutions offering a wide variety of degrees and majors.
The College Board offers students information on college planning, college/career searches, and paying for college.
This career exploration website has great tools to learn more about yourself, occupations you might be interested in, and planning for financial success. Try the "Make Money Choices" activity to learn about budgeting!
Another great career exploration website with tools to plan your Middle and High school years, explore career options, and find tips on how to get a job and overcome challenges that you may face.
Wondering what to do with your life? The team at Roadtrip Nation is here to help. No matter where you are on your journey, their tools and resources will guide you.
Further Career Exploration
Do you think you want to become an artist, engineer, sports player, politician, teacher, or have another future career in mind? Find out more about the career through first hand accounts.
Here are some ideas to consider:
- Interview someone who does the job you are interested in
- Respectfully ask friends, family, counselors/teachers if they know someone who is in the career you are interested in that you can interview
- Set up a meeting time with this person, with the help of your parents
- Interview them. Ask questions, such as, "What do you do in your career on a typical day?”, "What is your favorite part about your job?", "What is your least favorite part about your job?", and "How did you get into this career?"
- Visit and "shadow" someone at their job:
- Just like a shadow follows whatever someone does, you can ask for the opportunity to "shadow" someone at their job. By observing what their day really looks like, you can better understand the career.
- Thank everyone for their time and help!