by Cheryl Abney

Created on: September 10, 2010   Last Updated: September 23, 2010

High school, particularly ninth grade, is most often touted as the time to get-down-to-the-business of preparing yourself for college. However, upper grade school and the middle school years can also help steer you toward higher education. Early preparation can prevent changing and wasting time in the wrong high school courses and programs. Consider the advantages offered students in Charlotte County, Florida. Their kindergartners are provided science, tech, engineering, and math labs. These lead to middle school lab modules where students start career clusters. They then build a four year plan around their major areas of interest that impact their choice of high school studies.*

Grade school preparation:

Successful and famous athletes have reported that as a young person they hung motivational messages like "I'm going to be an Olympic skater" on their walls or lockers to keep them focused. As early as grade school, messages placed on walls, computer screen savers, and mirrors will focus thoughts on achievement and school and homework will have a greater purpose. Early grades offer many opportunities to become aware of the variety of future careers through cultural activities and sports. Parents and teachers can encourage grade school students to be observant and question visible and behind-the-scene jobs.

Middle school preparation:

These years should narrow the focus toward a particular skill or desire that a career can satisfy. This is a great time to take a career survey to identify whether you would be most happy working with data (numbers, words, inventories), people (medical, retail sales, education), or things (construction, manufacturing, gardening). Be an active participant in clubs like 4-H, Boy or Girl Scouts, school clubs and volunteer opportunities. These extracurricular activities can help narrow the field of careeer and college possibilities.

High School:

Beginning your first year of high school, career choices should continue to narrow as you gain more information and contemplate your career goal. High school students must earn community service points to graduate. Ideally, you will concentrate these required hours in areas of career interest. At the least, volunteer time will help identify the definite “no-way-do-I-want-to-do-this” jobs. A student recently told me they would never want my job as a school guidance counselor. When asked why, I learned they thought it was too stressful, with constant interruptions,

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