Grade 9:

Students: (Start exploring)

Find out what you are interested in.

What do you like to do? Arts, science, math, teaching, dealing with money, etc If you are unsure, try to see what subjects you don't like. To get a better understanding of what you should study for a particular career try the following:

• Click here for a good introduction to different majors and corresponding careers.

• Volunteer whenever possible in the field that you like and see if that is what you want to do in life. Example: if you feel being a basketball coach is the ideal job, and then you can be an assistant to the coach and get a first hand idea of what you will have to do everyday.

Note: Similar volunteer opportunities exist at local hospitals, libraries, and other organizations. In most high school, 40 hours or more of volunteer work is required for graduation, so early volunteering opportunities will serve to fulfill both purposes.

How to pick electives in High School?

Try to pick electives in the area you like. If unsure, take different electives. This will help you find out what you like.

Exams to take:

If you are taking any honors classes, then it is a good idea to take the SAT II Subject test for it in June.

Parents:

Help you child in the above process. Don't try to push them into what you want them to do. Expose them to different areas and let them explore and figure out what they want to do.

Paying for college:

Colleges are expensive. Explore and get an idea of how much money will be required for your child's college education. Take a look at 529 plans and see if they fit your financial aid strategies.