Pre-college Experience
Everything you do is preparation for your
future. You can gain information about your knowledge, skills, abilities,
values, and preferences by considering how you spend your time.
High school course of study and academic strengths
What courses do you most enjoy? What are your best subjects? Would
you rather spend your time studying math or English? Do you prefer chemistry
or French? Are you good with words or better with numbers?
Job Experience
What skills are you developing on your part-time or summer jobs?
Some examples are: organization, oral communication, writing, interpersonal
relations, responsibility, and commitment.
What do you like most about your job?
Do you like working with people, working outside, serving customers,
training other workers?
What do you like least about your job?
Do you dislike working at a desk, working alone, using a computer, managing
other people?
Volunteer Work
Are you interested in causes--Greenpeace, Save the Whales, Sierra
Club, Nature Conservancy--or do you prefer helping people--Big Brothers/Sisters,
Habitat for Humanity, Hospice?
Are you comfortable being a leader and making decisions for a group
or do you prefer to follow someone else's lead?
Do you like working one-to-one with someone in need or do you work best
as part of a group?
Hobbies, Athletics, and Special Interests
Do you play in the school band or act in drama productions? Are you
in science club or on the debate team? Do you play tennis or run marathons?
Do you like to fish or cook? How do you choose to spend your leisure
time?
Thinking about all these things can lead you to consider certain college
majors, and help you eliminate others. Complete a
pre-college achievement grid to get an overall picture of your strengths.