Skip to main content

College Admissions: Top Ways to Explore Majors and Careers

College Admissions: Top Ways to Explore Majors and Careers

Monday, April 24, 2017
Cristiana Quinn, GoLocalProv College Admissions Expert
As the end of the school year draws near, many families forget that summer is the perfect time for students to explore career options. Parents want to know that a six-figure college investment will result in their child being able to launch a career when they graduate. The trouble is that high schools rarely provide students with an in-depth opportunity to learn about different professions. And without that insight, few students are able to select the right college and major based on a long-term plan. Here are some suggestions to help students explore different fields.

Career testing for teens
Career testing has been around for decades. However, many adult-oriented tests ask a lot of questions based on real world experience that teens just don’t have. This career test from the University of Missouri asks age appropriate questions for teens. Students can then click through to Department of Labor outlooks for different professions and read about the majors and degrees that are recommended for each. Based on their interests and corresponding majors, teens can then identify target colleges.

Summer programs with career focus
Summer programs are a great way for students to learn about different careers. Many state and private universities have pre-college summer programs which allow kids to try different courses or work with professionals from different fields. Your in-state universities will offer the most cost effective programs, but if you have a larger budget, private universities provide additional options. URI has filmmaking, engineering and marine biology sessions. UMASS is offering 1-3 week programs in everything from neurology to music technology, and 6 week laboratory research intensives.  Dartmouth has a wonderful program which exposes students to a variety of health professions inside the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Hospital. Georgetown introduces students to business in today’s global economy, foreign relations, counter-intelligence, journalism and more. And Marist College offers a wide variety of summer career programs, including fashion design, law enforcement and movie production. All of these programs have a fee, but there are scholarships, and the cost is minimal compared to four years in college without a direction. 

Internships and research projects
Internships and research projects are another terrific way for teens to explore different career fields. You can set up your own customized experience for free shadowing a local veterinarian, shop owner or architect, or you can opt for a more formal program on a college campus. BU has a science and engineering research program. Stony Brook University offers summer research opportunities in math, science and engineering. And many departments in the federal government also provide summer internships for high school and college students at locations around the country. From NASA and EPA to NIH, there are hundreds of opportunities to explore careers and build your resume.
Many internships and courses have deadlines coming up, so don’t delay. Make your summer count!

Cristiana Quinn, M.Ed. is the founder of College Admission Advisors, LLC, a private college admissions counseling company based in Providence, Rhode Island. www.collegeadvisorsonline.com

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Information about our GT programs for BPS

  BPS Families, Bloomington Public Schools offers a variety of gifted and talented programs and services for students at the elementary, middle school and high school levels. Learn more about our programs on the  district website .  Please join us for an informational meeting about program application and deadlines for the 2021-22 school year.  Tuesday, September 29 - Elementary GT Programs Informational Mtg. Elements (Grades 2&3) & Dimensions Academy (Grades 4&5) 6:30-7:30p.m. Join virtually @  meet.google.com/xbx-kxhh-qnx Monday, October 5 - Middle School GT Programs Informational Mtg. Dimensions Academy 6:00-6:45p.m. Join virtually:  meet.google.com/mmg-dgyh-gva Nobel 7:00-7:45p.m. Join virtually:  meet.google.com/qjf-djep-fbk Tuesday, October 6 - Kennedy High School GT Nobel Program Info. Mtg. Nobel 7:00-8:00p.m. Join virtually: https://us02web. zoom.us/j/82644102118?pwd= RkozYXcxWHJTQStqeUdjNEVQMjU5UT 09 Information meetings for Dimens...
  The Bloomington Public Schools Gifted and Talented Department presents PARENT & STUDENT WORKSHOP April 7 8:45-11:30 a.m. Oak Grove MS Media Center 9-10a.m. GT middle school counselor and elementary social workers will introduce the science of calm to adults and students. Through breathing, visualizations and poses, we can learn essential self regulation techniques which lead to happier, healthier and more productive lives. 10:00-11:30 Then, students will join GT staff in a makerspace lab while parents attend a second session with Dr. Teresa Boatman: Through understanding the gifted brain, including executive functioning development and intensity, parents can help support their gifted learners through the journey of childhood. Discuss with psychologist, who specializes in gifted learners, the brain development and social-emotional constructs that interweave with the intellectual capability of the gifted child. THE CHARACTER CHALLENGE: NURTURING RESILIENCE ...

New GT Coordinator

I wanted to take this time to tell you that I have stepped down as the high school gifted and talented coordinator for next fall. I have worked with the GT dept since 2012 and I have loved growing as a teacher by working with this departement, GT students and their families. I am really excited that I was a part of expanding our program to both high schools and to junior year. This pandemic has been hard on all of us and I have decided to return to the classroom full time next year. I will continue to teach the DA 9 and 10 social studies classes at Kennedy. Your students will be in great hands! Lisa Kiner, who is a DA teacher at OGMS, will be our new high school GT coordinator. She has a lot of experience as a teacher and as a parent which will help her serve our students well! Please welcome Lisa in the fall into this new role. I will just be an email away so please always feel like you can reach out! I hope your school year is wrapping up well and that you'll have a...