JUNIOR COLLEGE & CAREER PLANNING

Counseling Workshops

• Semester 1 College/Career Workshop (During English in fall)
• Semester 2 College/Career & Senior Course Registration Workshop (During English in January)

College/Career Planning Information

• Attend a PCH College Series event
• Explore the information on the "Finding the Best Fit College" page
• Connect with college admission representatives when they visit PCH (register under "College Visits" in Naviance)
• Schedule official visits to college campuses you are considering.  If that isn't an option, take a virtual tour and attend any available virtual information sessions.
• Check out the "Free ACT for Juniors - April 9" page for the most current updates on that testing opportunity.
• Attend then Parkway/Rockwood Regional College Fair at Queeny Park on September 11 from 6-7:30 pm.
  • Register here. (Choose "Missouri" and then "09/11/23 - Parkway/Rockwood Regional College Fair") - coming soon!
• Attend the National College Fair - St Louis at St Louis University on October 29 from 1-4 pm.  
  • Find list of attending institutions and register here.
• Want to know what applications will look like next year?  Check out the Guide to the Common Application

Career Research

• Make sure you have completed the StrengthsExplorer (assigned Gr 9) and Career Interest Profiler (assigned Gr 10) in Naviance under Self-Discovery
• Explore the Occupational Outlook Handbook to determine career options and the education/training needed
• Check out the "Need Help Picking a Major" tool provided by the University of Illinois.  You can skip the Holland Type assessment if you did the Career Interest Profiler in Naviance (it tells you your top Holland traits!)

Exploring Alternate Paths

Here are some examples of alternative options PCH students have explored in the past:

MO US Dept of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Programs
Apprenticeship.gov
Job Corps
St. Louis Carpenters Union
Electrician Apprenticeships
Careers in Construction
ICATT Apprenticeship Program
Police Dispatcher - Ballwin (no previous experience required!)
IHM Academy of EMS Paramedic Program
Total Access EMT Training
St. Louis County Fire Academy
Missouri Department of Corrections 
Paul Mitchell the School (Cosmetology)
STLCC Accelerated Job Training Programs (includes culinary, Boeing pre-employment, coding, and more!)
Nativ - Gap Year Program in Israel
Gap Year Solutions
TeenLife - Gap Year Programs
Military Enlistment - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE DOING IN JUNIOR YEAR?

1. Are you ready for the ACT?
   1. Engage in some intentional test prep (free and fee-based options available here)
   2. Official ACT at PCH - April 9 (all students automatically registered; instructions will be shared on connecting this test to your ACT web account)
2. Do you have a chosen career path?
   • See Career Research above
3. What is your plan for undertaking the college admissions process?
   •  See College/Career Planning Information above
4. What have you done at PCHS or in your community that colleges might want to know about?
   1. Resume (In Naviance, under About Me)
      *Useful when completing applications and for providing information to your letter writers.
      *Keep track of how you spend your time - - do your passions, interests and talents show?
5. Where do you want to go to college?
   1. College Research (in Naviance, under Colleges)
      • Use “college search”, "college maps," and/or “SuperMatch college search”.
      • Check out “How You Compare”
      • Review tabs: General Info, Admissions, Financial Aid, Majors and Degrees, Student Life
      • Review links: Visit Website, Overlaps, Graph
        * Add to “Colleges I’m Thinking About”
   2. Explore the "Finding the Best Fit College" page for additional resources
   3. VISIT CAMPUSES! (If you are unable to travel, utilize their virtual tour options and info sessions)
   4. Consider following schools on social media to learn more about their culture and community.
6. What else does Naviance offer?
   1. College visits – see who is coming and sign up to meet with the admissions representative
   2. Scholarship list – look for underclassmen opportunities
   3. National scholarship search – register to see what is available NOW, even before senior year
   4. Enrichment programs – find opportunities for summer experiences (TeenLife)

Need additional assistance?  Schedule an appointment with Mrs. Prange and/or sign up for a free Mentor 4 College!

Want to know what's coming next year, you can also check out the Senior Class page :)