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Career Planning for Parents and Students What’s Next for Your Student? Decisions regarding college and beyond are perhaps the most complex, confusing and often costly ones that parents and students have to face. Getting a good education is crucial, but what is the best option? A large university? A small liberal arts school? A technical school? Major in business, art, engineering—or what? How can students break into the world of work and find jobs that will lead to meaningful careers? As the Cheshire Cat said in Alice in Wonderland: "If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there." The opposite could not be more true: If you know where you’re going you can overcome almost any obstacle to get there.
The Key to Success Students are likely to excel and find satisfaction in a course of study or job which taps into both their abilities and interests. The Highlands Company approach enables students and recent graduates to put together a vision for their futures which can act as a flexible, practical blueprint to use in decision-making now and at future turning points in their lives. It is the foundation for career planning, and the starting point for targeting internships, summer positions and jobs which lead to successful lives. How to Make Good Choices What a student or recent graduate needs to know about him/herself in order to make sound and practical educational and career decisions is:
How It Works Students and recent graduates get the answers to these questions in the "Career Jump Start" assessment. The assessment begins with the Highlands Ability Battery, a 4-hour evaluation of 18 Natural Abilities that reveals what he or she is naturally good at and often discloses previously unrecognized talents. These talents, which are "hard-wired" in us by age fifteen, will remain true for the rest of our lives. Unlike quick career tests given in school, which are based on self-report, The Highlands Ability Battery provides objective, detailed information which is explained to the student and family in a 2-hour conference. They also receive a 30+ page report and an audio-tape of the session. Integrate the Information to Make the Best Plan For anyone, bringing your natural abilities into your education and work can enormously increase your satisfaction and success, but it’s not the whole answer. In making decisions about your education or future career, you also need to consider your skills, interests, values, family influences, and personality preferences. Most of all you need to learn how to integrate these factors and how to make a decision about a college, a major, or a future career that would be a good fit. This is the purpose for the "Career Jump Start" assessment. Following the feedback on the Ability Battery, students will complete assessments of their interests and values and integrate this information with the ability results, resulting in an action plan for their future. For more information contact Ann Brody. BONUS: Ask Ann a free "career question." What People Say About Us "Choosing a path for life can be a weighty decision. Wouldn’t it be easier if there was someone who could tell you what to do because they know something about you that you may not know yourself—what you are good at naturally—and they can find it out with a simple test. Many college students do not know what they want to do with their lives, tossing around majors all four years in school….The total cost for [The Highlands Ability Battery] is $400 for 4 hours of testing and 2 hours with a counselor explaining the results. Not bad for an entire future." "As an adult, I took The Highlands Ability Battery and found it gave me very insightful information about my chosen career. For a young person beginning the college search, this would be invaluable in helping him or her find the college or university that would be the best match. I enthusiastically endorse The Highlands Program." "What we received with just the first phase of the Highlands Program, the Ability Battery, was worth the investment. This battery of objective tests really opened our eyes about two of our children’s innate abilities, and put some teeth and clarity into discussions about ‘what do you want to do when you grow up.’ Additionally, I noticed both my kids taking more interest and responsibility for their own education and career choices. This tool gives them something to work with. Practically speaking, my college sophomore has used the information from the Highlands Ability Battery to improve his ACT math test score and adjust his lecture hall learning methods by simply being aware of his personal problem-solving and learning style. He also anticipates using the information for interviewing for a summer job by being able to clearly articulate his strengths and work style. Because the results of the testing are permanent from age 15 on, I trust this will be a good tool for my kids for a long time." |
