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How to Talk to Your High School Counselor About Your Future

Your counselor is there to make sure you get the answers you need. Meet with the counselor several times each year to discuss career paths and college or technical training options. If you have specific questions prepared each time, you’ll walk away with more usable information and specific tasks.

Ask yourself:

  • Have you done much research about your post-high school options? What questions do you have about college, training, careers, or life after graduation?
  • What are your skills and interests, and how do you think they might apply to a career?
  • Have you researched which classes might help you get into the college you want to attend, prepare you for the major you’ll pursue, or train for a career?
  • Do you have a plan to fit all of the required classes into your schedule before graduation?
  • Do you have room for elective courses that might help you get into college, win scholarship awards, or achieve a career technical certification?
  • Are you interested in taking advanced placement, dual enrollment classes, or career technical education courses to earn college credits or certifications while you’re in high school?
  • Have you checked out any of the materials that are available to help you prepare for standardized tests (ACT or SAT)?
  • Do you understand the college applications process, or do you need help?
  • Have you considered how you will pay for college?
  • What things, outside of getting good grades, have you been doing to make yourself a good applicant for colleges, scholarships, and training or apprenticeship programs?