CAREER PLANNING QUESTIONS

This handout is designed to pose questions and have you actually find and write out the results of your search.

COMPLETE THE FIRST PORTION (# 1 through 26) IF YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING A POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION.

  1. Name of institution:
  1. Location:
  1. Program:

(and if you know) Major:

Minor:

  1. Required entrance average:
  1. Length of program:
  1. Required high school prerequisite classes:
  1. What is a typical day of classes like? How much homework is expected?
  1. Application deadline:
  1. Application cost:
  1. Is there a transcript needed? If so, have you asked your principal or career counselor to get you one?
  1. If you are going to a university, have you looked into registering through a federated college? If so, which one(s)? Who is a contact for that federated college?
  1. Do you wish to take distance classes? If so, what method: satellite, online, paper correspondence, in person at a smaller campus, etc.?
  1. How much will tuition cost?
  1. Where will you live? (with relatives, with friends, in a house, in an apartment, in residence)
  1. Have you applied for residence or researched to find a house or apartment?
  1. How much will it cost?
  1. At this point, it is wise to make a budget for yourself for all the costs for a year or more at a post-secondary institution. You can contact the post-secondary institution for more information or check out its website. See handout for budget planning.
  1. Now that you have made a budget, do you need student loans? Do you have money set aside for your education?
  1. Are you going to the United States? If so, have you written ACTs or SATs? If not, do you have a plan to write them? What is the closest location to be able to write them? What are the dates when you can write them?
  1. Have you contacted the post-secondary institution to make an appointment to see an advisor or counselor? If you can’t get there physically, discuss things over the phone. What is his or her name?
  1. What open houses and tour dates does the institution have? When are they?
  1. If you can’t make one of those dates, have you booked a private tour? When is it?
  1. What scholarships, bursaries, or awards have you applied to receive?
  1. To apply for these scholarships, do you have a resume ready? Cover letters? Reference letters? Who are your references?
  1. Do you have a list of local scholarships from your principal or career counselor?
  1. Have you looked at the school division website at Look under Career Education for scholarships.
  1. Are you interested in a trade? If you are, what trade is it?
  1. If you are interested in a trade, do you wish to stay in Saskatchewan, have you looked at apprenticeship as a possibility for your training?
  1. Do you have any of the challenges completed in the Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship program? If not, ask your principal about completing Youth Apprenticeship.
  1. Are you taking your trade via the pre-employment route instead of apprenticeship?

COMPLETE THIS PORTION IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON GOING INTO THE WORKFORCE UPON COMPLETING GRADE 12. AS WELL, THERE WILL BE SOME USEFUL POINTS BELOW IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A SUMMER OR PART TIME JOB.

  1. Do you have a job arranged? What is it? Where is it?
  1. If you don’t have a job, do you need help finding a job? Check the websites listed in the Career Counseling Informationhandout.
  1. Have you looked at websites with behavioural interview questions?
  1. Is this a permanent move to the work force or a temporary measure to save some money for your post-secondary education?
  1. If it’s the latter, what is your plan for returning to school? How long are you going to work before furthering your education?