Utilize your Guidance Counselor

I used to be a high school teacher and when I got bored between classes, I knew I could usually count on the people on the guidance counselor's office to be free for a chat. Though guidance counselors are armed with an arsenal of materials that can make student's future a brighter place, too few students stop by to take advantage of the help that guidance counselors offer. Whether you are on the college track or if you are going to join the workforce after high school, drop by your guidance counselor's office early and often so that you don't get to the end of high school and wonder: what's next?

Talk to your guidance counselor about college. These days, it is never too early to start thinking about where you'd like to go, and planning a strategy for how you're going to get there. Make an appointment with your guidance counselor early in your high school career, so that she can help you start to think about your options for colleges. Do you want to go to a big school, or a small one? Do you want to stay close to home, or move across the country? Your guidance counselor can help you develop a list of schools that will fit your needs. And if you don't know the answer to these questions, it's even more important that you drop by. Your guidance counselor will talk to you about who you are and help you determine what you want out of your college experience and what schools will give it to you.

If you don't think college is for you, you should still talk to your guidance counselor. In addition to helping with college admissions, guidance counselors can offer a wide range of perspectives on the kinds of jobs for which your high school education makes you eligible. Like those considering the college track, you, too, should go see your counselor early and often. There are many lucrative, satisfying jobs for people who don't choose to go to college. By stopping in early in high school and learning about them, you and your guidance counselor can design a curriculum that will give you the best possible chance of winning a great job after graduation.

Whatever your plans are for your life after high school, and if you're not sure what they are, make an appointment with your guidance counselor to figure some out, you should also talk to your guidance counselor about volunteer opportunities and internships available in your community. Don't make the mistake of thinking that because these time commitments don't pay that they won't pay off down the road. The right volunteer service or internship experience can put you over the top when it comes to applying for colleges and jobs in the future.