Sunrise Mountain High School

College & Career Planner  
The Launch Guide for Arizona High School Seniors was developed by Arizona Gear Up, and is a great resource for your college and career planning. The guide has sections for your timeline for senior year, checklists for applications, a FAFSA guide, scholarship and jobs, and military info. It is a fillable document or you can print it out and build your own College and Career binder.  

Get your Launch Guide here

Career Planning Tips

1. Learn your strengths and interests. Below are some websites that offer interest and skills assessments to give you ideas about what post-secondary options might interest you.
   • SchooLinks 
   • ASU Me3
   • O*Net OnLine
   • BigFuture/CollegeBoard
   • Career One Stop
   • My Next Move
2. Research different careers. Take elective classes in careers that may interest you. Consider reaching out to someone that is in a career you might want to pursue and ask them questions. Look into part-time internship opportunities or jobs that may be in a related field. 
3. Think about education. Many careers require education beyond high school and some require additional education beyond a Bachelors degree. 
   • 4-year universities (earn a Bachelors degree+)
   • 2-year colleges (earn an Associates degree, certification, and/or transfer to a 4-year university)
   • Technical and trade schools (6 months to two years in length)
   • Apprenticeships (on the job training)
   • Military
4. Research colleges and training programs. Consider the requirements for the career you are interested in, cost of attendance, and wages that can be earned upon completion.
   • AZ Wage Statistics
5. Remember that it is okay to not know exactly what you want to do for the rest of your life! Start researching and thinking about the process early and be patient with yourself.