Planning Your Education
The more clarity you have about the reasons that you are pursuing higher education, the more motivated you will be as you move through the plan that you develop. Creating your EducationPlan involves deciding what you want to study, what degree/certificate you are aiming for, and mapping out the classes you will need to take. This section includes resources to help as you create your EducationPlan.
SMART Goal Worksheet When you set goals for yourself, make sure they are SMART (Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely). Use this worksheet as a guide to develop your SMART EducationPlan goals.
Milestones of Achieving Your Academic Goals It is important to keep track of the tasks that you need to accomplish as your progress through the steps of completing your education and academic goals. This worksheet helps community college and technical college students track their progress during the first four semesters.
Area of Study: General Information
Deciding what you want to study is a good place to start with your EducationPlan. You may change your mind in the future but it is good to have a general idea as you get started. The links below will help you get a clearer idea about the process and options of choosing an area of study:
Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees This site describes different award options in higher education.
Choosing Your College Major This site gives you some general information about the process of selecting a major.
Common Misperceptions About Selecting a College Major You may get stuck while creating your CareerPlan because of certain preconceived ideas. Some of these ideas may actually be misperceptions that can hinder your progress. This resource can help provide clarity and direction.
What Can I do with a Major in ...? This site can help you predict career and employment possibilities with certain majors.
Role of Liberal Arts in Your Future Many degree options require liberal arts courses. Find out more about what skills you may gain from such courses and why employers value this type of education.
Area of Study: Researching Your Options
The links below will help you research educational options:
Areas of Study in Minnesota This site provides information about the options of study within Minnesota's colleges and universities.
Career Clusters Provides an overview of the sixteen Career Clusters as defined by the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State Colleges and University system. For additional information, view:
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities On this site, you can research all state schools in Minnesota. You can search by program of study and region. You can also view more details in the various system publications .
University of Minnesota Degree Programs If you are interested in the University of Minnesota, you can link to specific programs here.
Minnesota Private Colleges and Universities This site is a comprehensive resource about all private colleges in Minnesota
College Board College Search Engine This site contains over 2,000 catalogs for colleges across the United States. You can create a free account if you would like to save your search information. This site also contains a college search engine, college matchmaker, and college quickfinder as well as routes to majors and career profiles.
Workshops and seminars are a valuable tool to help you explore the different areas of the GPS LifePlan.
For more details, click on the link below:
