Planning For Success
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| The educational planning process is necessary to help you to identify your academic goals and to achieve them. Listed below are six steps that are necessary to help you develop a successful plan. The Counseling Center staff at GTCC is here to assist you throughout the educational planning process. |
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| Define Your Educational and Career Goals |
| If you are having trouble defining your career or educational goals, start a process of self-assessment, career exploration, and decision making. Explore the career fields that most closely match your interests, skills, and values. Come to a decision by weighing the costs and benefits of each of the options you have identified and choose the one most likely to help you achieve your goals. |
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| Identify Your Educational Options |
| Determine the educational requirements necessary to achieve your goals. Identify a major and determine which colleges or schools best suit your requirements. |
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| Assess Your Current Educational Assets and Needs |
| Plan high school courses to ease the transition to college. Check for articulation agreements between high school, two-year colleges, and four-year colleges. Take the SAT, ACT, or college placement tests as required. Explore taking the AP exam or CLEP and look at previously completed college courses, military training and work experiences to earn college credits toward your goals. |
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| Develop A Plan |
| Decide whether you want a certificate, diploma, or degree program and determine the specific course requirements. Explore non-traditional methods of earning college credits such as internships, co-operative education, on-line courses, distance learning, independent study, correspondence courses, and external degree programs. Develop a plan for college transfer or job placement. |
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| Monitor Your Progress |
| Meet regularly with your academic advisor to check your progress toward achieving your educational goals. Meet with a counselor if you have concerns affecting your plans or your goals. |
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| Revise Plans as Necessary |
| As circumstances change, you may find it necessary to revise your plans. Recycle through the process to identify new goals and develop new plans. |
