<p>DD (junior) is an unenthusiastic student (but trying harder) with no particular academic interest. She is not a slacker - she does the things she cares about conscientiously and well - they just don't have anything to do with school. This is obviously problematic with college on the horizon. I've suggested a gap year, although I don't think that will serve to crystallize any career goals. </p>
<p>I have no idea what she will do in life, although I am pretty sure the skills involved will not be learned in a classroom (e.g., she did a NOLS summer course in Wyoming and loved it.) For laughs, I suggested she try a Myers-Briggs test. (interestingly, a free online version nailed me as an INTJ personality (Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging) and recommended a career in natural sciences, which is what I do). Any thoughts about these, or recommendations re ones that might be useful?</p>
<p>which will show that the Myers-Briggs is not scientific at all. </p>
<p>As a parent, I think you are on the right track to expose D to experiences outside of school, to see which resonate with her and help her find a career path. The more she can meet working adults outside of school walls, the more she can form an accurate picture of which kind of work she would like to pursue.</p>
<p>I think the Myers-Briggs is often helpful. I wouldn't underestimate the power of a gap year to help bring focus. She must have intersts--what does she like to do?</p>
<p>"Aptitudes are natural abilities for doing, or learning to do, certain kinds of things easily and quickly. Are you good at generating ideas, or analyzing numerical information? Can you think three-dimensionally or organize information quickly? Those are examples of aptitudes, and each occupation uses a different combination of aptitudes.</p>
<p>Your aptitudes have little to do with knowledge or culture, or education, or interests. They have to do with heredity. Being right-handed or left-handed, and seeing colors normally are stable, inherent traits that are familiar to most people. The other aptitudes the Foundation measures are the same stable, inherent traits. We measure about twenty aptitudes with our battery of tests. Aptitude testing is an invaluable tool for making career and educational decisions."</p>
<p>Pretty social kid, but not a drama queen (as best I can tell). Likes sports, but again for the social aspect - not a competition-focused athlete. Loves horses and is a beautiful rider - with no interest in equestrian competition. Its a huge industry and there are many related careers, altho for her its an avocation, not a job pathway. Vague interest in large animal veterinary medicine - but, frankly, hard to see her being academically competitive. (BTW, vet schools are now something like 5:1 female).</p>
<p>Use the Briggs-Meyers as a springboard for ideas, rather than as a way to define a direction. For example, I've taken it many times, and there are a couple of attributes on it for which I vary quite a bit depending on what I've been doing lately. I am very tuned in to people/emotional context, but I am very logical as well and work in computer software. Briggs-Meyers sees these as ends of a spectrum, and so I've scored wildly different depending on what I had been doing lately.</p>
<p>So use Briggs-Meyers (and other personality and aptitude tests) to get some insights - introvert, extrovert, logical, people oriented, etc. but don't let them define your daughter as a particular set of things. Don't forget that a thinking/personality style can be combined with many different interests as well.</p>
<p>In other words, a creative introvert might love art and want to be cartoonist. But a creative introvert who has no interest in art should probably not try to become a cartoonist. </p>
<p>So there's both personality and interests to consider.</p>
<p>I know of a girl who did two years of equestian science and at 20 is now managing a stable. It's pretty people oriented too. Her mom told me they saved so much money on not sending her away to college, they will probably use the money to invest in a stable. Of course, this requires some business sense as well.</p>
<p>BTW: The offer to manage the stable came directly from contacts she made riding.</p>
<p>The Myers-Briggs is a nice, relatively high quality Internet personality quiz, like the ones that random people can create on Quizilla or OKCupid. Treating it as anything more serious than that, in my opinion (as someone who majored in neural & cognitive sciences), is a mistake.</p>
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DD (junior) is an unenthusiastic student (but trying harder) with no particular academic interest. She is not a slacker - she does the things she cares about conscientiously and well - they just don't have anything to do with school. This is obviously problematic with college on the horizon.
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</p>
<p>This isn't uncommon for a high schooler. She hasn't been exposed to enough different possibilities yet - there are so many things you don't even know about until you hit college. I think freshman year of college is prime time for figuring this sort of thing out.</p>
<p>It sounds to me as if she is the kind of kid who would fit very well at schools that emphasize internships and hands-on learning.</p>
<p>But I also agree with jessiehl that high school kids haven't been exposed to most of the academic or career possibilities yet, which can conflict with my first thought. I always find it amazing that so many people expect a kid to enter college knowing what eventual career path they want to follow. I tend to think that the ones who genuinely know are in the minority.</p>
<p>So if she can find a place that combines the hands-on element with a broad range of choices, that might be ideal. Off the top of my head, some schools that might work include Northwestern, Northeastern, and Kalamazoo. (I'm sure there are many, many more.)</p>
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She hasn't been exposed to enough different possibilities yet - there are so many things you don't even know about until you hit college. I think freshman year of college is prime time for figuring this sort of thing out.
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That is an interesting point you raise. The nature of education is so different in HS vs. college (limited subject choices, rote learning, not self-directed) that one can imagine a previously-indifferent student finding their muse. Or not.</p>
<p>first I'd like to second the Johnson O"Connor aptitude testing. I went through their testing after I finished college (many many years ago), and it was very very helpful....not so much in picking a career, but in knowing what role(s) I might be good at, or not so good at, among careers. Every few years I listen to the tape made of my debriefing session to help guide me.....never had a product last so long!</p>
<p>I have also done the MB testing several times & have gotten similar introspective benefit...slightly different angle than aptitude testing though, but still good.</p>
<p>I had my kid take the Johnson-O'Connor test at age 14. I don't know if it's still the case, but then you could only take the "half" version--which was half price--until you were something like 18. I thought it was a valuable experience. </p>
<p>lighter side dialogue quote from Caddyshack, circa 1980 (characters...Danny the teenager wondering what to do with his life, Ty played by Chevy Chase as an irresponsible & wealthy country clubber giving worldly advice to Danny):</p>
<p>Danny: Did you take the Cooter Preference Test when you were a senior in high school? </p>
<p>Ty: Yes, I took it. They said I should be a fire-watcher. What are you supposed to be? </p>