Career Exploration

• • My Academic Plan (MAP) is a career exploration and decision making system created by Iowa State University for Iowa's middle and high school students. MAP has been approved by the Iowa Department of Education for meeting the state board standards as outlined in 281 – Iowa Administrative Code chapter 49.6(3).

MAP guides you through a series of steps which allows you to:

Identify your own unique interests, work values, and skills through simple online inventories.

Explore career options which best match your interests, work values, and skills.

Plan your high school course schedule with your career goals in mind.

Explore college majors or training programs which prepare you for your intended career, and then identify a college or training program which best fits you

• MAP is not a one-time exercise! Because you will go through many changes in grades 8-12, MAP is designed for you to return frequently to reassess your own interests, values, and skills; to re-explore career options; and to update your academic information as you progress through each term of high school. MAP will even send you automated email messages to encourage you to return and update your information.

MAP provides you with multiple resources for improving your:

• GPA

• ACT scores

• Scholarship eligibility

• College and career readiness

• Employ-ability

MAP also provides helpful information concerning scholarships, financial aid, and military/vocational/apprenticeship options.