Career Counseling

Getting into college is only half the equation. Graduating and landing a job you love is the end goal. At College Well Planned, Diane Connolly helps students keep an eye on that prize, with early assessment of their personalities, interests and strengths. Few students are ready to identify their life’s work or a career track at age 16 or 17, but a short-term plan – which can always be adjusted – gives purpose and direction to the college search.

Diane uses student-friendly career tools, including online surveys, personality assessments and interest inventories, to encourage “outside the box” thinking. Some students will find their long-held ideas of a career make perfect sense; others will start to rethink their goals and try on new dreams. Together, Diane and the student then take a closer look at their college options, coming up with an initial game plan for those next four years.

A future nurse should be considering direct-entry nursing programs. Engineers need to attend colleges that at least offer engineering degrees. A young woman who dreams of majoring in Middle Eastern Studies and working overseas might be best served by colleges that offer advanced Arabic classes rather than just one introductory course. Potential art majors should enter college excited about history, English and science classes and the richness they will bring to future artwork.

For years Diane has used three questions as she guides students through their own journeys of self-discovery: “”What are you good at? What brings you joy? What does the world need from you?” Answering those questions, as we adults know, can take a lifetime. But when the answers finally align, the results are astonishing.

At College Well Planned, students get a head start.

Career counseling is included in the CWP Comprehensive package or may be purchased as a customized Mini Package. Transfer students also may be interested in this package as they reassess their plans and next college choice.