College and Career Planning Guide

While students today use the internet extensively for college and career planning, college and career planning is still a very personal, hands-on endeavor. In Boston, students explore college and career opportunities through internships, job shadows, career fairs, college fairs, field trips, guest speakers, mentoring, coaching, classroom and community projects and more.

• Visit our newsletter for recent examples of college and career exploration activities at Boston's high schools.
• Browse the College and Career Planning Guide for ideas, activities and resources to support college and career exploration.
• Explore the links below for additional college and career information

MassCIS
The Massachusetts Division of Employment and Training's Massachusetts Career Information System (CIS) is an online tool to help you explore occupations and find the right education or training program once you have made your career decisions. Go to http://www.detma.org/MassCis.htm.

Massaschusetts DET Labor Market Information
Explore labor market information, career information, and more at the Massachusetts DET site. Go to http://www.detma.org and click on the the link for Economic Data or go directly to http://www.detma.org/LMIHome.htm.

Occupational Outlook Handbook
The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives. Revised every two years, the Handbook describes what workers do on the job, working conditions, the training and education needed, earnings, and expected job prospects in a wide range of occupations. Go to http://www.bls.gov/oco/.

Mayor's Youth Council. Boston residents should visit the Mayor's Youth Council web site for a wide variety of summer and school year opportunities, "Job Tips for Boston Teens" and the "Resume Tips" Guide. Visit the site at http://www.bostonyouthzone.com/myc.

College Board
The College Board website lets you search for colleges, compare colleges, link to college websites, and get ideas about how to select a college. Go to http://www.collegeboard.com.

Massachusetts Board of Higher Education
The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education website provides information and links for all of the public colleges, universities and community colleges in Massachusetts. It also links to the New England Association of Schools and Colleges for a list of all of the private colleges in Massachusetts. Go to http://www.mass.edu.

Common Application
The Common Application is the recommended form of 230 selective colleges and universities for admission to their undergraduate programs. Many of these institutions use the form exclusively. The website provides this form, instructions, and tips for completing college applications. Go to http://www.commonapp.org.

Federal Application For Student Aid
The Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form for that students fill out to access federal financial aid. For information, go to http://wwwfafsa.ed.gov.

Fast Web
Fast Web (from the well-known monster.com company), is a website for searching for college scholarships. Go to http://www.fastweb.com.

Email Addresses (for students and others)
Students need an email address in order to email for information from colleges. Try http://www.emailaddresses.com for free email addresses that students can use from both school and home computers.

Harvard Coach Program
Through the Harvard Coach program, Harvard students help BPS students with the college application and financial aid process. The Coach program website includes information about the program itself as well as useful college and test information links. Go to http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/coach/info_for_students.htm'.