Each branch of the United States military provides some type of educational assistance in the form of scholarships, grants, and low-interest loans to dependents of active-duty, retired, and deceased service members. Eligible students can pursue these resources, in addition to traditional avenues, to fulfill their educational and career goals. Read on…

What I Wish I’d Done Each June
Summer is starting and the students will soon be gone – or they already are! Once the excitement of graduation is behind you, it’s the perfect time to reflect on last year and get ready for September. Here are three things you can do to wrap the year up right – and you’ll have no regrets in September! Read more…

We’re Excited to Lift the Curtain
Summertime is always exciting! It’s vacation time for students and educators — and it’s the time of the year when we release new or improved features to our products. At the end of this month, we’re excited to release the following:

Dear Faith, I want to find my first job this summer.
Dear Faith,
I want to find my first job this summer. But all the ads I see are asking for experience. How am I supposed to get experience without experience?
Sincerely,
Wanna Paycheck
Most of us know a student who wants a summer job this year. After all, summer jobs are a great way to break into the working world! This is a typical message sent to Faith, our career and education advice columnist. Here’s her answer:

Job Application Lesson Plan
As spring turns to summer, many students are thinking about earning some money by taking on a summer job. Help your students understand the basics of a job application with this lesson plan.
This lesson plan and many others are part of the career and college readiness curriculum found in the Resources section of the Professional Center. There are six units with 10 lessons each.
- Career Exploration and Planning
- Postsecondary Planning
- High School Academic Planning
- Financial Aid Planning
- Job Search
- Lifelong Portfolio
The lessons can be taught individually or sequentially — whatever works for your situation.
Is ‘Professional Athlete’ a Realistic Career Choice?
What are the odds I will be a professional basketball, baseball, or hockey player?
A lot of students write in asking about their chances of playing professional sports. And who can blame them?

Earth Day Quiz!
Earth Day is April 22. Test your knowledge of careers that work to protect the Earth! Read more…

Stop Summer Slump by Taking Action in the Spring
What grows in the winter, but dies in the summer?
If you answered “students’ interest in planning their future,” you’ll want to continue reading! You may have noticed that as the weather heats up, students’ motivation to think about college and careers melts like ice in July. (And if you don’t know the real answer to the riddle, that’s a hint!) Spring is a tough time to keep students motivated. Read more…
The Value of Course Planning
Why do I have to do this now? I am only in ninth grade. How am I supposed to know I want to do?
Faith, our career and education advice columnist, received this question the other day. It’s a common concern. After all, the world is changing quickly – what’s the point of making plans? Popular culture tells today’s students YOLO, live for the moment, and carpe diem – it’s easy to see why students question the value of making plans for the future. Read more…