PREPARATION How Do I Prepare My Child for a Career in healthcare? Middle School Encourage your child to take challenging classes in school. Help your child become "organized" with their class work - start using a planner Encourage volunteering - or if they are too young to volunteer, encourage a visit to a family member/friend who is in a Nursing Home or has recently been in the hospital. 9th Grade Create the "4 year high school plan" so that there is a guide to follow. Remind them that their GPA is cumulative, so the grades they make in 9th grade really do matter. Encourage a strong curriculum filled with science and math. Strong second language skills (bilingual) are very helpful in healthcare careers and can often lead to additional compensation. Encourage 4 years of a foreign language. Spanish is a highly desired second language at this time. Colleges and first time employers look for students with a passion for something as well as hard work, initiative and commitment. Encourage involvement in some outside extracurricular events (HOSA, Medical Explorer Post, journalism club, sports teams), but don't allow your child to spread themselves too thin, so that their academic achievement falters. Begin to work on developing their mind with... Memory and concentration games; Time management, project management skills (buy a planner, or a PDA); Study Skills; Stress management skills... use stress balls, yoga; Develop test taking skills (how to answer multiple choice questions, essay writing, preventing test anxiety). 10th Grade Review the 4 year high school plan to make sure its still applicable. Get Involved in your child's class selection…encourage difficult classes (AP or IB classes). Encourage your child to attend local college career fairs. Begin to talk with your child about where they want to go to school... what kind of degree they want... what you can afford…if you will need to seek out financial assistance. Have your child begin to get student recommendations in writing from teachers. Really encourage those extracurricular activities that involve their passions. Have your child take the PSAT. Encourage your child to start saving money. 11th Grade Begin to challenge those organizational skills... allow them to juggle school, extracurricular activities and a small part time job. Keep talking about their passions... and how they can follow their passion with their career choice. Make some college visits - talk to college students, faculty and other parents if you can. Have a more in-depth discussion about finances of their college education. Discuss and help plan for the PSAT, SAT or ACT. Discuss senior year classes - encourage them to take a rigorous class schedule to prepare them for college. Do lots of listening, hearing their concerns and needs!!!!! 12th Grade Never let them lose their passion - plan activities that involve their passions! Part time jobs are great in teaching them responsibility and the importance of saving money. Complete all the college tours, narrow the college choices down and submit applications (be sure to save of copy of each application submitted). Encourage them to apply for scholarships/grants If selected at more than one school, sit down to do some "soul searching" and determine where your child wants to go. Ask the questions: Who are you... where would you learn best... do you need to be one of a few or are you ok with being one of many... where do you want to live... what do you really want to be.