Little Rock College Consultants Helping Arkansas Students Choose Their Majors and Plan Their Careers
Students enter college in order to enter the economy. This is why parents are willing to bear the financial burden of college (which admittedly is immense). And the average cost of 1 year at College in the United States is indeed costly:
- $37,650 at private colleges
- $10,560 at public colleges (in-state residents)
- $27,020 at public colleges (out-of-state residents)
Parents believe the expense is worth it because they see college as a vital stepping stone to their students securing a fulfilling career. Yet, most Arkansan families spend more time and resources trying to get into college and far less on optimizing the college experience. Students often pick majors that sound good to their peers and families (pre-med, pre-law, business, or “something to do with computers”). They may choose a career track that their family members or mentors recommend. This is a costly mistake: without an informed plan to optimize their college experience, much of the precious time a student spends in college is wasted. As it stands, around 80% of college students change their major, and many do so more than once. This is why college on average takes 6, not 4, years to complete. That’s 2 more years of tuition cost; yet, this added expense still doesn’t guarantee students end up in a fulfilling or lucrative career.
Personalized assistance for Arkansas students selecting a college major or career path
We help students make educated and intentional career plans. We do this by helping them discover their talents which gives them informed confidence in their futures. We help students pick their college major, research careers, identify their core professional values, and connect them with actual experts in their chosen field.
Our four-step process is simple
Assess
Using the Highlands Ability Battery (the golden standard of aptitude assessments), we uncover a student’s natural abilities and show them the careers that use those abilities.
Envision
We use an adapted version of Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why” business philosophy to help students create a personal vision. That vision serves as the underlying motivation for their career.
Research
Using their professional vision combined with their Highlands Ability Battery results, we identify career options that students naturally excel in and align with their interests and passion.
Network
Finally, we pair students with professionals in the industry of their choosing. This is where the magic happens. Through job-shadowing, informational interviews, and jumpstarting their resume, students pick their college major and launch their careers.
The Results of College and Career Planning
At face value, a student with a data-driven career plan saves money and optimizes their years at college. Instead of using college to figure out what they want from their careers, they can spend their energy building them: networking with industry experts, applying and earning specific internships designed to position them as ideal candidates for their dream job.
How do I start?
Simple: Schedule a call with one of our consultants and we’ll walk you through the entire process.
Frequently asked questions regarding our assistance with choosing a major or career
Do you just work with students from Arkansas?
While the majority of our clients are from Arkansas, we’ve worked with clients from Texas, Utah, Virginia, Idaho, and even all the way in Australia.
What if a student completes Odyssey’s Career Planning Program and still wants to change their major?
Great Question! As the job market evolves (sometimes overnight), it’s sometimes necessary for students to intentionally alter their career course. The keyword there is “intentionally.” A student without a data-driven career plan relies wholly on intuition, not tried and proven methods.
I’m a parent and I graduated college and found a career without a career plan. Why does my child need one?
If you’re a parent of a high school student, the job market looked very different for you when you graduated college. College degrees were less common and thus gave you a competitive edge; now, however, the market is saturated with college graduates. College students MUST be intentional in the opportunities they seek while in college now, and they don’t know what to look for unless they’ve strategized it ahead of time.