1. EXPLORE C OLLEGE & C AREER R EADINESS P ROGRAM FOR 8 TH G RADERS Administered to all Parkway Middle School 8 th Graders in the fall

2. W HY DO WE TAKE EXPLORE ? EXPLORE helps us with a lot of things: Gives a head start on the ACT test Helps to choose high school courses that will get you ready for college Helps to find careers that match the student’s interests Shows which subjects the student needs to improve Helps the student to see which subjects are most important for certain careers

3. W HY IS IT IMPORTANT TO DO YOUR BEST ON THE EXPLORE? The teachers and counselors will use the EXPLORE results to help the students build plans for their futures. They want to see what the students know now, so that they know what they are ready to learn next.

4. T ELL ME ABOUT THE QUESTIONS Four 30-minute multiple choice tests: English – 40 questions – usage/mechanics questions and rhetorical skills Math – 30 questions Reading – 30 questions Science – 28 questions

5. H OW DO I INTERPRET MY EXPLORE SCORE REPORT ? The clearest way to understand your score report is by accessing the EXPLORE website: What Do Your Scores Mean?

6. S O ….H OW WILL THIS HELP ME WITH MY FUTURE ? The EXPLORE results will help you understand what you need to do to be college and career ready by the time you graduate. I know it seems like a long time away, but trust me – it will be here before you know it! Follow this link to understand how your score report can help you to plan your future: Help Me With My Future!

7. Y OUR C AREER P OSSIBILITIES One of the coolest parts of the EXPLORE test is the World-of-Work map. This map shows how Career Areas differ in their involvement with four basic work tasks: people, data, things, and ideas. Take a look at your map. Based on how you answered the Interest Inventory questions, the map highlights Career Areas related to your interests. Follow the link and click on the Career Areas that are highlighted on your map! World-of-Work Map

8. F OR M ORE I NFORMATION … Talk to your counselor Search the Internet for info about occupations that interest you Talk with people who are working in those careers Do some job shadowing