Prior to college, there are several steps you can take to help prepare for careers in science, engineering, mathematics, technology, computing, or medicine.  Many of these ideas can help you focus on a career path by giving you exposure to the types of activities with different career areas.

Course Selection
While in school, or in optional after-school programs, try to take as many math and science courses as you can. Taking additional courses will help you determine if you enjoy the subject matter, and will also give you a head start on advanced coursework.  It will also give you an opportunity to meet other students with similar interests.  In middle or high school, consider extra classes in algebra, biology, chemistry, calculus, geometry, trigonometry, physics, electronics, and engineering concepts. And take as many AP courses as you can safely handle with your workload.

At the elementary level, consider exploring pre-algebra and geometry, and if engineering if of interest, preview engineering concepts where available.  Massachusetts is the first state to require that engineering concepts are included in K-12 curriculum. View details and recommended subjects by grade level: Grades PreK-2 , Grades 3-5 , Grades 6-8 , Grades 9-12.

Participate in Programs and Projects
Join in on engineering, math, or science projects and events that may be offered in your area.  These are great opportunities to network with other students, meet professionals in the field, and gain experience.  There are dozens of mathematics, science, and engineering competitions - many sponsored by local schools.  Click here for links to suggested national projects.

Precollege STEM Summer Programs and Camps
Precollege summer camps that focus on science, mathematics, technology or engineering can provide students with great hands-on experiences working on activities that explore how these fields have an impact on the world.  Many universities that offer engineering programs offer programs in the summer for high school students.  Companies and science museums also often offer summer activities for high school, and occasionally middle school students. Check your local university, or click here for some examples.

Special Opportunities
Many organizations and universities offer special opportunities for students considering careers in science, mathematics, technology, engineering, computing, or medicine.  These include scholarships and internships that provide real work experience in a field of interest.

Student Networking
Try to keep in touch with other students who are also interested in engineering, math and science. Join a math or science club after school, or participate in science, math, or engineering competitions.

School Counselors
Visit your school's career counselor, and find out what suggestions they have for  exploring career paths in science, technology, engineering, math, computing, or medicine. They may be able to suggest courses, internships, or extracurricular activities.  Some university career centers also have good resources for pre-college students, and many offer career days for high school students.  They can also advise you about local and national college fairs.

Connect with Professionals
If you, or your family, knows someone who works as an engineer, mathematician, scientist, or medical professional -- see if they would be able to mentor you -- or provide advice and exposure to their career path. Perhaps you could join them at work for a day, or ask for guidance in gaining internships, or summer jobs in your field of interest. Whatever field interests you the most, it is a great idea to network with people who are already working in the field to find out what they do, and see if it might be the right field for you!

Learning Resources at Science Centers and Museums
Many science museums offer lessons, activities, and programs that can help students explore science, technology, engineering, mathematics, computing, and healthcare. The Sloan Career Cornerstone Center offers an online directory of science centers and museums throughout the United States…but also check with your local center to see what they have to offer. May science centers and museums offer virtual experiences through their website, so you can participate in resources from anywhere.   

Lesson Plans and Activities
Several professional societies and other organizations have developed lesson plans and activities to provide students with hands-on experiences in science, engineering, and technology.  A broad range of lessons may be found at the TryEngineering website. Several professional societies also offer lesson plans.

College Fairs
Local and national college fairs provide a good opportunity to compare a wide range of college and university options in one setting.  They can be a bit overwhelming, so if you plan to attend a large college fair such as those sponsored by the National Association of College Admission Counselors that are held in large convention centers, download a map of the event ahead of time and plan out a route through the booths that will let you explore the schools you are most interested in. Plan out your questions in advance.  For example, if you want to know what type of co-op program the engineering department sponsors, be sure to ask that of each school.  You'll also end up with load of brochures and catalogs, so be selective in what you take because you'll end up carrying it throughout the day.  Consider pre-printing mailing labels with your name, address, and the year you'll begin college and providing these to the university reps so they can mail you appropriate materials.

Additional Online Resources

• American Chemical Society Student Information
• American Geological Institute Education
• American Institute of Chemical Engineer Students and Young Engineers
• American Institute of Physics Education and Student Services
• ASEE Engineering K-12 Center
• American Society of Civil Engineers Kids and Careers
• ASME Pre-College Education
• Cogito
• Future Scientists and Engineers of America
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Pre-College Education
• IEEE Computer Society Student Chapters

• Junior Engineering Technical Society

• Mathematical Society of America Directory of High School Resources, Programs, and Projects

• PreK-12 Engineering - Tufts University
• Society of Physics Students
• TryEngineering
• Why Engineering?

Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Profile Excerpts
The following excerpts from Cornerstone profiles offer suggestions for K-12 students:

Liza Munda

Associate Process Engineer
Genentech
San Francisco, CA

"I was always pretty strong in math all through my education. When I went into high school, I had a really good chemistry instructor who made me want to go more into chemistry. My basketball and volleyball coach was actually a guidance counselor. I was talking to her at one of our tournaments and she said, `What do you think you're going to do when you graduate?' I didn't think I knew, and I said I really liked chemistry, so she suggested chemical engineering. And I thought, chemical engineering --  that sounds exciting -- I could tell people I'm a chemical engineer. So that got me to look into it, and then I decided that's what I wanted to at least try when I went into the university. And when I started at the university, I just followed the path, not really thinking about anything else. Then, in my third year, I had a senior advisor who introduced me to biotechnology. He was starting a program at the university in biotechnology. I heard about Genentech, and came here to work."
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Noah Loren

Applications & Technology Services Engineer
Detroit Diesel Corporation
Detroit, MI

"Seniors in high school should take science and math, as much as you can. If you can get calculus in high school, take it. Even if it's just a brief course or doesn't go in too much detail. But I guess my senior year in high school, I didn't have any calculus and then freshman year in college, it was like getting hit with a brick. So it's always nice not to have that done to you. Take physics, chemistry and a lot of math."
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Maria Angelo

Area Consultant
DuPont
Deepwater, NJ

"When I was in high school, I wanted to be a chemistry major. Then I participated in a program the summer between my junior and senior year that gave me the information that caused me to choose chemical engineering as my career path. So, I knew my senior year I wanted to go into chemical engineering."
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Mark Hawkins

Project Engineer
Caterpillar Incorporated
Peoria, IL

"Take every class you can, no matter what subject or topic, to broaden your experiences.  As far as non-technical course are concerned, take typing because you will use it constantly on e-mails, documentation, software, and more. Other important courses are speech classes, writing classes, and punctuation because if you have a good idea and it doesn't come across well, it doesn't go anywhere. In fact, even history and some of the non-technical classes that allow you to understand other people's points of view are useful."
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Cynthia Murphy

Business Coordinator
Chevron Products Company
Richmond, CA

"Well, I've always been a very curious and creative person, even when I was a child. I always enjoyed math and science. As it turns out, my father is an electrical systems engineer, so I think I was kind of raised with the engineering mentality, the thought that I would go off and be an engineer. When high school came around, I really enjoyed chemistry and-I think you hear this from a majority of chemical engineers-we like chemistry, we like math, we like science. `Oh, I think I'll go into chemical engineering.' So that's how I got into the chemical engineering curriculum. However, it still interested me through my freshman, sophomore, and junior years, which is where you really get into the chemical engineering courses, and so I stuck with it."
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DeAnne Hellyer

Imaging Media Product Planner
Lexmark International
Lexington, KY

"I think it's really important to have good writing skills and good communication skills-so anything you can do to improve those is important. Also, it's very important to be proficient in using the computer. And experimental design courses and statistics are good to have for designing experiments."
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