Chapter 21: Transitioning to the Future: Helping High School Students Prepare for Higher Education

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) has led the way in developing career development standards for students. ASCA has developed a guiding set of standards titled Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Every Student. These mindsets and behaviors describe the knowledge, strategies, and skills students need to achieve academic success as well as college and career readiness (ASCA, 2014). These student standards encompass career development and help guide students to acquire the necessary skills, attitudes, and knowledge to successfully transition into the world of work (ASCA, 2012). The mindset and behavior standards are used as a foundation for the career development activities described in this chapter. These standards identify the attitudes, knowledge, and skills students should attain (ASCA, 2012) within the career education curriculum in a school system.