Career Cruising

What are your short and long term education and career goals?

My most important short term education goal would half to be to improve my overall percentage to ninety-two plus and to maintain my 4.0 grade point average. A long term education goal is to get accepted into university and get a doctoral degree in physics. My long term career goal would be to become a physics professor at a university and teach students with similar goals to mine.

What education is required for you to achieve your goals?

To become a physics professor, I need to get a doctoral degree. It will take at least ten years of university: four years to get a bachelor’s degree, two years to get a master’s degree, and four or more years to get a doctoral degree.

What institutions or facilities provide the education and training? Which institution is the most appropriate for your interests, lifestyle and preferences?

To become a physicist you must attend a university that provides classes that are needed to get your doctorate. I am still unsure of which universities I should attend; but, I am considering Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia, University of Victoria, Brock University, or Carleton University.

What courses will you take during grade 11 and 12 that will prepare you for your education and training?

To become a physicist it’s best to take as many Sciences and Mathematic courses as possible. In grade eleven, I plan on taking Physics 11, Chemistry 11, and Pre-Calculus 11. In grade twelve, I plan on taking Physics 12, Chemistry 12, Biology 12, and Pre-Calculus 12.

What co-curricular, volunteer or community experience will help you achieve your goals?

Joining a Science Club is great because you can learn more about what you are getting yourself into. Unfortunately, I am not able to join any clubs because of dance.

What do you have to do to achieve your goals? (ex. save money, work experience)

I do not have many things in my favor, at this point in time, that could really set me back or increase the odds. However, my parents have saved up money for my education, so I do have enough money to pay my tuition. I do not have any work experience.

What are the potential challenges you may face in achievement of your goals?

I think that overcoming failure will be the greatest challenge; however, I am very persistent and I think that this will help me keep going and achieving my goals!

What will you do to meet these challenges?

When I meet these challenges, I will probably be frustrated at first but I know that I will overcome them.

What is your timeline (ex. how many years) for achieving your goals?

I do not have a timeline; but, I am hoping to go to university and begin my post-secondary education immediately.

How will you monitor your success as you work to achieve your goals over the next _ years?

Usually, I monitor my progress by looking back at my previous work and comparing it to my current work to see how much I have improved and if I am making some of the same mistakes or not.

Personality Quizzes

Holland’s Personality Test          top traits:                            tie with artistic and entrepreneurial

                                                                lowest trait:                        realistic

The VARK Questionnaire             top learning style:            visual

                                                                lowest learning stole:     read/write

Career Test                                         top career type:                               directive

                                                                Lowest career types:      objective

Job Environments Quiz                 ideal job environment:  enterprising       

                                                                Worst job environment:               realistic and conventional

Do you think the tests were accurate? Why or why not?

I think that, over all, the quiz results were very off. The only quiz that gave a correct analogy to my personality was the VARK Questionnaire because I do tend to remember things better by looking at graphics and highlighting important details. The quiz that gave the most inaccurate results was the Holland’s Personality Test. Never have I thought of myself as ‘entrepreneurial’. If anything, I am the exact opposite. I could not care less about making money at the moment. The artistic part is kind of off as well. I am not good at painting, drawing, or any form of art besides, maybe, dance.

What surprised you?

                The only thing that really surprised me was how wrong the results were about me, in all honesty.

What insights into yourself were accurate?

                The only accurate result was from the VARK Questionnaire saying that I am a visual learner.

Do your results steer or direct you in a certain career path or field?

                No, not at all! The tests were too inaccurate to even consider changing my career path.

Were there any reoccurring themes between the four quizzes?

                Yes, most of my results revolve around the enterprise industry which really surprised me. I have always thought of myself as having more of a social or investigative career.

My Golden Future

Once I leave high school I want to go straight to university. Currently, I am looking at U.B.C. and S.F.U. as my options; but, only because I do not really know what schools are out there and what they offer and I do not have any specific location in mind, I am fine going to school anywhere. Ever since I can remember, I have excelled at math, it has always been my favorite class. When I started high school science, I was exposed to physics which I quickly grew to enjoy as much as pre-calculus (my favorite form of math). This past fall, I attended a course, A Slice of Pi, at S.F.U. which opened my eyes to different kinds of sciences. That is when I realized that I want to become a physics professor. 

The reason that I want to become a physics professor rather than a teacher is because of my life motto, why go for the bronze when you can win the gold? I am a perfectionist and a hard worker, and I think that these traits will help me reach my goal and exceed in life. Another reason that I want to become a professor is, I want to teach those who share the same passion as me, not some students that are forced to take a course. I want to inspire people like me. My final reason is, I want to make a change in the world. I want to leave a mark on the planet. I want to contribute to science and inspire more females to contemplate a career in the sciences.

Math has always been my passion and I am confident that it will remain my inspiration. I look forward to establishing a career for myself and working hard to accomplish my goals.