Work Importance Locator

The Work Importance Locator

ONET’s Work Importance Locator is a self-administered a card sorting device that uses a ranking and weighing process to analyze an individual’s needs from among six categories: Achievement, Independence, Recognition, Relationships, Support and Working Conditions. Further, the instrument facilitates the exploration of specific job that are organized in “zones” (categories), according to the level of preparation (experience, education and training) required.
My WIL results were consistent with my values, and also consistent with the Super Value Scale on some dimensions. In WIL, I received equal top scores (28 each) for “Independence” and “Relationships.” My next most important value was (at 22) Support.
In Super’s Value Scale, my top score was for Variety (91%) but independence, mental challenge and creativity were also high (86%). (In retrospect, those results suggest to me that I have high expectations for my job, and need to get a lot out of it.)
I administered the WIL to Chris, a college senior. He completed the sort without asking questions, after initial instructions were given. He scored high on Achievement (30) and Independence (28). Chris believes that he is an “outlier” in many facets of life, and that his WIL results are probably not typical. As a college senior, he initially felt that this test was too late in his education to be helpful, but I explained that he might make several job changes over his career life. Chris felt that the job choices were a broad sampling with a variety of skills represented, which gave a lot of data to consider. However, he thought some job titles were over-specified (i.e., “string musical instrument repair”), when a less broad description should also be relevant to the job zone.
Chris also argued that the value of “never being pressured to do something that things that go against my sense of right and wrong” (which he had rated a 4) was a measure of “Independence”, rather than “Relationships.” He also rated “being busy all the time” as low (1), explaining that he would not suffer if he didn’t have enough to do, because he has an active mind.
From this experience, I think the WIL is highly useful, and I attribute its effectiveness to the card sorting design. It encourages the client to make a complete map of what’s important to him, and to commit to the whole map in one conclusive step. Since the respondent can revisit the indicators as many times as he likes, I think the results should be more conclusive (compared with Super’s online Value Scale, where the client can not change answers or see ahead or behind into the (often repetitive) questions, which tend to be repetitive. The minor wording changes, without the benefit of being able to change answers, could cause a client to become unsettled and to reconsider previous answers). There is not chance of that in the WIL, which is why I prefer it to the Super Value Scale, although if we had tested both either on paper, or online, my conclusion might be different.
Based on my scores, I could see that the WIL does not capture “artistic” or “creative” job goals, and rather labels them “try out my own ideas”, which is not the same thing, in my opinion. I cannot explain why the Super Value Scale did not reflect my high priority for work relationships, like the WIL did. Thus, my only discomfort with the WIL is the limited number of variables, which are not verified through repetition, as with Super. However, my concern is somewhat offset by the tool’s “total picture” approach, giving the opportunity for complete consideration before scoring.

College Essay Tips

What has your essay got to do with your campus visit? Everything! In your college application essay, make it known if the college is your first choice, and why. On the college web site, research the college mission, history, president’s message, and program structure to get a full understanding of what you can expect as a student. Then visit when school is in session and talk to current students. The buildings will be open then, and you will see the level of congestion on campus. Ask students to describe the attributes of the college that exceeded their expectations (and what disappointed them.) Take the student-guided tour and get a feel for the lifestyle on campus; the “big programs”; whether academic orcampus organizations. If possible, speak with a student and instructor in your program. Try to connect with them and then ask for their support in the admissions process. Can they make a call or write a letter to the Admissions Department on your behalf?

Be true to your passions. The extracurricular activities that you discuss on your application should be selective, and reflect your core values. Do you truly excel in your extracurricular activities? You should be deeply and consistently involved, preferably in a leadership role. If you have championed something new or accomplished an important goal for an organization, make sure to show the impact that you’ve personally made. And if so, do you have leadership qualities that can make an impact on this campus? Describe your vision!

Scholarship Resources

Scholarship Resources (Compilation)

Best Web Sites/Search Engines for Scholarships

http://www.collegeanswer.com/paying/...hip_search.jsp

Sallie Mae's site will provide access to an award database that contains more than 2.4 million scholarships worth over 15 billion dollars, and is expanded and updated daily.

www.Scholarshipexperts.com

Scholarship Experts™ was created by Group 77, Inc., in July 2000, and is based in Orange Park, Florida.

www.finaid.org

This is a great site with lots of information available as well as a search function called FastWeb. FastWeb requires (free) registration and development of a profile.

www.petersons.com

The Peterson site is sponsored by Thomson Publications, a major publisher of educational materials. There is a strong grants search engine that you must register (for free) to use.

www.ducktapeclub.com This very popular website has a strong search engine that contains an excellent representation of scholarships.

www.ja.org Sponsored by the Junior Achievement organization. This site’s search engine boast a database of more than 8,000 private scholarship programs that offers over $35 million from more than 150,000 scholarship awards.

www.scholarships.com This interesting site offers a free search after registration and profile development. The search results include an indication of the value of the scholarship, maximum awarded, due date and relevance to your situation as well as a way to select offerings that are placed in a “my scholarships” folder.

www.princetonreview.com

This site, sponsored by The Princeton Review, provides a free search engine (registration and profile required). This site also offers a personal folder that includes a number of organizing tools as well as a registration service that matches you to schools.

www.Fastweb.monster.com

The largest and oldest online free search service on the Internet is FastWeb (fastweb.monster.com). According to the Web site, parents and prospective college students can search 600,000 scholarships worth more than a billion dollars.

www.Freschinfo.com

Free Scholarship Search at freschinfo.com is another site with a database and search engine for matching students with scholarships.

www.College-scholarships.com

College scholarships and information about financial aid is available at college-scholarships.com. The site is for college-bound students, parents and high school counselors who want to keep abreast of the latest information about scholarships and financial aid.

www.Guaranteed-scholarships.com

One of the more unusual scholarship Web sites is guaranteed-scholarships.com. This site lists scholarships offered at some colleges and universities that are unlimited in number and require no interview, essay, portfolio or any other kind of competition.

http://www.brokescholar.com/

Broke Scholar is a free search engine that lets you search through a database of more than 650,000 college scholarships.

http://www.collegetoolkit.com/

Search for scholarships by state, religion, sport, etc. Some scholarship applications available from this site. Site also includes other financial aid information.

http://www.clubscholarship.com/

Clubscholarship.com has over 500,000 awards in a searchable database that allows users to browse for the best matches. It also has a school search feature, EFC calculator, and Financial Aid Forum.

http://www.free-4u.com/

Mega scholarship site with links to special interests and specific majors.

http://www.collegenet.com/mach25/app

Fill out a questionnaire and receive information on scholarships that match your characteristics from a base of 600,000 awards.

Microsoft Millenium Minority Scholarships

www.gmsp.org

Scholarships.com

www.scholarships.com

FastWEB

www.fastweb.com

ISAC

www.isac1.org/ednet/ednet.html

MACH25 - Breaking the Tuition Barrier

www.collegenet.com/mach25

Minority On-line Information Service

www.sciencewise.com/molisFreSch

www.freschinfo.com

ExPAN Scholarship Search

http://www.collegeboard.org/fundfind.../ssrchtop.html

StudentAwards.com

www.studentawards.com

U.S. News.edu

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/dol...lar/search.htm

Foundation/Corporate Scholarships and General Resources (Compilation)

Foundation/Corporate Scholarships and General Resources
Peterson's Scholarship Alamanac 2005
The Scholarship Handbook 2005
Scholarships, Grants, and Prizes 2005
Peterson's Scholarship Almanac 2005.
The Scholarship Book 11th Edition : The Complete Guide to Private-Sector Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, and Loan (Scholarship Book) by Daniel J. Cassidy and Ellen Schneid Coleman Research Group

How to Go to College Almost for Free by Ben Kaplan

Scholarships -- Business Suppliers for scholarships

Sourcetool - The B2B Search Engine. -- www.SourceTool.com

Scholarship Handbook 2006 (College Board Scholarship Handbook) by College Board

Free $ for College for Dummies by David Rosen and Caryn Mladen

Peterson's Scholarships, Grants & Prizes 2006 (Peterson's Scholarships, Grants & Prizes) by Thomson Peterson's

Kaplan Scholarships 2006 (Kaplan Scholarships) by Gail Ann Schlachter and Douglas Weber

The Scholarship Scouting Report: An Insider's Guide to America's Best Scholarships by Ben Kaplan

Scholarships for Women That Totally Rock! by Ben Kaplan

Money-Winning Scholarship Essays and Interviews: Insider Strategies from Judges and Winners by Gen S. Tanabe and Kelly Y. Tanabe

Adult and Non-Traditional Scholarships That Totally Rock! by Ben Kaplan

The College Board College Handbook 2006 : All-New 43rd Edition (College Handbook) by College Board

The College Board Scholarship Handbook 2007 : All-new 10th Edition (College Board Scholarship Handbook) by College Board

Gates Millennium Scholars

http://www.gmsp.org/(gri2c5bfehq5rx5...)/default.aspx

AFL-CIO Union Sponsored Scholarships and Aid
DISCOVER Card Tribute Award Scholarships - For High School Juniors ONLY! FiSCA National Scholarship Program Imation Computer Arts Scholarship
The Sallie Mae Fund State Farm Companies Foundation Achievement Scholarships The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation

CORPORATE SCHOLARSHIPS

Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson Scholarship Program
Wal-Mart Community Scholarship
Burger King Scholars Award Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
Chevrolet Michelle Kwan REWARDS Scholarship
Coca-Cola Scholars Program
Federal Aviation Administration
North Florida Equal Employment Opportunity Council Scholarship
Florida Minerals Association Scholarship
Robert G. and Gail F. Knight Scholarship
The Player's Championship Scholarship
Toyota Community Scholars Award 2006
Mike Shinn Distinguished Member of the Year Award
Adobe Systems
Delta Air Lines
Eli Lilly & Co.
ExxonMobil Corporation
Freescale Semiconductor
Fulfilling the Legacy Scholarship Program
GE "Lloyd Trotter" African American Forum Scholarship
Johnson & Johnson January
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Microsoft Corporation
Northrop Grumman Corporation
NSBE International Studies Scholarship NSBE Fellows Scholarship Program PRAXAIR Homeland Security Summer Research Team Program for Minority-Serving Institutions
Rochester Institute of Technology - Future Faculty Career Exploration Program
Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans
Grambling State University's Summer Engineering Technology Program for Women of Color
HABS/HAER/HALS Summer 2005 Documentation Program
Dell/UNCF Corporate Scholars Program
Fermilab SIST Program FOCUS Fellows Program
Research Experiences for Undergraduates - U. Maryland East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes Program (EAPSI)
AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellows Program
NSPE Auxiliary Scholarship Virginia D. Henry Memorial Scholarship
The Maureen L. & Howard N. Blitman Scholarship to Promote Diversity in Engineering
The Paul H. Robbins, PE Honorary Scholarship
The Steinman Fellowship
The Milton F. Lunch Memorial Internship Malcolm Pirnie, Inc.
Scholars Program/Internship
L'Oréal Women in Science Fellowship Program
Gates Millennium Scholarships
Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES)
Competition NISH National Scholar Award for Workplace Innovation & Design Student Inventors Scholarships
Coca-Cola Two Year College Scholarships Holocaust Remembrance Scholarships
Ayn Rand Essay Scholarships
Xerox Scholarships for Students Sports Scholarships and Internships
Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund
FinAid: The Smart Students Guide to Financial Aid scholarships
William Randolph Hearst Endowed Scholarship for Minority Students
Guaranteed Scholarships
BOEING scholarships
(some HBCU connects) Historically Black College & University Scholarships International Students Scholarships & Aid Help
College Board Scholarship Search
Burger King Scholarship Program
Siemens Westinghouse Competition
GE and LuLac Scholarship Funds
College Net's Scholarship Database Fed Scholarships/ Aid 25
Scholarship Gateways from Black Excel Scholarship & Financial Aid Help
FAFSA On The Web (Your Key Aid Form & Info) Aid & Resources For Re-Entry Students
HBCU Packard Sit Abroad Scholarships(study the world)
INROADS internships Black Alliance for Educational Options
Scholarships Science Net Scholarship Listing Grad Fellowships For Minorities Nationwide Rhodes Scholarships at Oxford http://www.aorn.org/foundation/scholarships.asp
AORN Foundation - Association of Operative Registered Nurses On-line scholarship applications for students interested in nursing. http://www.asainc.org/national/scholarships.shtml
Armenian Student's Association of America
Nonprofit organization provides scholarships for Armenian-Americans.

Culinary Scholarships There are several organizations that offer scholarships for culinary school. The James Beard Foundation makes dozens of scholarships available for study at institutions around the world, some for full-time study and some for cooking demonstration seminars. Awards are based on financial need and aptitude. Find out more by visiting www.jamesbeard.org.

Awards for hospitality including culinary arts are available through the American Culinary Federation at www.acfchefs.org. The ACF website also includes a useful directory of accredited institutions.

Les Dames d'Escoffier International offers scholarships for women in culinary studies. For more information visit www.ldei.org.

http://www.engineeringedu.com/scholars.html

Part of a comprehensive site on engineering career information.

http://www.freschinfo.com/Weekly newsletter of scholarship and financial aid information. Also has list of contests students can enter to win money for college.

http://www.iie.org/programs/gilman/index.html List of financial resources for students who wish to study overseas.

http://www.studyabroaddirectory.com/...ship/index.cfmSearchable data base for students who need financial assistance to study over seas.

http://www.guaranteed-scholarships.com/http://www.hispanicfund.org/This site lists scholarships for Hispanic students and universities who participate in the Hispanic Fund scholarship program.

http://www.hsf.net/This site lists scholarships for Hispanic students, including some for undocumented students.

http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/PPI/HOPE/index.html Information about this scholarship provided by the US Department of Education.

http://www.internationalscholarships.com/Scholarship resource for international students wishing to study abroad.

http://www.nursewebsearch.com/nursing_scholarships.htmExtensive linked list of scholarships for the nursing profession. ROTC Information for students interested in obtaining Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarships from the Army, http://www.goarmy.com/rotc/
Navy https://www.nrotc.navy.ml or Air Force http://www.afrotc.com/

http://www.scholarshiphelp.org/Comprehensive college preparation site focuses on how to obtain scholarships. Very strong on strategy and evaluating which scholarships are worth the time and effort to compete for.

What Duke is Looking For - August 2006 Visit

What Duke Is Looking For

According to Jennifer Dewar, Senior Admissions Officer, Duke seeks students who are engaged in learning, and connect with and challenge the learning process: students who may have had extracurricular or life experiences giving them the potential to impact campus.

Duke’s web site seeks students “who make intelligent and interesting mistakes, students who understand that only in risking failure do we become stronger, better, and smarter….(students who are) “open to change,” (and) “ambitious and curious” According to Ms. Dewer, nearly 19,000 applications were received for 1630 undergraduate openings for 2006-07.

Tips for Your "First-Choice" College Esaay

In your college application essay, make it known if the college is your first choice.

From the college web site, research the college mission, history, strategic plan, major initiatives, president’s message, and program structure.

On your campus visit, investigate how these attributes become reality in the day-to-day culture. Talk to students and professors in your program.

After getting a full understanding of the college's uniqueness, summarize it briefly in your essay, and explain why it appeals to you.

Do you have leadership qualities that can make an impact on this campus? Describe your intentions with enthusiasm!

The “Special Needs” of Unfocused Kids:
An Adverse Economic Impact that Begins in High School and Lasts a Lifetime


Many teens go to college because they have no idea what they want to do or what options are available…and many drop out. Many academically average students, seeing no other alternatives, head off to a two or four-year college, despite being academically and/or emotionally ill prepared. About 70% of high school graduates enter college each fall, but only 30% of them are predicted to earn a college degree.

According to Suzy Wakefield, author of “Unfocused Kids” (Eric Clearinghouse on Counseling and Student Services, 2004), detachment, lack of hope, and lack of motivation may affect as many as 40% of high school students. Many become “phantom kids”, who get lost in the system and do not make a claim to their right for career education. The “worst case” scenario, over ten percent of high school graduates in 2002, (10.3%) did not go to college and are unemployed.

Unemployability is Exacerbated by Uncertainty

More than one out of ten (12.3%) of college graduates say they “just sort of drifted into their major:

28% changed their majors once
18% changed majors two or three times
2% changed majors four or more times.
A total of 48% change majors at least once.

While being undecided about a major is not in and of itself a problem during college, the lack of decision about a student’s career options ultimately complicate the discouraging employment prospects. There will be 57 jobs requiring a college degree for every one hundred students who earn one. And there will be an oversupply of about 300,000 college graduates who will find it necessary to enter occupations that do not demand a four-year college degree.

Most college students aspire to the professional ranks, yet professional work is only 20% of all employment in the US. And less than 5% aspire to technical careers, which is the fast-growing segment of high-skills employment in the economy.

Parents Can Help Support Guidance Counselors (If They Learn How)

Public school guidance counselors have an average 450-550-student caseload. For college counseling, there is an average 654 students for every advisor. According to the National Association of College Admissions Counselors, the result is that the average public school counselor can devote one hour per year per student to college counseling.

Over eight percent (83%)of parents said planning or their child’s future college or work is the most important of 19 topics about which they would most like information.

Nearly 80% (78%) of students believe that their parents are primarily responsible for helping plan for a career or job. Friends (1 in 3), not counselors (1 in 10), are the most common source of information about the institution they attend.

Yet, two-thirds of college graduates say they had to figure out their career choices on their own. Nearly half (46%) says that no one, outside of school, has advised them on career options or options to further their education.

College Consultant Proud to be a Helicopter Parent

Helicopter parents didn't just hatch or crawl out from under a rock. Our society has created them. We parents are the children of the 60s, and our kids have been (so they say) softened by our love.
Yet, this is the same society that has damaged the college enrollment process. Ruthless competition in schools becomes ruthless competition in the workplace.
There is less time for family values, as a result of overvaluing of prestige and earning power. Or the simple economics of single, working parents, or families where both parents need to work. The convenience of electronic communication has replaced person-to-person contact, increasing our kids' sense of insolation and detachment.
Some estimates say that 40% of our high school students are "unfocused" and see no relationship between their schooling and their future place in the work world. If you trouble yourself with a global view, you have no choice but to think: “Dang, it's a scary world for these kids.”
It's no wonder that parent (uh, we) hover!
We/Helicopter parents “obsess” about the most prevalent and unnerving transition issues in college. Thankfully, serious mental health issues seem to affect the minority of college students. But they often can’t be discovered unless a parent is highly intuitive and willing to jump in or seek help, when the situation calls for intervention.