What Can I do at Jefferson to Become College & Career Ready?

The #1 strategy for achieving success in high school and your future career is to simply show up.

Show up, not just for your own grades, but for the wisdom you bring.
Your presence is a contribution that strengthens our entire community.
The daily struggle means your brain is growing.
Your effort is the engine of personal growth. 
You are building your future self—start that powerful work today.        You're not alone! We have your back every step of the way!

Which careers are right for me? Explore your options!

Field Trips:

Take advantage of field trips sponsored by the PPS District, Jefferson HS, and our community partners. Check Trivory News and the Family Demo Memo every week to stay informed. 

Get Hands-On Experience with Internships, Volunteering, Jobs and Summer Programs

Apply or register for internships, jobs, summer college programs, and volunteering.

Oregon CIS

Register for a free account with the Oregon Career Information System (Oregon CIS). This is free for all PPS students. With Oregon CIS, you can:

• • Take a Career Interest Survey
  • Develop a Career Plan
  • Discover which study skills match your learning styles, and more!

Road Trip Nation

Find your Career Roadmap with Roadtrip Nation  - An amazing resource of video interviews about specific careers and the journeys people took to achieve their professional goals.

Get Schooled

Check out Career Pathways from Get Schooled, an official PPS partner. 

Take the right classes to prepare for your future

Want to get an apprenticeship right out of high school?

• Take CTE classes in high school
• Pass math classes with at least a C or higher
• Apply for the ACE mentorship in October
• Engage in summer internships/volunteering and/or jobs that will help you build skills and network for apprenticeships (Habitat for Humanity, for example). 
• Every day, show up, on time, turn in your work, on time, and be kind to your peers and teachers. That's how you'll get glowing letters of recommendation for that coveted apprenticeship spot right out of high school! 

Want to go to a Community College? 

Community colleges are the most inclusive educational option for students, regardless of future goals. Everyone can attend. To get the most out of your experience:

• Earn at least a 2.0 GPA to be eligible for the Oregon Promise Grant
• Get a head start on your college classes by taking PCC Dual Credit and PCC Middle College classes. 
• Extracurriculars -Engage in your school and/or community 
• Show up, on time, turn in your work, on time, and be kind to your peers and teachers. That's how you'll get glowing letters of recommendation for those coveted scholarships! 

Want to go to a 4-year college or university? 

• Take 4 years of math, science, social science, English, and 2 years of a language other than English.
• Earn at least a 3.0 GPA
• Consider taking "rigorous classes." At Jefferson, that means taking dual credit classes from PCC, PSU Senior Inquiry, OIT Biomed and PCC Middle College classes. 
• Extracurriculars - Engage in your school and/or community 
• Show up, on time, turn in your work, on time, and be kind to your peers and teachers. That's how you'll get glowing letters of recommendation for college and scholarships! 

Want to go to a highly selective college/university with scholarships? 

• Take 4 years of math, science, social science, English, and consider taking 4 years of a language other than English
• Take "rigorous classes." At Jefferson, that means PCC, PSU and OIT Dual Credit and PCC Middle College classes. 
• Earn at least a 3.7 GPA 
• Consider "taking" an AP class on your own with Khan Academy. You can then take the AP test. Because AP classes are not offered at Jefferson, studying for an AP class on your own would provide serious evidence that you go above and beyond what's expected - a serious plus in the highly selective college world.
• Extracurriculars matter. Choose 2-3 extracurriculars, and make sure that one of them is about serving others (people, environment, animals, etc). Commit to participating in at least one extracurricular for at least 3 years of high school. 
• Engage in summer internships, college summer programs, and volunteering/jobs programs every summer. 
• Show up, on time, turn in your work, on time, and be kind to your peers and teachers. That's how you'll get glowing letters of recommendation for college and scholarships! 
• Check out the College Application and Admissions Timeline, AKA What should I be doing right now? This is a great piece form the College Essay Guy.