This article is sponsored by True Compass.All opinions are my own.
Raise your hand if you knew, at age 17 or 18, what you wanted to do with the rest of your life? Did you plan to go to college? Enlist in the military? Start working right away? Now raise your hand if are you still employed in that field?
If you are like me, your answer is “no”.
As moms, we want our kids to grow up to be independent, happy and healthy, right? We cheer them on as they learn to walk, talk and dress themselves. That sport or instrument that they love? We encourage them by showing up for games or concerts. We help them navigate the ups and downs of success and failure and stand back as they figure out who they are and what makes them happy.
Before you know it, your kids are in the last few years of High School and “the” question begins popping up in conversations with friends and family…
“What does your child want to do after high school?”
For some, the answer is easy. For others…well… I’ve seen faces turn red from embarrassment when those hard-working, smart, well-adjusted teens just don’t know.
And you know what? Not knowing what you want to do every day for the rest of your life isn’t embarrassing! It’s okay for teenagers to NOT know what they want to do.
Guiding Your Kids After Graduation
As a mom of 4, two who are in college now and a third heading off next year, I’ve seen a couple of them struggle with choosing a path. My oldest knew, at age 8, that he knew he wanted to be a doctor (he starts Med school in July!). While my second son changed his major sophomore year in college and is now making his way through Business School. My third child, Megan, who has always been drawn to sports, nutrition and fitness, was set on majoring in Exercise Science and doing some level of training.
Even though Megan was set on her major, we decided to do something new and take advantage of a service that wasn’t around when my older two kids were entering college: We connected with an amazing company in Wichita, owned by two moms, who help high school students navigate this huge question of “What do you want to do for the rest of your life?!”
True Compass Aptitude & Interest Assessment to the Rescue!
True Compass offers aptitude assessments that help these high school students figure out their strengths, weaknesses, how they learn best and what careers would best suit them for the long run. Through several online questionnaires that Megan took, she learned why certain subjects appeal to her and why others don’t. She literally saw, in black and white, things like why hands on assignments are easier for her than rote memorization. Not only was the information useful, it was fun to learn more about my teen daughter.
After Megan completed questionnaires and a series of timed exercises, and I filled out a short questionnaire; we sat down with one of True Compass owners, Kristi Windish.
Kristi spent almost 2 hours going over the test results with us, explaining what they meant and pointing out several career paths that would suit Megan’s strengths.
At the time of this meeting, Megan was set on majoring in Exercise Science, which Kristi pointed out, was one of the paths True Compass found for her.
However, Megan is now majoring in Environmental Studies and says her choice was greatly impacted by her time with Kristi.
“During our meeting, Kristi brought up the fact that some my aptitudes pointed towards working for non-profits. After that meeting, I used the resources Kristi sent me about various degrees and colleges. From there, I found this whole new world that made my heart soar! I would never have looked into Wildlife or Environmental Studies if I hadn’t done True Compass.”
As a mom, seeing my child get excited about a “whole new world” literally brought tears to my eyes. It wouldn’t have happened without True Compass.
True Compass Offers Ongoing Support
Another thing that was comforting as a mom was the fact that Kristi told Megan she would be happy to chat or meet with her at any time in the future to go over any other questions that might pop up . Even after Megan gets some college under her belt! I was blown away by this offer.
For Megan and myself, this experience was amazing! True Compass was definitely worth the time, cost and effort. Why? Because our kids are worth it!
And let’s face it, college is more expensive now that it has ever been! Why not use a “compass” to guide them in the right direction from the start?!
Exclusive for Wichita Mom Readers
The Class of 2021 has had a year full of challenges – give your graduate the gift of confidence in their future! Sign up with True Compass during the month of April and receive $50 off your service.
And check out this article for a more detailed breakdown of how they work with high schoolers to prepare them for life’s big post-graduation choices!
True Compass provides aptitude assessment and guidance for students deciding on a career path or college major. The owners, Kristi Windish and Robyn Jackson, have spent their careers working with children and their families in the field of education. Through their personal and professional experience, they saw a need for young adults to have solid career exploration opportunities. Kristi and Robyn became certified in the Highlands Ability Battery and founded True Compass in 2019. Similar assessment facilities are available in Dallas or Chicago. True Compass is proud to provide a more affordable option right here in the Wichita area! Kristi and Robyn have made it their mission to develop an assessment process that is personal and unique to each client. They are grateful for the opportunity to empower students with self-awareness and encourage them to live their best life!
