College & Career Monthly Newsletter
The latest information for Juniors and Seniors
Greetings FLEX Students!
My name is Philip Hou and I am the new College and Career counselor here at FLEX online school. Some information about me: I grew up in the Beaverton School District (Beaver Acres, Rock Creek Elementary, Stoller MS, Westview HS) and I currently split my time here and at Early College High School. My favorite color is blue and my handwriting is something awful.
That aside, my role here is to help you have a better idea of what life is going to look like after high school. However, in order for me to best help you, and need to know a little bit more about your thoughts about post-high school plans. I have already sent out a survey, but if you haven't seen it, click on the image to take the survey!
The responses you provide will give me a better idea on what the student body needs in terms of college and career services!
Important Dates!
Dates that you should put down in your planner!
- October 1st: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens
- November 1st: OSAC Scholarship Portal Opens up
- November 1st: Oregon Promise Grant application opens
- November 1st: PCC Foundation Scholarships open
- November 1st (variable): Early Action Deadline for many Universities across the country
- December 1st: Ford Family Foundation Scholarship opens
- Are you going to a 4 or 2 year school? You may need to make a Common Application account and start the application process!
- Do you need to take the SAT or ACT for your school? Check the Registration Deadlines!
- Do you need a Letter of Recommendation for a school? (Most schools don't, but it's always good to double check)
- September 30th is the deadline for QuestBridge - You can apply for FREE to the nation's top colleges and be considered for early admission and a full four year scholarship.
- FAFSA or ORSAA? Take a short quiz to see which one you need!
- What the heck are those? Learn more about FAFSA and ORSAA here!
- Are you an athlete and want to play sports in college? Register for NCAA or NAIA!
[I want to be a firefighter! No, an astronaut!]
So you're not sure what you want to do in the future, huh? That's ok, I've been there too. I only had a vague idea of what I wanted to do in the future, and even then I still fumbled around till I got to where I am now. If you want a smoother transition into your career, then here are some things to think about.
NOTE: Things change! Even after doing your research/reflection, it's always possible to change your mind and that's ok.
- Take the ONET interest Profile! It's a series of 60 questions to assess what careers align with your current interests. Take it here!
- Thinking about working in Oregon? Check out the Oregon Quality Info website to find specific data about employment trends, wages, education, and more! (Example report of a Nurse)
- Talk to people in the fields you're interested in! You can learn a lot more about the day to day of an engineer by talking to one instead of just reading about one.
- Do you know your personality type? While the MBTI isn't the most scientific test, it can help you explore what careers you might be interested in. Take the MBTI Test here.
- You can always learn more by going to an information session! PCC for instance has multiple info sessions that you can go to to learn more about their specific program or school. Check out the link here!
Job of the Month: Information Security Analysts
What is an Information Security Analyst?
- "Plan, implement, upgrade, or monitor security measures for the protection of computer networks and information. Assess system vulnerabilities for security risks and propose and implement risk mitigation strategies. May ensure appropriate security controls are in place that will safeguard digital files and vital electronic infrastructure. May respond to computer security breaches and viruses" -Oregon CIS
What level of Education do I need?
- Typically the entry level education is a Bachelor's Degree
What's the wage range look like?
- $38.49 (10th percentile) - $108.17 (90th percentile)
- Average Annual: $136,034
What does the growth look like in 10 years?
- 32.5%. It seems like this occupation will grow much faster than the average growth rate for other occupations.
What are some schools I can go to for this occupation?
- Oregon State University
- Portland State University
- Lewis & Clark College
- Portland Community College
- Lane Community College
- George Fox University
- and more!
What are some related fields I could go into?
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Database Administrators
- Computer Network Support Specialists
- Network and Computer Systems Systems Administrators
Learn more here: Quality Info (Oregon)
Contact me!
Scheduled an appointment using the link HERE
Email: philip_hou@beaverton.k12.or.us
Location: Tuesday Afternoon (PCC/Zoom Only) Wednesday/Friday (FLEX site)
Phone: 503-356-9170