Planning for College Success.

Planning for College Success (PCS) is a six-hour workshop which is required for all applicants to Des Moines Area Community College's (DMACC's) career education programs. The Career Life Planning counselors who conduct the workshop help participants: (1) assess their basic academic strengths and weaknesses through self-scored diagnostic tests; (2) examine their basic values and relate them to their career choice; (3) identify non-academic barriers to success in the field they have chosen; (4) learn to plan; and (5) develop plans to overcome any academic, career planning, or personal barriers to success at DMACC. Three locally developed documents assist the participants and facilitators in achieving these objectives. The first is the PCS Manual, a two-part booklet which contains the workshop schedule and lists activities. The second is a series of Program Information Briefs (PIBs), which are one-sheet descriptions of the occupational areas which relate to particular programs of study at DMACC. Each PIB lists job qualifications, job responsibilities, factors to consider, salary ranges and benefits information, employment and advancement opportunities, educational needs, and information on the DMACC program relevant to the field. The third resource is a Self-Report Questionnaire, which helps students develop a written plan for meeting their career goals. The PCS Manual, over 200 PIBs, and the Self-Report Questionnaire are provided. (AYC)