How to Prepare for a Career in STEM

STEM careers are great for those who are analytical, enjoy working with numbers, and love problem solving. If you’re hoping to major in a STEM-related field, there’s some great things you can do as a high school senior, or even sooner, to get a head start. 

Take an Internship
If you’re an incoming senior, interning at a tech company, a lab, or another place with STEM value can look great on a college application, and even on future job applications as well. See if there’s somewhere you’re interested in and check if they're looking for interns, or if they’re willing to have one. Not only does this provide you with valuable experience, but you can get a feel for what your future career might look like and make sure that it’s something you genuinely enjoy.  

Research Top Programs

You should have a good idea of the schools you’re looking to apply to already, but you should also do careful research and look into the programs you’re wanting to join. Everyone will want different things from their STEM program, so you should take your time and find one that’s the perfect fit for you. Double check that your SAT, ACT, and AP scores are on par with other students who are typically accepted into the program. It’s important to know exactly what you’re hoping to do as soon as you can, as applications will be due before you know it. Don’t slack when it comes to picking out the best university and STEM program for your needs!

Talk to Someone in the Field 

Maybe you have a friend with a relative that works in STEM who would be willing to talk to you about what they do, or perhaps you meet someone on a college tour in the program you’re hoping to get into. Either of these people would be great choices to discuss a career in STEM. See if your friend’s relative can give you any insight into the world of STEM, or if they have any advice for you, or something they wish they knew at your age. If you’re sitting down with a college student, ask them how they like the program, and what they enjoy about it. See if they have any internships or jobs lined up, or where they hope to be after they graduate. Again, you can ask if there was anything they wish someone had told them when they were applying to college for STEM. Hopefully you can leave with a ton of useful information that can help you decide what you want to do, where you want to go, and how best to prepare for that to become a reality. 

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