The cursor blinks, the last bubble turns blue, and four blocky letters bloom on a bright Chromebook. Backpacks slump under desks, friends trade screens, and a counselor nudges the chatter from “What am I?” to
“What should I try next?” The room feels like a crossroads—half quiz, half roadmap—as links promise classes, clubs, and first jobs if you test the code in real life.
“My results make me choose on purpose,” senior Pranavi Prakash said. “I lean into communication, so I take roles where talking, organizing, and presenting really matter.”
Every student likely encounters at least one personality or career survey in Healthy Living, and counselors add a personality lesson in English 9 that ties traits to concrete course choices. Some teachers layer in a career inventory in Speech, so most students see these tools twice—and sometimes three times—before graduation. Counselors then revisit results in one-on-one meetings about course sequences, certificates, or colleges, which turns a one-period activity into an ongoing plan.
“It helps 9th and 10th graders set up classes, and it helps 11th and 12th graders zero in on what comes next,” counselor Abbie Sivinski said. “You know yourself more, so the plan gets clearer.”
Counselors keep the materials current as platforms change and language updates, aiming for clarity and inclusion rather than labels. Underclassmen use results to sample on purpose–engineering, art, biomed, business—so picks feel intentional instead of random. Upperclassmen circle back with more experience and use the same information to narrow post-secondary options, from apprenticeships to majors.
“One moment where the test hit for me is disorganization,” senior Saara Mukherjee said. “So, I started a planner and built a new homework system because my results called me out on it, and I wanted to change.”
That bridge— from insight to action—runs through the classroom. In psychology classrooms, teachers frame surveys as mirrors, not verdicts, and ask students to convert data into action. AP Psychology teacher Brad Edmundson ties inventories to reflection and habit-building rather than destiny. He uses strengths to coach problem-solving while reminding students that results can change as they do.
“All three—Myers-Briggs-style tools, CliftonStrengths, and Big Five—are good personality inventories,” Edmundson said. “If you don’t like what a result tells you, work on changing.”
Beyond academics, hands-on programs turn those insights into practice, whether it’s HOSA, DECA, honor societies, or any of the Academies.
DECA is a student organization centered on business, marketing, finance, and hospitality. Students choose events—case studies, role-plays, written plans— and compete at conferences, applying classroom skills to real problems and getting feedback from industry judges.
“DECA gives you a menu,” French teacher and DECA sponsor Ryan Foehlinger said. “You pick events that match what you’re into…and then you solve real business problems.”
Group events add a strategy layer because partners compare strengths and divide the work to cover blind spots.
“It’s useful to know where you and your teammate line up or differ,” Foehlinger said. “You can split roles so each person leads with what they do best.”
Surveys can point you in a direction, but they don’t write your story.
“They’re only a starting point,” Foehlinger said. “No test would have told me ‘French teacher’—I found that by trying things that go beyond the 4-letter code.”
Confidence often follows when results feel true. Teachers and counselors also caution against overreliance: codes are snapshots, not barriers.
“Leave room to explore new interests, even ones that don’t match your results, or you might miss out on fun activities,” Sivinski said.
By the time the bell rings, those four letters are one data point among many. Students may use the result to consider possible next steps, such as trying a class, club, or competition, and then compare those experiences with what the survey suggested. In later conversations, the result can be referenced alongside grades, schedules, and interests to see what aligns. The survey ends with a code, and subsequent adjustments depend on what students test in real settings.