Skip To Main Content

Next Guide Sophomores

The Next Guide

Designed for sophomores across the state of Tennessee, the Next Guide is a resource to help students with college and career planning. The guide serves to support students in their pathways to a great life through a college pathway and then a great job. In Tennessee, college means any formal training beyond high school graduation. Technical colleges, community colleges, and university are all equal in our eyes because each one serves to create meaningful pathways to a great career. We hope students will take their 10th grade year seriously and focus on the things they can control. Create plans for the future and use the NEXT guide to help them get there. 

The Next Guide is divided into 4 sections:

  • Dream
    This section contains activities and career interest inventories to enable students to begin researching careers that may be of interest to them in the future. It also introduces them to the concept of Adulting 101 - and exercise that asks them to consider how future career choices line up with future expenses.
  • Explore
    After dreaming about the future, students should begin to set a course to attain these dreams. In this section, students will look closer at college types and career pathways in Tennessee, and will be asked to design an outline of the places and high school courses that will set them on that course.
  • Plan
    In this section, students will develop goals and explore the action steps to make college a reality, including Early Postsecondary Opportunities and financial aid.
  • Assess
    In this section, students will track their progress and measure their proximity to success through checklists and milestones. Knowing the milestones along the path can help you stay motivated because there is a lot more road to travel.

For a "fillable pdf" version of the Sophomore Next Guide, click here: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/gearuptn/documents/65991_HE_Sophomores%20Next%20Guide%20Update%20(2021)_Fillable.pdf

If you are having trouble viewing the document, you may download the document.