Bridges' Guidance Central suite consists of:

· Choices Explorer to motivate students by building awareness of a wide variety of education and career options.

· Choices Planner to create more focused education and career plans.

· testGEAR test prep courses to raise test scores on high school exit and college entrance exams.

· Plus eGuide activities, a Parent Guide, career and education exploration and planning articles and much more!

Choices Explorer shows students their potential for more possibilities than they could ever imagine, making career exploration as easy as choosing a favorite school subject, or answering a few questions about their interests and skills. This passion and enthusiasm can lead to better study habits, better grades and greater course involvement.

A motivated student who chooses a pathway is a more focused, achievement-oriented student. Choices Planner will help your child quickly create effective plans using the Career Plan Builder, as they explore all their options to find the right career path for them. Your child can compare schools from coast-to-coast with detailed information right at their fingertips about more than 7,000 colleges, technical and graduate schools.

Your Portfolio stores exploration results from Choices Explorer and career and education plans from Choices Planner for easy access anytime, anywhere.

If your child would like to prepare for the PSAT exam, then they should definitely participate in the free testGEAR course, proven to improve student performance on the PSAT. Your child will receive a personalized study plan based on a brief diagnostic test. testGEAR courses strengthen skills so they can enter the exam confident and well prepared. testGEAR also develops stronger academic skills valuable for all students whether or not they are taking the exam.

Guidance Central gives your child access to these great tools and much more. Please encourage them to ask about using Guidance Central. They will be glad they did!

Please see the information below to learn how you and your student(s) can take advantage of this great free resource from home!

How to access Choices Planner, Choices Explorer, and testGEAR for FREE at home!

Go to: www.access.bridges.com

Enter your Site ID: 10000153

Enter the Password for PVPHS: palosverdes

* The password is case sensitive (all lower case) and all one word.

Click on Choices Explorer to start exploring your career and education options.

· Use the Career Finder to narrow down hundreds of careers to those matching the characteristics you want.

· Take the Major Finder to see which majors match your interests.

· Explore careers related to Your School Subjects that you enjoy the most.

· Get ready, choose courses, and apply for financial aid in Preparing for College.

· Save Your Plans and information All About You, such as your skills, interests, resumes, and courses you've taken.

· Check out Your Activities to see which assignments and tasks you've completed and what is left to do.

Click on Choices Planner to start planning your work and educational future.

· Explore over 1,200 careers in the Career Zone.

· Connect Yourself to Careers by taking five assessments that will help you find the right career for you.

· Compare Careers or Schools side by side to see what each has to offer that would best suit your preferences.

· Take charge of your life-start your High School Planning or College Planning now.

· Create career and education plans quickly and easily using the Career Plan Builder.

Click on testGEAR to start achieving higher test scores on standardized tests.

· Take the BrainScan diagnostic to assess your strengths and weaknesses.

· Based on your diagnostic results the Smart Curriculum will prescribe a customized study plan.

· To focus on specific weaknesses, refer to the Course Library.

· MicroCourses, Practorials, and the VocabLab will help you build skills and provide useful strategies.

· Take Practice tests to gauge your skills with test items that mirror the formats on the real test.

· Once you're ready, get a feeling for the real thing by taking two full-length practice tests that mimic the official PSAT test.

Creating a Portfolio

1) Login to Choices Explorer or Choices Planner

2) Click on Create a Portfolio.

3) Fill out the registration form.

4) Click GO.

To Create Your testGEAR Account

1) Login to testGEAR.

2) Click on New Students Click Here.

3) Select NO, then click NEXT.

4) Enter your Universal Code: 13046147

5) Follow the instructions to create an account.

6) Click the link to access your course(s).

If you have any questions, concerns, or problems, please contact Stephanie Leonard, Director of the College Career Center (Monday-Friday 7:15am-3:45pm) or you can call her at 377-4888 x287.

COPS: Career Occupational Preference System is designed to identify a student's interest and they type of career cluster that would be appropriate for the student. This test requires the student to complete a four-page questionnaire and is required for all Sophomore Students.

SDS: Self-Directed Search Test is designed to help the student identify which cluster of careers best matches his/her interests. This test asks the students to identify their likes and dislikes in various areas. Based on the students' established code, the Occupational Finder establishes the corresponding careers.

ASVAB: Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test is offered by the Department of Defense. This is an excellent test to help the student identify his/her aptitude and career interest. It is usually offered once a year at PVPHS. This test takes three hours and the scores are available approximately four weeks after the test. This test is required for all students interested in joining the military service. A student must be a junior or senior to take this test.