If you want experiential learning as part of your high school experience, look no further! Students at R-MA have the opportunity to learn through Pre-Professional Pathways, which allow you to delve deeper into an area you are particularly passionate about through a “Pathway” to go alongside your regular coursework. Taking part in this can help you develop your sense of creativity, improve your problem-solving abilities, and help you sharpen your skills in your chosen field before applying for college!
Although participation in these Pathways is optional, it’s a great choice for students who already have an idea of what they want their career to look like—and especially if they want to learn through a hands-on education. Here’s what you need to know about R-MA’s Pre-Professional Pathways.
Helping Students Tap Into Their Passion At Our Private Academy
While some R-MA students may not yet have a clear idea of how they want their future career to look, others already have a vision of their career dreamed up before even graduating high school. If you’re one of the latter, our Pre-Professional Pathways can help you work toward where you want to be. Of course, students still trying to decide on a future career path also get plenty of support too. Starting in the ninth grade, students take a career exploration course as a means of discovering their professional interests and their style of learning. Using this seminar-style course as a way to explore interests and assess their skills, students discover a variety of career paths that could be options for them. Guest speakers even come to R-MA to help provide further inspiration for students.
Pre-Professional Pathways are a way for students to learn by doing
Which Programs Are My Options For Pre-Professional Pathways?
As of now, students who want to participate in the Pre-Pathways at our private academy have three options for programs. These are Global Entrepreneurship; Aeronautics, Technology, & Engineering Design; and Leadership Dynamics.
If none of these programs appeal to you as career options, or you still don’t know which path you want your career to take, fear not: you will still benefit hugely from our college-prep academic program, and those wanting to find a career in Health & Human Performance will be delighted to learn that a Pathway for that program is in the works!
What Can You Expect From a Pre-Professional Pathway?
While participating in our Pre-Professional Pathways, students at our private upper school take electives that are specifically associated with the Pathway they have chosen. For example, students in the Global Entrepreneurship partway complete courses in World Languages, Principles of Economics, AP Statistics, Mathematics for Business & Finance, and more. Students taking the Aeronautics, Technology, & Engineering Design pathway, on the other hand, take AP Calculus, Computer Science, Unmanned Flight, Private Pilot Ground School, and other elective courses. Those taking the Leadership Dynamics pathway take courses in AP US History, AP US Government and Politics, World Languages, and more.
Through an experiential learning experience, you can not only use these electives to further your understanding of the career you want to pursue, but also access opportunities for internships in your sophomore and junior years.
Students complete a Capstone Project that they research and present to their peers
However, your senior year is where your pursuit of your Pathway is truly rewarded. This is because you will be completing a Capstone Project. The Capstone Project is the culmination of your time in the Pre-Professional Pathways program, where your ability to communicate, research, and demonstrate your creativity will be put to the test. With this, you will be tasked with performing in-depth research on a certain issue. This is followed by you finding evidence and a possible solution, to then be presented to your fellow classmates. Once you’re done, your final portfolio will feature all of the work you’ve put into the project, which you can later showcase while applying for college!
Do you want to attend our college prep high school?
Contact Randolph-Macon Academy to learn more!