My dream career is to become a school counselor. Research training and education, accumulated debts, necessary skills, work environment, etc. fully educated me. My dream career will require a lot of focus and determination, but I am also confident in my ability to achieve what I set my mind to. A fair amount of training and education is necessary to become a school counselor. You must first have a bachelor's degree, preferably in a psychology-related program. I will be earning my bachelor's degree in psychology from Western Washington University (WWU) next year. After completing this degree, I will move on to graduate school at WWU to pursue the M.Ed. School Counselor Program. This program typically lasts approximately two years with 83 quarter hours of study. Some of the courses you take at this graduate level include developmental academic counseling, group counseling, research methods in psychology, personality, and psychopathology, as well as a counseling practicum and counseling practicum school. To be eligible for employment with this degree, you must additionally be certified in the state in which you plan to work. Certification requirements differ from state to state. In Washington State, you must have an advanced degree from an accredited institution or you can take either the National Counselor Examination or the National Board of Certified Counselors (American School Counselors Association, 2014 ). If I am seeking employment at a school, a background check is required. Keeping a clean record and staying above the law is very important. I hope to complete my full master's degree if life allows at Western Washington University. The debt that this level of education will incur is very significant. My total undergraduate cost...... middle of paper ...... possible to live on this salary alone when you take into account other family members like children. If children are involved, I hope to have a husband or relative with a professional salary to contribute to the income. The education, training, skills, and abilities needed to become a school counselor are very broad and take many years to complete. Psychology is not a major for those who just want an easy major or a simple job after graduation. Almost all areas of psychology require a master's degree, which involves hours and hours of study and preparation. Ultimately, if you succeed, the rewards are what I want from a career. The ability to help others and help them through important or difficult times in life and emerge stronger and more confident in themselves than before. As they say: what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.