Not sure what to study? No problem! The Sheridan Idea Generator has got your back. Perfect for high school students thinking ahead to post-secondary, or for current college or uni students who might want a change of pace, the Idea Generator is a five-step quiz designed to help you decide on the right path.

Using Sheridan's Idea Generator

Here's how the Idea Generator works:

Step 1: Activities you might enjoy

First, you'll pick a handful of activities that you might enjoy — not as a career, necessarily, but as day-to-day tasks that you might enjoy doing.

You'll choose a few items from a list containing things like:

• Plan and organize a major event
• Write a short story or novel
• Teach a friend a new skill

Pick as many items as you like!

Step 2: Your values

Next, you'll find a list of 18 value statements; choose the ones that resonate most with you. This includes values like:

• Accuracy and efficiency
• Providing service to others
• Human welfare

Choose the ideas or concepts that you most appreciate in your life.

Step 3: Job categories

For the third step, you'll get a list of 30 job categories — just pick the careers that sound most interesting to you! You won't necessarily know what goes into working in these fields, so choose the ones that most appeal to you based on prior knowledge, expectations, and vibes.

Here's a few items from the job categories list:

• Economist
• Marriage / family therapist
• Heavy equipment operator

Not seeing the job of your dreams? Choose the items closest to it! For example, you may not find "Data scientist," but "Computer programmer" gets you partway there.

Step 4: Topics that interest you

Next, you'll get another list of 30 items, focused on general topics. Some of these will overlap with specific jobs, while others may be applicable across a wide range of college programs and careers.

Choose the topics that most interest you, from items like:

• Politics
• Design and layout
• Statistics

Pick a few options that you're most passionate about.

Step 5: Your personal specialties

The final question is unique! You'll get 24 options for tasks and activities that you're passionate about, or think you might have an aptitude for if you gave it an honest shot. That is, these are the things you do well!

Pick your best skills, or those you think you might excel at with a little bit of training. Here are a few examples from the list:

• Influencing others
• Operating vehicles, mechanized devices, or equipment
• Artistic activities like sketching or painting

Obviously, a list of 24 activities can't encompass everything, so choose the items that best fit your personality.

Getting your results

When you submit your responses, you'll get your results, which includes a blurb about your "type," along with a list of Sheridan programs, and career paths, that fit well with your type. Many careers will have a profile page to learn more about them, too.

Most people are a blend of types, but you probably have one or two that seem to match you best. Explore each different type to get a new list of programs and careers that match! (The Idea Generator uses Holland Codes.)

Once you have your results, you can drill down into salary and wage outlooks, long-term projections, and graduate employment data to help you decide whether a given career path is viable for you.

Find something interesting? The Sheridan program page is just a click away! Of course, you can explore all programs at Sheridan any time you're interested.

Ready to dig into your future? Try Sheridan's Idea Generator today.