{"id":18579,"date":"2026-01-08T23:59:36","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T18:29:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/books\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T23:59:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T18:29:36","slug":"ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/","title":{"rendered":"IB DP1 Career Planning: Your First 90 Days to Clarify Majors and Build Momentum"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>IB DP1 Career Planning: The First 90 Days Career Plan for IB DP Students<\/h2>\n<p>Starting the Diploma Programme feels a bit like stepping into a busy train station with lots of tracks going in different directions. If you\u2019re in DP1, the first 90 days are the perfect window to step off the platform for a moment, look at a map, and choose which track you\u2019ll ride for the next two years. This isn\u2019t about locking down a life-long fate; it\u2019s about creating clarity, building habits, and making deliberate choices that keep options open while giving your study routine purpose.<\/p>\n<p><img src='https:\/\/asset.sparkl.me\/pb\/blogs-image\/img\/7c6a53c7b82649618cea4e8145f8060d.jpg' alt='Photo Idea : Student at desk mapping out goals with colored sticky notes, IB textbooks, and a laptop displaying university websites'><\/p>\n<p>Think of this plan as three short sprints \u2014 discover, explore, decide \u2014 each with clear tasks you can complete in a week or two. Over ninety days you\u2019ll gather the evidence you need to make smarter subject and extracurricular choices, start shaping an academic profile that matches possible majors, and establish a sustainable study rhythm. The result is less anxious guessing and more confident planning: what to focus on in DP2, how to use CAS meaningfully, and how to prep the core pieces like the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge so they support your future goals.<\/p>\n<h3>Why the First 90 Days Matter \u2014 and What You Really Gain<\/h3>\n<p>There are three reasons the first three months matter more than you might think:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Momentum: Small wins in the early weeks create routines that last through exam season.<\/li>\n<li>Alignment: Early choices about subjects, projects, and reading set the direction of your Extended Essay and university applications.<\/li>\n<li>Evidence: By testing interests quickly (talking to people, trying small projects, sampling related reading), you gather real information instead of relying on gut feelings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Students who treat DP1 as a discovery phase \u2014 not just \u201cyear one of two\u201d \u2014 are more likely to graduate with clarity and a coherent academic story. That coherence is what makes applications and interviews feel honest and strong. And importantly, this approach reduces the last-minute scramble that so often happens in DP2.<\/p>\n<h3>Quick Map: Your 90-Day Roadmap<\/h3>\n<p>Below is a compact roadmap you can follow. Use it as a checklist: tweak tasks to match your school calendar, teacher availability, and the time you can realistically spare each week.<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-responsive\"><table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Phase<\/th>\n<th>Weeks<\/th>\n<th>Primary Focus<\/th>\n<th>Key Actions<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Discover<\/td>\n<td>1\u20134<\/td>\n<td>Self-assessment &#038; exposure<\/td>\n<td>Reflect on strengths, take a skills inventory, attend taster lessons, talk to seniors\/counselor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Explore<\/td>\n<td>5\u20138<\/td>\n<td>Deep dives into majors &#038; subjects<\/td>\n<td>Research university prerequisites, do mini-projects, start reading widely, sample career talks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Decide<\/td>\n<td>9\u201312<\/td>\n<td>Narrow options &#038; build foundation<\/td>\n<td>Finalise subject alignment, set EE ideas, plan CAS projects, set study schedule for DP2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<h3>Phase 1 (Weeks 1\u20134): Honest Self-Assessment and Broad Exposure<\/h3>\n<p>The first few weeks are about learning more about yourself than about picking a single major. Start with a simple activity: create a 2-column list labeled \u201cI enjoy\u201d and \u201cI\u2019m good at.\u201d Put everything from \u201csolving puzzles\u201d to \u201cleading a group\u201d on that list. Keep it specific \u2014 replace \u201cscience\u201d with \u201cbuilding circuits\u201d or \u201cinterpreting data.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Next, collect evidence. Evidence is what you will show teachers, counselors, and eventually admissions officers so your story has credibility. Evidence can be small: a table of your recent grades with notes on trends, a snapshot of a project you enjoyed, a list of books or articles you couldn\u2019t put down.<\/p>\n<p>Tasks for this phase:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Meet your school counselor for 30 minutes to discuss interests and ask about subject prerequisites for common majors.<\/li>\n<li>Talk to seniors who took subjects you\u2019re considering; ask them what worked and what surprised them.<\/li>\n<li>Try two quick \u201ctaster\u201d activities: attend a university webinar, join a short online module, or shadow a lesson in a subject you\u2019re curious about.<\/li>\n<li>Start a simple journal where you note one paragraph after each week on what you learned about your preferences.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Practical tip: In this phase, resist pressure to finalize subject choices. Instead, aim to reduce your options from a fuzzy \u201cI like science\u201d to a focused set like \u201cbiology + chemistry\u201d or \u201cmath + physics,\u201d and understand why each pairing matters for different majors.<\/p>\n<h3>Phase 2 (Weeks 5\u20138): Deep Exploration \u2014 Testing Majors and Requirements<\/h3>\n<p>Now turn your curiosity into targeted research. Pick 2\u20134 majors that match the strengths and enjoyments you identified. For each major, do three things: map typical entry requirements, read one accessible textbook chapter or review article, and connect with someone who studies or works in that field.<\/p>\n<p>How to test-fit a major:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Prerequisites: Which DP subjects are required or recommended? For example, many engineering and physical sciences look for strong math and physics; social sciences often value history or economics plus strong essay skills.<\/li>\n<li>Academic habits: Does the major reward problem-solving practice, long-term research, or creative portfolios? Match your study habits to the discipline.<\/li>\n<li>Experience: Try a mini-project (a two-week experiment, a short research question for the library, or a small portfolio piece) to see if the everyday work feels engaging.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Use structured time blocks \u2014 45\u201390 minutes \u2014 to do a deep read or conduct a mini-project. These focused sessions teach you the discipline\u2019s rhythms. Keep notes that will later feed into your Extended Essay topic ideas or university personal statements.<\/p>\n<p>Support options: If you want tailored help to align subjects with possible majors or to design targeted mini-projects, personalised 1-on-1 guidance can make this phase far more efficient. For students who prefer guided planning or a study routine built around their strengths, <a href='https:\/\/sparkl.me\/register' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'>Sparkl<\/a>&#8216;s personalised tutoring can provide expert tutors, tailored study plans, and AI-driven insights to accelerate your exploration while you balance other DP1 demands.<\/p>\n<h3>Phase 3 (Weeks 9\u201312): Narrowing Down, Planning Academically, and Building Foundations<\/h3>\n<p>By now you should have a short list of realistic majors and a clearer sense of which subjects support them. This phase is about converting insight into an actionable academic plan.<\/p>\n<p>Key actions to complete:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Finalize subject pairings that support your top major choices; discuss implications with subject teachers and your counselor.<\/li>\n<li>Choose 2\u20133 Extended Essay ideas that sit at the intersection of your interests and subject choices; these can be refined later, but seeds matter.<\/li>\n<li>Design a DP2 launch plan: a weekly timetable that balances subject study, CAS projects aligned with career exploration, and time for TOK progress and EE reading.<\/li>\n<li>Identify foundational knowledge gaps and set a 6\u20138 week catch-up study plan (for example, math concepts, lab techniques, or academic writing skills).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Example: If you\u2019re leaning toward biomedical research, align your subjects to include higher-level biology and chemistry where possible, start reading accessible reviews in specific subfields (neuroscience, immunology), and sketch an Extended Essay idea that involves a lab-based or data-driven question. If labs aren\u2019t feasible, consider a literature-based essay or a data analysis project.<\/p>\n<p>Academic foundations also mean building authentic evidence for university applications: consistent grades, a meaningful Extended Essay topic, and CAS projects that show initiative. These are the narratives admissions tutors prefer because they reveal curiosity and resilience \u2014 qualities you can demonstrate in the months ahead.<\/p>\n<h3>Weekly Routine Template: What to Do Each Week<\/h3>\n<p>Keep routines simple. Aim for three pillars each week: focused study, exploration work, and reflective synthesis. Here\u2019s a template to copy and adapt.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Focused study (4\u20136 x 45\u201360 minute sessions): Prioritise the subject that supports your chosen major.<\/li>\n<li>Exploration work (1\u20132 x 60\u201390 minute sessions): Research a major, read, or work on a mini-project.<\/li>\n<li>Reflection (1 x 30\u201345 minute session): Update your journal and plan adjustments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Small habits compound. A single 45-minute, well-structured session is better than several unfocused hours. Use active strategies: solve problems before reading the solution, teach a peer one concept per week, or write a short 300-word summary of a paper you read.<\/p>\n<h3>Tools and Templates: Checklists You Can Use Now<\/h3>\n<p>Here are quick, ready-to-use templates to keep you on track. You can paste these into a notebook or a digital doc and update them weekly.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Subject Alignment Checklist: For each subject, note how it supports each major and list three teachers or resources to talk to.<\/li>\n<li>Mini-Project Planner: Objective, 2\u20134 steps, resources needed, success measure, time estimate.<\/li>\n<li>EE Idea Snapshot: Research question, why it interests you, which teacher could supervise, possible data sources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them<\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s easy to get stuck \u2014 here\u2019s what students often do and how to steer clear:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Pitfall: Treating career planning like a one-off decision. Fix: Make it iterative \u2014 revisit choices every 6\u20138 weeks with fresh evidence.<\/li>\n<li>Pitfall: Choosing subjects because friends choose them or because they seem \u201ceasy.\u201d Fix: Prioritise alignment with skills and future academic requirements.<\/li>\n<li>Pitfall: Overcommitting to CAS projects that don\u2019t reflect actual interest. Fix: Choose fewer projects that show depth and connection to exploration.<\/li>\n<li>Pitfall: Waiting for clarity before acting. Fix: Act in small experiments \u2014 short projects and readings reveal more than passive reflection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>How Counselors, Teachers, and Tutors Can Help<\/h3>\n<p>Your support network is crucial. Teachers give academic realism, counselors provide admissions context and timelines, and tutors help with skill gaps. If you\u2019re juggling subject content and exploratory research, personalised 1-on-1 guidance can reduce friction: a tutor can help you build a targeted study plan, practice academic writing for the Extended Essay, or create a revision strategy that protects mental bandwidth while you explore career options. For students who want that kind of guided support, <a href='https:\/\/sparkl.me\/register' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'>Sparkl<\/a>&#8216;s expert tutors offer tailored study plans and focused help, including AI-driven insights to spot learning gaps quickly.<\/p>\n<h3>Measuring Progress: What Success Looks Like After 90 Days<\/h3>\n<p>At the end of the first 90 days, you should be able to say yes to most of the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I can describe two or three majors I might study and explain why they fit my strengths.<\/li>\n<li>I\u2019ve narrowed my DP subjects to a coherent group that supports those majors.<\/li>\n<li>I have 1\u20133 Extended Essay seeds and a plan to develop my favourite idea.<\/li>\n<li>I\u2019ve started at least one CAS activity that ties to my exploration and shows initiative.<\/li>\n<li>I have a weekly study routine that balances exploration and subject mastery.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These are realistic, measurable outcomes you can show on a discussion with your counselor or in future application drafts. The goal is not perfection but a clearer, evidence-based direction.<\/p>\n<h3>Quick FAQ: Short Answers to Common Questions<\/h3>\n<p>Q: What if I\u2019m still undecided at the end of 90 days? A: That\u2019s normal. Use the next cycle to focus on one or two strongest options and build deeper evidence.<\/p>\n<p>Q: How do I pick an Extended Essay topic early? A: Pick an idea that excites you and that aligns with the subjects you\u2019ll study at higher level; your question should be narrow enough to research in a school setting.<\/p>\n<p>Q: Can extracurriculars really influence university choices? A: Yes \u2014 admissions teams look for sustained engagement and evidence of commitment, not quantity. Align CAS with exploration and depth.<\/p>\n<h3>Example Weekly Checklist (Printable)<\/h3>\n<div class=\"table-responsive\"><table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Day<\/th>\n<th>Priority<\/th>\n<th>Action<\/th>\n<th>Time<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Monday<\/td>\n<td>Subject study<\/td>\n<td>90 minutes focused practice (problem sets or lab prep)<\/td>\n<td>90 mins<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Wednesday<\/td>\n<td>Exploration<\/td>\n<td>Read overview article or start a mini-project<\/td>\n<td>60\u201390 mins<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Friday<\/td>\n<td>CAS\/Practical<\/td>\n<td>Work on CAS project or volunteer activity<\/td>\n<td>60 mins<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Sunday<\/td>\n<td>Reflection<\/td>\n<td>Journal: 15\u201330 minutes to capture learnings and plan the week<\/td>\n<td>30 mins<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<h3>Final Academic Conclusion<\/h3>\n<p>The first 90 days of DP1 are a strategic period for building clarity: use them to collect evidence about your interests, align subjects to realistic majors, and create study routines that will sustain deeper work in DP2. Focus on small experiments rather than big commitments, choose subjects that open doors rather than close them, and turn exploration into documented progress \u2014 notes, mini-projects, EE seeds, and meaningful CAS involvement. These concrete academic steps create a coherent profile and leave you academically prepared for the next stages of the Diploma Programme.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A practical, student-friendly 90-day career plan for IB DP1 students: self-assessment, subject alignment, research routines, university prep, and academic foundations to build confidence and clarity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[129],"tags":[11313,11314,11312,8267,11311,8216,7697,850],"class_list":["post-18579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ib","tag-cas-and-careers","tag-dp1-skills-development","tag-dp1-university-counselling","tag-extended-essay-planning","tag-ib-dp1-career-planning","tag-ib-study-plan","tag-ib-subject-selection","tag-sparkl-tutoring"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>IB DP1 Career Planning: Your First 90 Days to Clarify Majors and Build Momentum - Sparkl<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"IB DP1 Career Planning: Your First 90 Days to Clarify Majors and Build Momentum - Sparkl\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A practical, student-friendly 90-day career plan for IB DP1 students: self-assessment, subject alignment, research routines, university prep, and academic foundations to build confidence and clarity.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sparkl\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Sparkl-Edventure\/61563873962227\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-08T18:29:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/asset.sparkl.me\/pb\/blogs-image\/img\/7c6a53c7b82649618cea4e8145f8060d.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rohit Dagar\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Rohit Dagar\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Rohit Dagar\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/5a765be01d26097536fdccdcd1d6cd5d\"},\"headline\":\"IB DP1 Career Planning: Your First 90 Days to Clarify Majors and Build Momentum\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-08T18:29:36+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/\"},\"wordCount\":1927,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/asset.sparkl.me\/pb\/blogs-image\/img\/7c6a53c7b82649618cea4e8145f8060d.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"CAS and careers\",\"DP1 skills development\",\"DP1 university counselling\",\"Extended Essay planning\",\"IB DP1 career planning\",\"IB study plan\",\"IB subject selection\",\"Sparkl tutoring\"],\"articleSection\":[\"IB\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/\",\"name\":\"IB DP1 Career Planning: Your First 90 Days to Clarify Majors and Build Momentum - Sparkl\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/asset.sparkl.me\/pb\/blogs-image\/img\/7c6a53c7b82649618cea4e8145f8060d.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-08T18:29:36+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/asset.sparkl.me\/pb\/blogs-image\/img\/7c6a53c7b82649618cea4e8145f8060d.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/asset.sparkl.me\/pb\/blogs-image\/img\/7c6a53c7b82649618cea4e8145f8060d.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"IB DP1 Career Planning: Your First 90 Days to Clarify Majors and Build Momentum\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Sparkl\",\"description\":\"Learning Made Personal\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Sparkl\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CourseSparkl-ColourBlack-Height40px.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CourseSparkl-ColourBlack-Height40px.svg\",\"width\":154,\"height\":40,\"caption\":\"Sparkl\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Sparkl-Edventure\/61563873962227\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@SparklEdventure\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sparkledventure\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/sparkl-edventure\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/5a765be01d26097536fdccdcd1d6cd5d\",\"name\":\"Rohit Dagar\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/234b661cea998c2cad71fdca476cffb17b4ac61d7e4921fbd8ee32c73d925857?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/234b661cea998c2cad71fdca476cffb17b4ac61d7e4921fbd8ee32c73d925857?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Rohit Dagar\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rohitdagar08\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/profile\/rohit-dagarsparkl-me\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"IB DP1 Career Planning: Your First 90 Days to Clarify Majors and Build Momentum - Sparkl","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"IB DP1 Career Planning: Your First 90 Days to Clarify Majors and Build Momentum - Sparkl","og_description":"A practical, student-friendly 90-day career plan for IB DP1 students: self-assessment, subject alignment, research routines, university prep, and academic foundations to build confidence and clarity.","og_url":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/","og_site_name":"Sparkl","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Sparkl-Edventure\/61563873962227\/","article_published_time":"2026-01-08T18:29:36+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/asset.sparkl.me\/pb\/blogs-image\/img\/7c6a53c7b82649618cea4e8145f8060d.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"Rohit Dagar","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Rohit Dagar","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/"},"author":{"name":"Rohit Dagar","@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/5a765be01d26097536fdccdcd1d6cd5d"},"headline":"IB DP1 Career Planning: Your First 90 Days to Clarify Majors and Build Momentum","datePublished":"2026-01-08T18:29:36+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/"},"wordCount":1927,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/asset.sparkl.me\/pb\/blogs-image\/img\/7c6a53c7b82649618cea4e8145f8060d.jpg","keywords":["CAS and careers","DP1 skills development","DP1 university counselling","Extended Essay planning","IB DP1 career planning","IB study plan","IB subject selection","Sparkl tutoring"],"articleSection":["IB"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/","url":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/","name":"IB DP1 Career Planning: Your First 90 Days to Clarify Majors and Build Momentum - Sparkl","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/asset.sparkl.me\/pb\/blogs-image\/img\/7c6a53c7b82649618cea4e8145f8060d.jpg","datePublished":"2026-01-08T18:29:36+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/asset.sparkl.me\/pb\/blogs-image\/img\/7c6a53c7b82649618cea4e8145f8060d.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/asset.sparkl.me\/pb\/blogs-image\/img\/7c6a53c7b82649618cea4e8145f8060d.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/ib\/ib-dp1-career-planning-your-first-90-days-to-clarify-majors-and-build-momentum\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"IB DP1 Career Planning: Your First 90 Days to Clarify Majors and Build Momentum"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/","name":"Sparkl","description":"Learning Made Personal","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#organization","name":"Sparkl","url":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CourseSparkl-ColourBlack-Height40px.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CourseSparkl-ColourBlack-Height40px.svg","width":154,"height":40,"caption":"Sparkl"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Sparkl-Edventure\/61563873962227\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@SparklEdventure","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sparkledventure","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/sparkl-edventure"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/5a765be01d26097536fdccdcd1d6cd5d","name":"Rohit Dagar","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/234b661cea998c2cad71fdca476cffb17b4ac61d7e4921fbd8ee32c73d925857?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/234b661cea998c2cad71fdca476cffb17b4ac61d7e4921fbd8ee32c73d925857?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Rohit Dagar"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rohitdagar08\/"],"url":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/profile\/rohit-dagarsparkl-me"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18579"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18579\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sparkl.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}