In an effort to find a better way to help students make educational and vocational decisions, this study compared two methods of teaching life career planning to junior high school students. Following the "Nonequivalent Control Group" design, the study involved an experimental group being taught by means of the Life Career game and a control group being taught by a teacher-directed method using traditional materials. Pretest and posttest measures of subject content, attitude, and critical thinking abilities were obtained using such instruments as a Semantic Differential, the Life Career Inventory, and the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal. Also a retention test was administered 23 days after the posttest. Based on the analysis of data, a major conclusion of the study included: (1) The Life Career game is no more effective than traditional methods in assisting students to learn subject matter, (2) Simulation is more effective than traditional methods in changing attitudes and for retention of subject matter, and (3) Neither method was effective in improving critical thinking ability. (Author/JS)