Scope and Method of Study: The overall purpose of the study was to describe the perceptions regarding how AAYAF over 16 years of age plan and make career decisions. The study participants included ten AAYAF over 16 years of age. The young women were interviewed fact-to-face using a semi-structured open-ended questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed from three sources: (1) an initial semi-structured questionnaire developed by the researcher and subjected to peer-review and field testing during a doctoral class project; (2) Betz, Klein, and Taylor (1996) Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy scale; and (3) Holland, Daiger, and Power (1980) My Vocational Situation scale. A combination of all three sources gave the questionnaire a broader scope and allowed the researcher to ask the AAYAF study participants questions pertaining to their knowledge of the work world, their career decision-making barriers and supports, the level of their career self-efficacy or career indecision, their career outcome expectations, and their goal setting behaviors and attitudes. Findings and Conclusions: The AAYAF study participants' stories revealed that their career planning and career decision-making was shaped by many variables which included family influence; racism; gender socialization; personality differences; contemporary workplace demands; maturity level; perceived career barriers or threats; negative relationship with career development counselors or teachers; shying away from math; and scholarships and financial aid. Four major conclusions were drawn based on the study's findings including: (1) lack of systematic approach to career planning and career decision-making; (2) family was the most important factor in how the participants made career plans and career decisions; (3) the need to take up part-time jobs was a major distraction to some of the participants' career development; and was mainly related to their inability to understand the processes of applying for scholarships and financial aid; and (4) the participants perceived several barriers to their career development which were either internal or external. The study's findings and conclusions have some important implications for working with AAYAF in their career planning and career development. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]