Formula for Your Future, the comprehensive career guidance program that was developed by the Van Buren Intermediate School District in southwestern Michigan, was recognized as an exemplary guidance program by the United States Office of Education in 1986. According to the program model, students work with counselors on a one-on-one basis to make tentative decisions about their careers and training. In the first stage of the four-step model, students learn to assess their physical, emotional, and intellectual interests and their physical, emotional, and intellectual abilities. In the second stage, students are helped to develop an awareness of their options by gathering general career (cluster), general training, specific career, and specific secondary and postsecondary training information. Students learn decision-making skills in the third stage; they make cluster, tentative career, and tentative general and specific training decisions. Then, with a counselor's assistance, they develop an Employability Development Plan (a narrative plan that outlines the classes and work experience that will move students closer to their individual career goals). The plans are reviewed each year by the student and counselor and are finally converted into a resume as the goals are attained. The skills developed in the program are intended to be recycled throughout the students' lives. (This program overview describes the different steps in the model program and includes sample forms used in the counseling process.) (MN)