Significance of forecasting ability for professional self-determination of high school senior students

The paper is concerned with the development of the forecasting abilities among high school students as a condition of their professional identity. The article presents the results of an analysis of the psychological literature on the problem of forecasting abilities. The authors conclude that its development is inadequate. Fore-casting abilities among high school students as a prerequisite for choosing a future profession are considered as a pending issue.The authors underscore the significance of professional self-determination in adolescence and that young people lack the ability to accurately build projects, plans and forecasts. The article highlights the lack of aware-ness of high school students of their abilities and capabilities necessary for self-determination in the professional sphere. In this context, the authors raise the problem of psychological personality on the stage of promotion of professional self-determination (in the framework of special career guidance centers at universities).The authors present the available technologies of a psychologist's work with students (people who have already chosen a particular profession and studying in a university), but not with high school students who plan to enter a university. It is noted that at this stage of life's journey, a man who appear to be without the help of a specialist can easily be confused with a choice of his/her profession. Wrong choice entails additional com-plexes on the stage of adaptation of students to learning in a higher school. The results of empirical research are provided for support of this point of view.Out of 50 first-year students of Mordovia State University who participated in the study, 54 % have an average level of social and psychological adjustment, 30 % - high level, and 16 % - low one. Students predominately have the average forecasting ability - 56 %. High level was detected in 28 % of the students, low - 16 %. A strong direct correlation between the level of predictive ability and adaptation of students is detected. An increase in predictive values of social and psychological adjustment corresponds to values growth.On the basis of the data obtained the authors draw a conclusion about the need to include the methods of development of predictive abilities into the career guidance for high school students since it is one of the most important conditions of professional self-determination.