It offers the opportunity to learn specific job skills that may help in choosing a career.

At least that's the view of one graduating senior.

"The CAM lets you get into an area you're interested in, which I could not have done if I were taking general classes. That's the only major difference I see," says Shelly Evans, a senior at Cottage Grove High School.

Evans, who plans to attend Oregon State University and study business, says her school's business and management endorsement area -- of the CAM -- has enabled her to learn more about finance, data bases, and spread sheets. She's also learned popular software packages such as PowerPoint, and acquired practical skills such as balancing a checkbook.

Did her CAM experience improve her SAT score? "No," she says, "I was disappointed with it [the score]."

On the whole, she does think the CAM benefits students. "It helps a lot of them look at careers and decide what they like," she says.