not just making plans but aligning them with purpose & wisdom

Helping Your Teen Navigate Life After High School

A Guide for Parents

1. 🎯 Understanding the Goal

  • What do you want for your child?
    Fulfillment, stability, independence, and purpose.
  • College is one path — not the path.
  • Your child doesn’t need to have it all figured out now — they just need to start exploring.

2. 🎓 Dual Enrollment: A Smart Head Start

  • Take general education requirements for free or low cost while in high school.
  • Saves time and money.
  • Allows students to explore college-level work before committing to a 4-year degree.
  • Builds confidence and opens options — whether continuing with college or pursuing a different route.
  • Read more about options for Ohio students here.

3. 🔁 Rethinking the College-Only Mindset

“If a job requires a degree, work in the field first if possible.”

  • College can be great — but it’s not always necessary or the best return on investment.
  • Students need to know why they’re going to college (not just “because everyone else is”).
  • Work experience or certifications may get them into the same jobs — without the debt.

4. 💼 Five Degree-Free Paths (from the Degree Free Podcast)

1. Get a Job

  • Start working with skills they already have.
  • Learn how businesses work from the inside.
  • Great for building experience, confidence, and independence.

2. Get an Internship/Apprenticeship

  • Paid training while learning a trade or industry.
  • Especially valuable in fields like tech, manufacturing, and skilled trades.
  • You earn while you learn.

3. Earn a License/Certification

  • Low-cost, fast entry into in-demand careers:
    Notary, Loan Officer, Realtor, Medical Biller, Direct Support Professional, Court Reporter, Cybersecurity, etc.
  • Search job listings to see what’s requested — many employers list preferred certifications.

4. Start or Buy a Business

  • Lawn care, detailing, organizing, pressure washing — find a need and solve it.
  • Look for retiring business owners ready to sell businesses with an existing customer base.
  • Teaches responsibility, marketing, and money management.

5. Learn a Skill Without a Certificate

  • Painting, coding, bike repair, gardening, language learning.
  • Build a portfolio and demonstrate real skill — even without formal credentials.

5. ❤️‍🔥 Doing What You Love (Insights from Paul Graham)

💡 Lessons to Teach Your Teen:

  • Work can be fun. The best work feels like play — even if it’s hard.
  • Don’t chase prestige or money — they can lead away from real happiness.
  • “Always be producing” — if they’re doing what they love, they’ll create things even outside of school or work.
  • It’s okay not to know what you love — just keep looking and trying new things.

6. 🧠 Discovering Natural Strengths: The Working Genius Assessment

  • The Working Genius model helps students understand the types of work they:
    • Enjoy and are naturally good at (Geniuses),
    • Tolerate but don’t love (Competencies),
    • And consistently struggle with or dislike (Frustrations).

🎯 Why It Matters:

  • Helps teens figure out where they can thrive — in school, work, and life.
  • Guides better decisions on projects, roles, activities, and future careers.
  • Makes teamwork and collaboration more successful by matching roles to strengths.

📝 Conversation Starters for Parents:

  • “Who in your life do you think would benefit from knowing your geniuses and frustrations?”
    (Examples: teachers, coaches, mentors, friends.)
  • “How would it help you if others knew this about you?”
    Encourages self-advocacy and builds communication skills.
  • “Where could you use your Geniuses more?”
    • In school (group projects, subjects they enjoy)
    • At home (chores, responsibilities)
    • With friends (organizing, supporting, brainstorming)
  • “How might your Genius pairing influence what activities or careers you want to explore?”
    Encourage reflection on future decisions like:
    • Choosing classes
    • Joining clubs or sports
    • Taking on leadership or support roles in teams

⚙️ Navigating Frustrations (We All Have Them!)

  • Let your teen know: they will always encounter work in their Frustration zones — and that’s okay!
  • The key is to build strategies for dealing with them.

Examples:

“When I know Wonder is needed (big-picture thinking), I write out my to-do list first. Otherwise, I get pulled into finishing tasks — my Working Genius is Tenacity.”

“When I know that Tenacity (one of my frustrations) is needed, I write down my ideas that I want to Wonder about after I have finished the task at hand. Otherwise, I am tempted to ask all of the questions about why we do things this way — my Working Genius is Wonder.”

💡 Ask Your Teen:

  • “What tactics might help you manage your frustration zones better?”
  • “How can we support each other when you’re working outside your genius?”

Optional Activity for Parents + Students:

7. 🧭 Your Role as a Parent

  • Encourage exploration over pressure.
  • Talk to your teen about their interests and values, not just “safe” career paths.
  • Support them through trial and error — learning what they don’t like is valuable too.
  • Introduce them to people with interesting paths — expand their idea of what’s possible.

8. 🌟 Final Thoughts

  • There’s no “right” path — only what’s right for your child.
  • Support them in building a life of curiosity, contribution, and fulfillment.
  • Whether they choose college, trade school, or their own business — the key is action.

📎 Handout for Parents

A two-pager summarizing:

Guiding Your Teen After High SchoolDownload