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Check Out MyPath: Future Planning Your Teen Won’t Tune Out
October 28, 2025
You want to help your high schooler plan for life after graduation. But every time you bring it up, you’re met with stress, eye rolls, or the classic “I don’t know, okay?”
Sound familiar?
Here’s the thing: your teen is facing immense pressure. Everyone keeps asking what they’re doing after graduation. Their friends all seem to have perfect plans. And you’re trying to balance their dreams with realistic budgets and financial concerns.
It’s a lot. For both of you.
That’s exactly why we created MyPath—a free resource designed specifically for Maine high school students that actually speaks their language.
Why MyPath Works (And Why Your Teen Won’t Ignore It)
Here’s what makes MyPath different: it doesn’t lecture, pressure, or tell students what to do. Instead, it meets them where they are—whether they’re panicking about deadlines, just starting to think about next steps, or still figuring out what they even want.
Think of it as that supportive older cousin or family friend who gives real advice without judgment. The kind of voice teens actually listen to.
For you as a parent, MyPath is a resource you can share with confidence, knowing it provides solid information without adding to their stress. You can explore it together, or—if your teen prefers—they can access it independently and come to you when they’re ready to talk.
What MyPath Covers
MyPath addresses the three big questions your teen is likely grappling with:
Career Planning – What do people actually do all day at their jobs? What can they realistically earn? Maine professionals share what their work is really like—the good, the challenging, and the unexpected. There’s even a career quiz if your teen wants to explore options they might not have considered.
Education Options – College isn’t the only path forward. MyPath breaks down two-year and four-year colleges, community college, trade programs, apprenticeships, certificate programs, and gap years that have a real plan. Your teen can explore what each path looks like, what it costs, and how to figure out what might be right for them.
Financial Planning – This is where MyPath really shines. It covers what education after high school actually costs, how student loans work, and how to use resources like the Alfond Grant. Your teen gets practical tools for understanding financial aid and building budgeting skills—in language that makes sense to them.
Real Maine Students, Real Stories
One of MyPath’s most powerful features? Stories from Maine students who recently navigated these same decisions.
Students like Jean-Daniel, who figured out how to graduate college debt-free. Or Kamy, who decided community college was the smart move for her goals.
These aren’t polished “everything worked out perfectly” stories. They’re honest accounts from real people who had panic moments, changed their minds, made mistakes, pivoted their plans, and still ended up in good places.
Here’s why this matters: Sometimes your teen needs to hear from someone who’s not their parent that it’s okay to take the less traditional path—or the super traditional one, if that’s what fits. These peer stories can open doors to conversations that might otherwise feel too heavy or pressure-filled.
About That Alfond Grant…
If your student was born a Maine resident after 2008, they may have $500 sitting in an account in their name. It’s called the Alfond Grant, and it’s been growing in value since they were born.
They can use it for education after high school—four-year college, community college, trade school, certificate programs, whatever path they choose. And here’s the thing: many teens who have the Alfond Grant don’t even know they have this money.
MyPath includes an “Estimated Alfond Grant Value” tool so your teen can see what their grant might be worth today. (Spoiler: it’s probably grown beyond that initial $500.)
This can be a great conversation starter—showing your teen they already have resources available to them, which can make post-graduation planning feel less overwhelming.
How to Share MyPath With Your Teen
You know your teen best, so share MyPath in whatever way feels right:
The direct approach: “Hey, I found this resource that’s specifically for Maine high schoolers figuring out next steps. No pressure, but it might be helpful. Want to check it out together, or would you rather look at it on your own first?”
The casual approach: Send them the link via text: “Came across this. Thought you might find it useful 🤷” Then let them explore on their own timeline.
The collaborative approach: “I’ve been looking at this MyPath site—it has some interesting career info and student stories. Want to grab a coffee (insert favorite coffee place here), and check this out?
There’s no perfect way to do this. The key is making it available without adding pressure.
Moving Forward (Without the Pressure)
Your teen doesn’t need to have everything figured out right now. Some people know exactly what they want to do when they’re five years old. Others (most of us) figure it out as they go—changing majors, switching careers, discovering new interests along the way. The beauty of MyPath is that there’s no “right” place to start. Your teen can explore at their own pace, bookmark it for later, and return whenever they have questions.
Ready to share this with your teen? Head to myalfondgrant.org/mypath-high-school and explore together—or send them the link to check out on their own.
Their $500 Alfond Grant might be waiting. And now they’ll have access to all the other resources they need to build whatever future they want—even if they’re still figuring out what that looks like.
The path forward doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be theirs.