Her son HATED his first job. Perfect. with Rose Ybaben and Danielle Randall | OpenEd

Most parents push teens toward college without considering alternatives, but education experts Rose Ybaben and Danielle Randall reveal why this approach is outdated—and what works better.

Key Insights:

- Why discovering what you DON'T want is just as valuable as finding your passion

- How to balance parent support with student autonomy when setting goals

- Why adulthood is filled with "do-overs" (and why that's a good thing)

Links & Resources:

- [CareerOneStop Self-Assessments](https://www.careeronestop.org/ExploreCareers/Assessments/self-assessments.aspx)

- [O*NET Interest Profiler](https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip)

- [BigFuture College & Career Planning](https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/)

- [Open Ed Academy Virtual High School](https://openedacademy.com/)

Chapters

(00:00) When Mailroom Misery Becomes Valuable Information

(03:57) The Ideal Timeline for Post-High School Planning

(07:12) Helping Teens Who Have No Idea What They Want

(11:34) The Surprising Value of Knowing What You Hate

(15:43) Hard Work vs. Wrong Path: How to Tell the Difference

(19:27) Breaking the Helicopter Parent Cycle

(24:38) The $200,000 College Debt Trap

(31:08) Adulthood: The Ultimate Series of Do-Overs

(35:16) Beyond Career: Finding Your Impact

(40:02) Final Advice: Goals Are Steps, Not Endpoints

About Our Guests

Rose Ybaben has 15 years of experience working with students of all ages, most recently as a high school counselor. She specializes in helping families navigate the post-high school transition process.

Danielle Randall has 12 years of teaching experience across public, charter, and private school settings. She now supports students pursuing state-certified diplomas at Open Ed.

Join the Conversation

How did you approach post-high school planning?

What alternative paths have worked for your family?

Share your experiences in the comments below.

Want even more?

Sign up for the OpenEd Daily newsletter at https://opened.co for practical tips and insights about more open and innovative approaches to education.Subscribe:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-opened-podcast/id1760216903https://open.spotify.com/show/6Kf7SZ8XASA6tSqMEuHmVCFollow us on social:https://www.instagram.com/openedHQhttps://www.facebook.com/openedhqhttps://x.com/OpenEdHQhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/openedhq/