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Associated Press
20-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Annual Report from YouScience Reveals 72% of Students Aren't Ready for Life After High School and Sharp College Enrollment Drop
As four-year college enrollment plummets to 35%, students are rethinking their futures, but most say they're unprepared for what comes next AMERICAN FORK, Utah, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- YouScience®, the leading education technology company transforming college and career readiness through its award-winning platform Brightpath, today released its third annual Post-Graduation Readiness Report, revealing a growing disconnect between students' education and their preparedness for real-world success. Drawing from a national online survey of over 500 high school graduates from the Classes of 2021 through 2024, and trends across six graduating classes dating back to 2019, the report uncovers a deepening crisis: students are navigating a rapidly changing world with outdated tools and minimal guidance. The findings demand urgent action to redesign how we prepare young people for life after high school. Among the report's most critical findings: 'This year's data makes one thing clear: today's students are open to new paths, but they lack the tools and guidance to make confident, informed decisions,' said Edson Barton, CEO of YouScience. 'We must rethink what it truly means to prepare students, not just academically, but practically, for a world that values skills, purpose, and adaptability.' The data also highlights significant gender disparities. Males are far more likely than females to graduate high school with no plan at all (14% vs. 8%), while females remain more likely to follow the traditional four-year college route (68% vs. 46%). Too many classrooms still lack career-connected learning opportunities that help students see how their education applies in the real world. In fact, 50% of respondents said schools could have offered more work-based learning opportunities and 41% said schools should have helped them better understand their aptitudes. Far too often, students are relying on shallow, interest-only tools that miss the mark and fail to uncover the deeper aptitudes that shape potential and purpose. Without that level of insight, students are left guessing instead of planning. With patchwork solutions and vague career advice failing students, YouScience calls on education, business, and policy leaders to take immediate steps to close the readiness gap: 'Students don't need more generic advice, they need meaningful career exposure, real data about their strengths, and practical experiences that connect learning to life,' Barton added. 'This report gives us a roadmap. It's up to all of us to act.' To read the full 2025Post-Graduation Readiness Report or see how YouScience Brightpath equips schools to drive real student outcomes, visit About the report The 2025 Post-Graduation Readiness Report is YouScience's third annual study on how high school graduates are navigating life after graduation. Based on a 2025 online survey of over 500 students from the classes of 2021–2024, and analyzing trends from 2019 to 2024, the report reveals an urgent need to rethink how we prepare students for life beyond high school. It offers insights into graduates' current pathways, sense of preparedness, and the decisions shaping their futures. About YouScience YouScience® is the leading education technology company dedicated to empowering individuals with the data and credentials needed to succeed in school, career, and life. Its award-winning platform, Brightpath, is the only College & Career Readiness solution built for both compliance and impact—powered by scientifically backed aptitude discovery, industry-recognized certifications, and meaningful career connections. By leveraging cutting-edge research, AI, and industry collaboration, YouScience helps individuals uncover their unique talents, validate their skills, and connect with in-demand educational and career pathways. YouScience has served more than 13,400 educational institutions and millions of users nationwide, making it the preferred choice for individuals, parents, educators, and counselors to achieve real outcomes through education and career pathways. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE YouScience
Associated Press
16-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
For the Seventh Year in a Row, Utah Renews Funding for YouScience® Brightpath to Boost College and Career Readiness and Workforce Development
State investment ensures 375,000 students can continue exploring future career and education paths through innovative aptitude-based planning tools AMERICAN FORK, Utah, April 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- YouScience®, the leading education technology company transforming college and career readiness through its award-winning platform Brightpath, today announced the continued funding by the Utah State Legislature for YouScience®Brightpath for every public and charter middle and high school in Utah. This continued investment ensures students across the state will continue to benefit from personalized career guidance, aptitude-driven guidance, work-based learning, and industry-recognized certifications that prepare them for future success. The renewal reflects Utah's steadfast commitment to helping students build brighter futures and the state's continued leadership in career-connected learning. Through the Student Credential Account (SCA) program, the Utah State Legislature has championed workforce readiness since 2019 by supporting student access to career exploration and industry-recognized credentials. This year's funding will provide 375,000 students across 449 schools and 41 school districts with uninterrupted access to Brightpath, empowering them to understand their strengths, make informed decisions about their futures, and connect with real opportunities in Utah's workforce. 'For seven years, the Utah State Legislature has demonstrated what it means to truly invest in our students and community,' said Edson Barton, Co-Founder and CEO of YouScience. 'Their continued support of Brightpath means students statewide can gain clarity, confidence, and direction as they navigate education and career planning. We're proud to be part of this future-focused partnership.' Brightpath is an end-to-end platform that connects education to careers, helping students explore their aptitudes, through the Aptitude Career & Discovery assessment, validate skills with industry-recognized certifications and work-based learning, and find relevant educational and career pathways, ultimately aiming to bridge the gap between education and industry. 'This funding is a game-changer for our CTE programs,' said Laura Deshazo, CTE Director, Salt Lake City School District. 'With access to YouScience, our teachers can better support students in identifying their aptitudes and aligning them with relevant pathways and programs we offer. It helps us personalize education, guide students toward meaningful careers, and ultimately strengthen the connection between education and workforce readiness across our schools and throughout Utah.' YouScience's Aptitude Career & Discovery assessment helps educators personalize learning by identifying each student's natural aptitudes through engaging, science-based brain games. AI then matches students to best-fit careers and educational pathways–making school more relevant and purposeful. Brightpath supports key transitions from middle school to high school, post-secondary education, and the workforce by connecting classwork to real-world outcomes. Students can explore careers, earn certifications, and connect with employers, while educators gain valuable insights to guide graduation planning and streamline work-based learning programs. To learn more about YouScience, please visit: About YouScience® YouScience® is the leading education technology company dedicated to empowering individuals with the data and credentials needed to succeed in school, career, and life. Its award-winning platform, Brightpath, is the only College & Career Readiness solution built for both compliance and impact–powered by scientifically backed aptitude discovery, industry-recognized certifications, and meaningful career connections. By leveraging cutting-edge research, AI, and industry collaboration, YouScience helps individuals uncover their unique talents, validate their skills, and connect with in-demand educational and career pathways. YouScience has served more than 13,400 educational institutions and millions of users nationwide, making it the preferred choice for individuals, parents, educators, and counselors to achieve real outcomes through education and career pathways. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE YouScience
Associated Press
02-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
YouScience Announces Strategic Investment from ECMC Group's Education Impact Fund to Expand Career Exploration and Success for All Individuals
Leading college and career readiness platform provider will use the funds to drive its mission to blend student success and workforce development AMERICAN FORK, Utah, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- YouScience®, the leading education technology company transforming college and career readiness through its award-winning platform Brightpath, today announced a strategic investment from ECMC Group's Education Impact Fund (EIF). This partnership unites EIF's mission to improve outcomes for underserved learners and workers with YouScience's scientifically backed aptitude data and industry recognized certifications, to dramatically improve education outcomes and career opportunities for all students. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed. EIF is a multi-stage impact investment fund that exclusively invests in high-impact and transformative companies that seek to remove barriers to completion, revolutionize skill development, unlock equitable pathways and fuel career success. 'YouScience's mission to help all students uncover and act on their aptitudes, earn industry certifications, and meaningfully connect with employers, aligns with our goal of fostering effective, personalized pathways to college and career success,' said Joseph Watt, Vice President at ECMC Group and Managing Director of EIF. 'We are proud to support YouScience as they continue to expand their innovative solutions and empower more students to achieve their full potential.' Founded in 2006, YouScience has been used by over 13,400 schools and organizations nationwide, guiding 4.1 million individuals through aptitude-based college and career planning, with more than 8 million industry-recognized certifications taken, to date. Co-founder and CEO, Edson Barton, has dedicated nearly 25 years to the skills certification industry, helping young adults break through glass and paper ceilings. Philip Hardin, co-founder, chairman, and CFO, led the groundbreaking creation of YouScience Aptitude & Career Discovery assessment and brings a proven track record of building successful technology companies, including growing Change Healthcare into a $1.3 billion enterprise. Bias is a natural part of human behavior, but it significantly restricts opportunities and limits potential. YouScience's Aptitude Career & Discovery breaks down barriers such as biases, and stereotypes by aligning students' innate aptitudes (talents) with real-world, in-demand careers and the educational pathways to achieve them. With these insights, YouScience supports true career-connected learning (CCL) opportunities that advance student access and success. This CCL approach includes connecting classroom learning to employer needs through industry-recognized certifications, work-based learning opportunities, and guidance to individualized pathways to college and career. 'We're thrilled to receive this investment from ECMC Group's Education Impact Fund, which reinforces the message to districts, states, and colleges that there's a better way to engage, enroll, and support students in their best-fit education pathways,' said Barton. 'Through this partnership with EIF, we'll expand our mission and impact by connecting even more students with the data and tools they need to close opportunity gaps and achieve meaningful, personalized success.' About YouScience® YouScience® is the leading education technology company dedicated to empowering individuals with the data and credentials needed to succeed in school, career, and life. Its award-winning platform, Brightpath, is the only College & Career Readiness solution built for both compliance and impact–powered by scientifically backed aptitude discovery, industry-recognized certifications, and meaningful career connections. By leveraging cutting-edge research, AI, and industry collaboration, YouScience helps individuals uncover their unique talents, validate their skills, and connect with in-demand educational and career pathways. YouScience has served more than 13,400 educational institutions and millions of users nationwide, making it the preferred choice for individuals, parents, educators, and counselors to achieve real outcomes through education and career pathways. About ECMC Group ECMC Group is a nonprofit corporation focused on helping students succeed by creating, providing and investing in innovative educational opportunities. Headquartered in Minneapolis, ECMC Group and its family of companies provide financial tools and services, as well as funding for innovative programs to help students achieve their academic and professional goals. To learn more, visit Education Impact Fund The Education Impact Fund is a $250 million evergreen impact investment fund that aims to accelerate the transformation of America's postsecondary and workforce ecosystem by investing in innovative companies and collaborating with institutions, employers and communities toward a shared vision of improving education access and outcomes for underserved learners. To learn more, visit
