FolderWave Partners with Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority to Help Students Plan Their Future

WESTFORD, Mass., March 4, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- In response to significant changes in both educational and employment expectations, FolderWave has worked to enhance an intuitive and engaging web-based platform designed to help students plan for academic success through middle school, high school, and beyond. MEFA Pathway Your Plan for the Future serves as the "connective tissue" of Massachusetts' college and career planning initiatives, created by MEFA with the support of the Commonwealth's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Higher Education.

The city of Lawrence was one of the first districts to implement the online portal into their curriculum. The city had worked hard to increase graduation rates, but with more students graduating, teachers at the school noticed that students often left high school without a solid post-graduation plan.

Recognizing that students needed more guidance, the School Leadership Team implemented an advisory program that focused on helping students develop a post-graduation plan, including assistance with the college application process. MEFA Pathway, implemented in the Lawrence School District in October of 2017 when the platform launched, became a key tool of the advisory program.

"MEFA Pathway has provided teachers with a tangible platform to use with students in this advisory program," said Brittany Hay, an ESL coach within the High School Learning Center (HLC) in Lawrence. "The HLC is an alternative education program, and we serve students who are over-aged and under-credited. Many of our students work hard to support their own families and are serious about trying to finish up their classes and earn a diploma. MEFA Pathway allows these students to think about long-term goals and put action steps in place in order to achieve them."

MEFA Pathway is available to every student across the Commonwealth and is tailored to meet the needs of its diverse student populations. More information can be found here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNYYCIxaAo4). Based upon grade level, students have access to appropriate and recommended activities. For middle school students, interactive games encouraging exploration and discovery can start to define potential and encourage self-reliance. For high school students, building a foundation around college and career readiness prepares students and sets them up for success on whatever path they choose. The platform provides interactivity between students and their counselors from schools who participate in MEFA Pathway for a highly customized experience.

The college application process will become even more streamlined with MEFA Pathway when the platform debuts integration with the Common Application this fall.

In addition to career and college information, MEFA Pathway offers additional resources to help students make informed financial choices on how to pay for their post-secondary path or choosing potential careers.

"It's critically important for students and families to understand the financial impacts of today's career and educational choices," said Robert Burke, President and Co-Founder of FolderWave. "Transformation of the job market and the high cost of post-secondary education have converged to present a significant challenge that can overwhelm many students and families. To address this, we've combined Department of Labor metrics with college and vocational data to allow students to see not only the careers that align with their skills and interests but also the anticipated income and educational cost associated with each career choice."

"The introduction of MEFA Pathway has furthered our goal of providing comprehensive resources for college and career-bound students and their families while also supporting the efforts of the hard-working guidance community," said Thomas Graf, Executive Director of MEFA.

"It boils down to assembling all the right information in the same place," Burke said. "While there's a tremendous amount of career and college information available online, it lacks context unless viewed in one place as part of a comprehensive strategy. We're optimistic that the platform will help students imagine their brightest future, optimize their potential, and explore opportunities to further their educational and career goals."

About FolderWave, Inc: FolderWave is a cloud-based company offering products and services to Colleges and Universities and K-12 Systems designed to significantly improve complex, high-volume student-centric processes including College and Career Planning, Inquiry Management, Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Academic Records, and Transcripts.

About MEFA: MEFA is a not-for-profit state authority, not reliant on state or federal appropriations, established under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 15C. MEFA's mission, since its founding in 1982, has been to help Massachusetts students and families access and afford higher education and reach financial goals through education programs, tax-advantaged savings plans, low-cost loans, and expert guidance. All of MEFA's work aligns with the ever-present goal to support the independence, growth, and success of Massachusetts students and families. Visit mefa.org to learn more or follow MEFA on Twitter @mefatweets and Facebook at mefaMA.

SOURCE FolderWave