Rooted in humorous stories distilled with bits of sagely honest advice, The Journey goes beyond the well-chronicled college admissions madness and cuts to the core of parental angst with concrete suggestions for preparing children for a competitive and rapidly changing world.

Young people face an increasing medley of challenges as they pursue higher education. Amid skyrocketing tuition costs, 43 million U.S. adults hold a whopping $1.78 trillion in student loan debt. College admission is significantly more competitive than it was just a few years ago, and today’s students compete with international talent for education and career opportunities. As a result, 40% of Gen Z adults live at home and have gained a “failure to launch” reputation. Many lack the skills and perspective they need to become fulfilled adults because their educational journey did not prepare them to be thoughtful, authentic, or strategic in developing and achieving their goals.

Enter The Journey. Written for both parents and students, this guide is comprised of advice and personal anecdotes drawn from college admissions counselor Greg Kaplan’s work. Kaplan offers sobering statistics about the lacking capabilities of the next generation and prescribes stories of parenting strategies that succeed in raising independent children to achieve their long-term goals. Emphasizing the foundational tenets of a successful adult life—grit, leadership, and passion—Kaplan approaches the college admissions process with the intent of instilling transferable skills that will carry students well into adulthood. He asks students: What do you want to get out of your college career and work career? How can you make the most of the college journey to jumpstart your journey into the real world? He asks parents: Are you preparing your children to attain a life of health, happiness, and financial independence?

This book is designed to support today’s youth in identifying their passions and developing the grit and leadership skills they will need to make the most of future opportunities. The Journey calls on parents to both act and refrain from acting to help their children develop into capable and independent adults and calls upon students to take control of their own futures through easy to implement steps.

Greg Kaplan is an internationally recognized college admissions strategist and speaker. Headquartered in Newport Beach, his firm, the Kaplan Educational Group, helps hundreds of high school seniors and over 1,000 underclassmen reach their educational and career potential each year. Greg draws on his experience as an investment banker and lawyer to tie one's education to their long-term goals. Beyond earning admission, Greg and the Kaplan Educational Group Team are committed to helping all of their students become healthy, happy, and financially independent 
adults.