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The Journey

How to Prepare Kids for a Competitive and Changing World

Published by Health Communications Inc EB
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

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—rising tuition costs, daunting prospective student debt, and a talented and competitive applicant pool. After a decade of preparing students for the ever more difficult admissions process, college counselor Greg Kaplan wishes parents would stop thinking, “What should I do to get my kid into a good college?” and instead ask: “How can I best prepare my child for what comes next?” Having practiced law and worked in investment banking early in his career before pivoting to working with students, parents, and educators, Kaplan knows what the world—and its population of college admissions officers—is looking for in today’s youth and tomorrow's leaders: Grit. Leadership. Passion.

Emphasizing these fundamental tenets of successful adulthood, The Journey paints a realistic picture of the lack of preparedness among today’s youth. Using stories of parents and students who have struggled and succeeded, Kaplan pushes students to consider: What do you want to get out of your college and work career? How can you 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?

Rooted in humorous stories sprinkled with bits of brutally honest advice, The Journey goes beyond the well-chronicled college admissions madness and cuts to the core of parental angst. This is the definitive guide in preparing children for a competitive and rapidly changing world.

About The Author

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. 

Product Details

  • Publisher: Health Communications Inc EB (May 7, 2024)
  • Length: 240 pages
  • ISBN13: 9780757325052

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Raves and Reviews

"I have been shocked by how intensely competitive and unhealthy the college admissions process has become, akin to the stress of applying to medical school. Through 20 years of training medical students, residents and rheumatology fellows, the recipe for success distills down to loving what you do and working hard. Being a firm believer in wanting my kids to be the best version of themselves and follow their passion, I tried to stay clear from the college counselor frenzy. It wasn’t until halfway through my daughter’s junior year that I met Greg Kaplan, and finally found someone who was like-minded. Greg's book is truly a gem, urging a much-needed realignment of how we and society define success. All parents and students should read this book as they embark on the process. It will help them focus on curating a growth mindset while focusing on building grit, cultivating passion, and becoming a leader. In my opinion, these are the most important gifts we can give to our children that will prove invaluable throughout their life.”

—Sheetal B. Desai, MD MSEd, clinical professor and Chief of Rheumatology, University of California, Irvine

“Wow, The Journey really hits the nail on the head! Realistic, filled with honesty and firsthand experience dealing with college counseling for both student and parent. Eye-opening and truthful about what college admission officers are looking for in a high school senior applying to college in today’s world with true grit, passion, and leadership. As someone who works with stressed-out high school seniors and their overly anxious parents, I especially appreciate the ideas discussed in this book that are informative, insightful, hopeful, and valuable concepts that hit home. A must-read for college-bound students and their parents in this overly very competitive college and career world!”

—Mary Russell, college and career counselor for Newport Mesa Unified School District

“Greg Kaplan’s The Journey reframes and reimagines the stressful college application process into a powerful journey of self-discovery, authenticity, and leadership development.”

—Matthew Breitfelder, Partner and Global Head of Human Capital, Apollo Global Management

The Journey helps parents find the right balance between support and independence as their children apply to college and explore future career paths. The book provides excellent advice not only for the college application process but for the broader context of life.”

—Barbara Hewitt, Executive Director, Career Services at the University of Pennsylvania

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