How a Better Plan for College Can Save Your Family Thousands—and Years of Stress

Is your teen trying to figure out what to do with their future?
Where should they go to college? What should their major be—or should they even go to college at all?

Most parents aren’t worried about whether their teen can get into college. They’re worried about something deeper: whether their child truly understands who they are, what they’re good at, and where they’re headed—and whether the decisions they make now will lead to confidence or regret later.

For many families, the stress doesn’t come from applications or deadlines. It comes from the fear of making the wrong choice, wasting time and money, or pushing a teen down a path that doesn’t truly fit.

College Preparation Is Really About Clarity

Here’s the truth many families discover too late:

College preparation isn’t really about applications.
It’s about clarity.

Without clarity, students guess. They change majors. They lose time, money, and confidence. And families carry years of unnecessary stress, wondering if they made the right choices.

👉 Learn more about College Flight Plan

Why Traditional College Preparation Falls Short

On paper, the path seems straightforward:
high school → college → career.

In reality, most students enter college without a clear understanding of:

• Their strengths and weaknesses
• Their values
• The environments they thrive in
• The kind of work that actually fits them

The results are costly:

• Only 40% of students graduate with a bachelor’s degree in four years
• 60% take six years
• Most students change majors three times
• Nearly 33% of undergraduates never complete a degree

These numbers don’t point to academic failure.
They point to a lack of direction before college even begins.

The Real Cost of Being Unclear

College is expensive—and uncertainty makes it far more so.

On the low end:

• In-state public college: $40,000 per year
• Ivy League or private colleges: $80,000 per year

When a student takes two extra years because they changed majors:

• $80,000–$160,000 in additional tuition
• Additional student loan interest
• Two years of lost income
• Two years of lost investment potential

The cost of not being clear about strengths, values, and purpose is staggering.

👉 Learn More About College Flight Plan

Meet the Experts Behind a Better Approach

For more than 20 years, Beth Langston and Greg Langston have helped teenagers prepare not just for college—but for life after it.

Together, they created College Flight Plan, a program built on a rare combination of expertise:

• Beth holds a degree in education and has guided hundreds of high school students worldwide through the college application and essay process
• Greg is a Purdue University Krannert School of Business graduate who led companies with over $1 billion in revenue, mentoring young professionals across 65+ countries
• As parents, they raised their own children globally—homeschooling at times, navigating multiple school systems, cultures, and languages

By the time their children were 13, they had attended 12 schools, lived in five countries, and experienced education from a truly global perspective.

Why College Flight Plan Exists

When the Langstons returned to the U.S. as their children entered their teen years, they assumed schools would help students prepare for the future.

Instead, they found that:

• Students weren’t learning their strengths or weaknesses
• Career exploration was minimal or nonexistent
• Purpose and goal-setting were missing entirely

At the same time, Greg had received hours of executive training as a business leader—assessments and feedback that helped him grow as a professional and a person.

The question became unavoidable:

Why are adults learning these skills at 40—but kids aren’t learning them at 16?

When Greg and Beth realized that schools offered little meaningful help in preparing their children for life after high school, they decided to do something about it. Drawing on Beth’s background in education and years of hands-on experience guiding students through the college application and essay process—and Greg’s experience as a business leader mentoring young professionals—they began by helping their own children gain clarity about their strengths, values, and direction.

What they learned through their own kids proved so effective that they began helping other families. College Flight Plan began with their own children—and grew from there, evolving into a proven process that helps teens prepare thoughtfully for college, careers, and adulthood with confidence and purpose.

👉 Learn more about College Flight Plan

College Preparation and Career Readiness

College Flight Plan does not assume college is the right path for every student.

Instead, the program helps teens:

• Identify their core values
• Understand their strengths and weaknesses
• Recognize what they are naturally gifted at
• Learn how they instinctively problem-solve
• Explore careers and majors that truly fit them

Some students use this clarity to choose a college major and graduate in four years.
Others realize college isn’t the right next step—and design a meaningful career or alternative path instead.

Both outcomes are successes.

Why So Many Teens Feel Lost

According to data Greg shared, 87% of teenagers and young adults report having no clear sense of purpose or direction.

Combine that with:

• Overloaded school counselors (an average of 424 students per counselor, and 900 per counselor in California)
• Pressure to “pick something” quickly
• Fear of disappointing parents

…and it’s no wonder so many students feel stuck.

Parents can’t afford to wait for schools to solve this problem. They don’t have the capacity.

👉 Learn more about College Flight Plan

How the College Flight Plan Process Works

Students move through a structured, teen-friendly process that includes:

1. Self-Discovery & Feedback

Students gather anonymous feedback from eight trusted adults—mentors, coaches, relatives—answering questions like:

• What does this student do well?
• Where do they struggle?
• How do they add value to others?
• What careers or majors might fit them?

This creates a 360-degree picture most teens have never seen.

2. Values, Purpose, and Natural Abilities

Students identify their core values, which become the foundation for their purpose and goals.

Greg often explains this using the image of a tree:

• Roots: Values
• Trunk: Purpose
• Branches: Objectives and goals

Students also complete assessments (including the Kolbe Assessment) to understand how they instinctively take action and solve problems—something that remains remarkably consistent over a lifetime.

3. Accountability That Actually Works

Every student chooses an accountability partner—often a parent or respected adult.

Why this matters:

• 5% success rate if you work alone
• 65% success rate if you share goals with others
• 95% success rate with a designated accountability partner

Accountability isn’t pressure—it’s support.

What Parents Notice Most

At the end of the program, students present what they’ve learned about themselves to their parents.

Beth describes these moments as transformational:

• Students articulate their strengths with confidence
• Parents often say, “I’ve known you for 16 years—and I didn’t know this about you.”
• Tension decreases
• Direction replaces anxiety

Students don’t just choose a major or a career path—they take ownership of their future.

👉 Learn more about College Flight Plan and help your teen plan their future with purpose.

Start Earlier, Stress Less Later

The earlier you start preparing for college, the better. Keeping records, exploring interests, and building self-knowledge early makes everything smoother later.

But it’s never too late to start.

If you want to help your teen move forward with clarity—whether college is part of their future or not—this approach replaces pressure with confidence.

Helpful Resources for You

• Great Books of the Western World
  A timeless collection that develops critical thinking, clear communication, and intellectual maturity—skills that matter for both college success and life beyond it.
• What Is a Classical Education
  An overview of how a classical approach emphasizes reasoning, writing, and deep understanding—qualities colleges and employers consistently value.
• Education vs. Schooling
  A helpful perspective shift for parents and teens alike, clarifying the difference between checking boxes and becoming truly educated and prepared for adulthood.
• See How a Homeschool Graduate Won a $10,000 Scholarship
  A real-world example of how clarity, purpose, and intentional preparation can lead to scholarships, leadership opportunities, and confidence. (Watch the video)
• Elephant Learning Math
  A research-based math program designed to help students who are struggling—or who need to rebuild confidence—strengthen foundational skills before high school and college-level work.