Upward Path Institute

Join us for a free webinar this weekend!

For parents of students currently in grades 6–10.

Self-reflection and the ability to tell one’s own story are essential skills for selective college admissions, internships, job interviews, career decisions, and life beyond school.

Many students can list their classes, activities, and awards. Far fewer can clearly explain who they are, what they value, and what experiences have shaped them.

In this live webinar, Vinnie Gupta, President & Co-Founder of Upward Path Institute, will host a conversation with Jordan Soliday, Program Curriculum Lead and MIT Instructor, and Gil Griffin, Program Coach and journalist with over 30 years of experience.

We will discuss why personal storytelling should begin before college applications — and how our Foundations in Personal Storytelling program helps students build these skills.

Enrollment is now open for summer and the next school year.

Sunday, May 31, 2026 4:00 PM- 5:00 PM PT
Register here: https://shorturl.at/UBr26

Today, I visited Stanford’s d.school (Design School), which helped inspire Designing Your Life—the well-known Stanford course and book by Dave Evans and Bill Burnett.

One thing stood out to me: at its core, the d.school is about creative problem-solving—not just for engineering or design, but for life. And in the age of AI, this may matter more than ever.

“Which college major should my child choose?” For years, parents have understandably focused on this question. But perhaps the bigger question is: “How do we help our child become adaptable in a rapidly changing world?”

At Upward Path Institute, this is one reason we emphasize career readiness, self-awareness, and real-world skills—not just college admissions. In fact, ideas inspired by Stanford d.school thinking and Designing Your Life have influenced parts of our Foundations in Personal Storytelling and Career Compass programs, where students build reflection, adaptability, and thoughtful career direction.

Because perhaps the goal of education is not simply getting into college. It is helping young people become future-ready.

In the AI era, will career readiness matter more than college major?

We’ve long optimized for a simple path: strong academics → strong college → good job. For decades, that was the destination.

But as recent career outcomes for college graduates have shown, that path is no longer producing predictable results.

So what exactly are we aiming for now? Is the goal college admissions—or what comes after?

Because getting into a good college was never meant to be the end goal.

Career readiness—not college admissions—is now the destination.

That’s the shift more parents are beginning to grapple with.

Upward Path Institute congratulates our 2026 students on admission to UC Santa Barbara!

“42% of recent college graduates are underemployed.”
(Forbes, 2026; Federal Reserve Bank of New York)

Many did everything right—top colleges, strong majors. For decades, this was the path to a good, high-paying job. And it still didn’t work.

So how do parents guide students now—in a time of extreme unpredictability?

That’s what makes parenting the toughest job in the world.

Career readiness—not college admissions—is now the destination.

AI is reshaping what employers value—and colleges are adapting as well.

This is the shift we’ve been working on with families at Upward Path Institute.

Upward Path Institute congratulates our 2026 students on admission to Texas A&M University!

Upward Path Institute congratulates our 2026 students on admission to Rutgers University!

Upward Path Institute congratulates our 2026 students on admission to University of California, Davis!