Life Skills Students Need Before College Prep. Strategy Tomorrow's Leading Districts Need Now.
We help teens design a real plan for life (and build the skills to support it).
We help districts build a data-driven strategy that reaches students.
The problem
The system wasn't designed for this.
82%
of managers say Gen Z lacks needed soft skills
Source: Harris Poll
56%
of high schoolers report persistent sadness: 20yr high
Source: CDC
55%
of teens hang out with friends 2+ times weekly (20+yr low)
Source: Atlantic
57%
of Gen Z lacks savings to cover 3 months' expenses
Source: Bank of America
And it's not your fault. Dating back to the 19th century, our education system was built to produce workers for the industrial economy — not to help teenagers figure out who they are and where they're going.
FOR PARENTS
"Your teen is overwhelmed (or lost). You've tried tutors, apps, and pep talks. But nothing connects into an actual system."
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FOR DISTRICT LEADERS
"Your strategic plan is gathering dust. Your data tells you what's wrong, but you need a bridge from strategy to execution."
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The Approach
What if the district's plan and the kid's plan were both designed?
What if they were designed around the same core idea?
Most education consulting firms help districts write standard plans, often involving test scores. Most teen coaching programs help kids set standard goals, often involving grades and colleges.
These aren't bad goals. But neither asks the obvious question: What if the district's plan and the kid's plan were designed around the same thing — a clear, honest picture of what it takes for a student to build a meaningful, fulfilling life?
Summer 2026 "Designing High School" — (Online, Hybrid Format: Live & Asynchronous, Open to Bay Area Rising 10th & 11th Graders)
12 - 15 students. 6 weeks. The skills and frameworks that change everything after high school.
$1,500
A limited number of need-based scholarships are available — inquire during your free consultation call.
Compare: private school runs $20-60K/yr. Admissions coaching up to $10K.
Download the Program Info Sheet -->
Priority enrollment is opening soon. This cohort is limited to 15 students.
Your Coach
The students Neil has worked with — and the districts — share a similar challenge: the potential is clear, but the path forward isn't.
He built his first response in a San Francisco classroom. The life design course he developed there won a national teaching award and scaled to 15 Bay Area schools and more than 2,000 students a year through a partnership with the Pearson Foundation.
Since then he's carried the same framework further, advising Alameda County district leadership on long-term planning, and leading strategy and operations at an early-stage AI company. The context changes. The work is the same.
That work is what Master Plan Academy is built on. The students and districts we work with leave with more than just a plan — they leave with the clarity and confidence to act on it.
I especially valued the clear, practical strategies for college admissions and the way you made the activities and digital tools engaging.
— Martin Medeiros, parent of 10th grader, Alameda, CA
The 5 Critical Life Skills Your Teen Won't Learn in School
(And How to Build Them Before College)
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