Getting in Is Not Enough: The New Blueprint for Success Beyond Grades, Test Scores, and College Admission

The skills that truly predict success aren't what we think--this book reveals how to develop them.

For too long, we've believed that stellar grades, high test scores, and prestigious college acceptance guarantee a successful life. But the data tells a different story: the skills that predict long-term achievement, job satisfaction, and well-being have been hiding in plain sight all along.
What if the key to thriving in our rapidly changing world isn't about checking boxes on a college application, but about developing the foundational abilities that help young people adapt, connect, and flourish?
Academic advisor and early career development expert Ana Homayoun has spent over twenty-five years discovering what truly makes the difference. In Getting In Is Not Enough, she reveals the research-backed skills that predict everything from college graduation rates to life satisfaction--and how to develop them.
With her refreshing, solutions-oriented approach, Homayoun provides a practical blueprint for helping students build the capabilities employers now prioritize, and researchers have proven make the difference, including how to:

- Master executive functioning skills that research shows predict academic achievement and life satisfaction years later
- Build authentic social capital through genuine connections that open doors and expand perspectives
- Identify personal energy patterns and create sustainable systems for success
- Develop adaptability and resilience that can turn setbacks into growth opportunities
- Cultivate the skills employers now prioritize over technical credentials

Through compelling storytelling, current research, and proven strategies, Homayoun's empowering approach offers a complete reimagining of what preparation for adulthood really looks like. Getting In Is Not Enough is essential reading for parents, educators, and anyone invested in helping young people create their own paths to meaningful success.

Author: Ana Homayoun
Publisher: Balance
Published: 06/09/2026
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 8.90h x 5.90w x 0.70d
ISBN: 9780306830709

About the Author
Ana Homayoun is the founder of Silicon Valley-based Green Ivy Educational Consulting and executive director of Luminaria Learning Solutions, which develops student programs focused on executive functioning and well-being. She is the author of four books: That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week, The Myth of the Perfect Girl, and Social Media Wellness and Getting in is Not Enough: The New Blueprint for Success Beyond Grades, Test Scores and College Admission. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Fast Company, and NPR, and on Good Morning America and NBC News. She lives in San Francisco.