A Real World Approach to Earning Admission

    Greg Kaplan is a college admissions strategist that draws on his experiences as an investment banker and lawyer to guide students through the admissions process and develop skills necessary for long-term success.  An educator at heart, Greg encourages students to pursue their passions, increase their impact in their communities, write persuasively about themselves, and develop skills and perspective that admissions officers, graduate schools, and employers covet.  

     Greg is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business and UC Irvine School of Law, where he received close to a full-tuition scholarship.  Greg grew up in San Diego and attended one of the largest and most competitive public high schools in the region.  He outperformed his classmates in earning admission to some of the most selective colleges by marketing himself as a valuable applicant. He draws on this experience to encourage students to work smarter and not necessarily harder to stand out in high school.  After graduating from college, Greg worked at some of the largest private equity firms in the world where he was responsible for creating additional value for investors.  He then earned his J.D. and shortly after opened his college admissions advising practice.  Greg is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.                                    
     Greg views a college education as one of the most important and largest investments a family will make.  He works with students to maximize this return on investment so students are happy, healthy, and financially independent.  Greg works with applicants interested in all types of colleges as early as five years before they apply to college.  He focuses on creating compelling application themes that tie together and enhance every part of the college application and convince admissions officers to admit an applicant.  He is a frequent contributor on the topics of college admissions and personal growth in high school with national and local media outlets.  

 
  Jae is an experienced higher education strategist and counselor. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. He also received his JD from Columbia University in the City of New York, after which he practiced corporate law in New York and San Francisco for 6+ years at various international corporate law firms.

    Jae comes to KEG after exploring various career options since his departure from the legal world. He taught LSAT to aspiring law students, worked at various fashion houses in New York while attending Parsons, and learned French in Paris. He brings his multifaceted experience working in three continents to help unlock his students’ best potential. 

    At KEG, Jae specializes in optimizing students' chances for success and long-term career satisfaction. He counsels high achieving students to think more strategically about their career objectives and matches their objectives with a prioritized list of schools. Jae has helped his students gain admission to Harvard Law School, the University of Pennsylvania (including the Huntsman Program), Duke University, UCLA Law, and the University of Texas at Austin, to name a few.   

​  Jae is currently based out of Paris, France, but will be relocating to Orange County in April/May of 2020. 

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    Born and raised in Newport Beach, Sami Zaret found her passion for college admissions counseling while completing her graduate work in education. 

     A teacher by trade, Sami graduated magna cum laude from UCLA with a BA in English and earned her Masters in Teaching from UCI.  Eager to move toward a practice that focuses on one-on-one relationships with students, Sami decided to leave the classroom and enter the rewarding field of admissions counseling. 

   With a passionate belief in the intellectual, emotional, and professional merits of higher education, Sami combines her vast experience in academia with her knowledge of local and national admissions policies to facilitate a rewarding college counseling experience for parents and students alike.  

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  Meredith Stenta is the office manager for the Kaplan Educational Group. She worked as an analyst in the investment finance industry before staying at home to raise children in 2002. Her children are now teenagers and she identifies with parents navigating the complicated college admissions process with their children.
   
     Over the years, Meredith volunteered in multiple leadership roles at Irvine public schools. Prior to working with Kaplan Educational Group, she worked in the finance department at Irvine Public Schools Foundation. Meredith is a graduate of Lafayette College in Pennsylvania.