Tomorrow is gonna be a killer day here at Prequel. We’ve got two exciting virtual workshops happening:

I hope to see your kid at one of them!

In today’s issue:

💻 Guess the biz kid: This one is currently worth $104 billion. 🤯

🏫 News you need to know: Yale’s most competitive admissions cycle — ever.

📱 Notable nibbles: TikTok may disappear, dads aren’t getting enough credit, and more.

In “Guess the Biz Kid”, we give you three clues to guess the name of a founder who started their company while still in school.

👉 Clue #1: In high school, he earned $18k in one year by selling newspaper subscriptions.

👉 Clue #2: He founded his company (then called PC’s Limited) as a freshman in his UT Austin dorm room with only $1,000 in startup capital — while balancing pre-med coursework. 🤯

👉 Clue #3: He took his company public in 1988, then took it private again in 2013. He is currently the 12th-richest person in the world with a net worth of $104 billion. 😯

The answer is at the bottom of this email. 👇

Yale just announced the most competitive admissions cycle in its 320-year history, only accepting 3.73% of its applicants.

Two years ago, Harvard’s acceptance rate dropped to the lowest in its 380-year history.

And Columbia’s acceptance rate has sliced in half over the last 10 years (see the graphic above).

Of course, the Ivy League isn’t for everyone, nor is it necessary for success (especially if your kid has a rockin’ entrepreneurial mindset). But many kids have their sights set on it, and it can be devastating when those dreams don’t become reality.

So what can they do?

Well, it’s not as simple as “get top grades” or “enroll in extracurriculars”.

👉 One good rule of thumb is to develop a “spike”. 

A spike is a stand-out factor, like a killer passion-project or an entrepreneurial venture.

And when it’s time to apply, it’s gotta be paired with a breath-bating story.

Tomorrow, my team is hosting a free interactive workshop on this topic. It’s full, but your kid can join the waitlist and get notified if spaces open up!

👆 Faris earned $700 in a month.

At Launchpad, your kid can, too.

We’re not talking about begging for money with sad little lemonade stands — we’re talking about real businesses that solve real problems for real customers.

Let your kid experience real-world entrepreneurship with Launchpad.

Space is limited — secure your kid’s spot today.

📱 TikTank: If you’re living under a rock, you may have missed the news that TikTok could be banned in the US by the end of the year. 20% of its users are under 18, and more time is spent on it than any other social media platform.

🥤 Big gulp: The soda industry is coming for your kid. “There’s been an explosion of new soda flavors and brands that seek to cater to Gen Z and Gen Alpha.”

🤨 Um. What?: Learn the slang your kids are using (if you dare).

🍼 Daddy dearest: Dads are more involved with child-rearing than ever, yet they’re still getting undersold in pop culture.

🔥 FYI: The Yoto Mini Speaker for kids has been recalled due to its battery catching on fire. No one has been hurt (thank god), but you should contact the manufacturer immediately if you have one.

👀 Watch: Creativity is best shared between generations. (I’m not crying, I’m just cutting onions, I swear 😭).

❤️ ICYMI: This savvy teen is transcending togetherness with tech.

Hope you enjoyed today’s issue!

Until next time,

Ivy

CEO Prequel, BETA Camp, Apollo

Follow my journey on LinkedIn