FURTHER BACKGROUND:  From time to time, some people who haven't read the book or heard Greg speak wonder if the message of the story is somehow 'anti-Ivy Leagues' (since Greg was rejected from the Ivy Leagues).  In reality, that is not the message of the story at all.   In fact, one of the most positive characters in the entire story (Alex) is an Ivy Leaguer.  As evidence that the book is not 'anti-Ivy League'... in recent years, various clubs/organizations at three of the Ivy Leagues have asked Greg to speak on campus, one of the school's publications hired him to write an article, a Club at one of the Ivy Leagues brought him to campus and gave him a prestigious honor, one of the Ivy Leagues' school papers did a really positive cover story about him, and a host of Ivy League students, graduates and staff have sent in wonderful reviews of Greg's speeches and/or the book.  Suffice it to say, those things wouldn't be happening if the story was 'anti-Ivy League'.  In fact, the book (and the real-life story it is based on) share a message that is very positive toward Ivy Leagues (and all colleges, really). Simply put, the message of Greg's story as it relates to the college process is four-fold:

(a) If the Ivy Leagues (or any other school, for that matter) are a good fit -- if a student has researched a school and likes the majors that are available, the qualifications of the professors who teach there, the size of the classes, the teacher-student ratio, the extracurriculars that are offered, and so on -- then he or she should pursue that wonderful opportunity with a passion.
(b) If it is not a good fit -- and a student only desires to go to a particular school to please someone else or with the hope of impressing a future employer -- then they are doing themselves -- and the school -- a disservice. 
(c) If a student does get to go to the school of their dreams, they should view it as a true privilege and do everything they can to make the most of the opportunity, get as involved as possible on and off campus, and leave the school community better than they found it.
(d) If a student gets turned down from the school of their dreams, they should keep their head up because life does go on with many other wonderful academic opportunities worth their pursuit.

MEDIA & HONORS:
==  Greg was honored at Princeton University as one of America's top social entrepreneurs under 40
== Featured on the cover of the Daily Princetonian ("Nonprofit Founder Speaks on Success")
== Hired to write an article for Columbia Law School's alumni magazine
== Washington Post Co did a feature story on Greg and Steven Spielberg, their college experiences and how that shaped their future paths
==  College News, College Bound, Baltimore Sun, Education Week, National Public Radio, Newsweek Kaplan College Guide also among those who also did feature stories on Greg's college experience
== In 2002, Greg was one of a handful of "up and coming social entrepreneurs" flown to New York to have dinner at the Harvard Club with the leadership of Goldman Sachs and its Foundation

==  Other distinctions received include: Jefferson Award for Public Service, America's Daily Point of Light, Hasbro Real-Life American Hero, CBS Hometown Hero, Education Center Director's Award

EXAMPLE OF SPEECHES & THE BOOKS (NOTE: If it says 'invited', that may mean that Greg did not ultimately end up giving the speech (ie in the case of Columbia, he had a scheduling conflict and could not accept - but, all the same, the invitation that was extended is a reflection of the support this story has received)
== Princeton University Entrepreneurship Club used The First Thirty as part of a mentoring program
== Students at Tufts University & Northwestern University incorporated the book into their local mentoring programs as well

== EntrepreneurshipWeek USA 2007 - nationwide program sponsored by Inc., The New York Times, and Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation - names Greg one of today's 'Trailblazers', citing his efforts to use his skills to make a positive impact on society 

== Spoke at Princeton University - event sponsored by nine clubs and organizations on campus
== Invited to take part in lecture series on global leadership for Ivy League graduate students 
== Invited to speak to incoming freshman at Columbia University

== Advance Mentoring, Inc. - founded by two Ivy Leaguers - sponsored a civic project revolving around The First Thirty for MBA students in St. Louis
== Keynoted Zeta Beta Tau's 2006 National Convention on Leadership & Philanthropy; students in attendance included undergraduates from Columbia and Cornell among others
== Greg (and John Sculley - former CEO of Apple & IBM) spoke at the Valley Business Conference
== University of Wisconsin-Whitewater incorporated The First Thirty into a course on Race & Culture
== Spoke at colleges and universities like George Washington University, Boston College and University of Connecticut
== Daniels College of Business incorporated The First Thirty into their social entrepreneurship course
== In New York, HESC ordered copies of The First Thirty for all the educators and site leaders attending its Annual Statewide Conference
== Greg keynoted the 66th Annual Volunteer Banquet for University of Chicago Hospitals; organizers order 200 copies of the book to give out to its volunteers and some of its staff in conjunction with the event
== In Florida, a middle school parent (Claudine Mourjan) read her son's copy of the book cover-to-cover in one day. Later that same day, she purchased 100 copies -- giving them out to her staff, her clients and lending some to the middle school her son attends.
== In Minnesota, the Vikings (NFL) purchased copies of The First Thirty for local middle school students and sponsored an essay contest based on the book for them
== North Community Bank ordered copies of The First Thirty to give to teens in Louisiana impacted by Hurricane Katrina
== In New York, the Giants (NFL) sponsored an essay contest for local students based on The First Thirty
== Asnuntuck Community College incorporated The First Thirty into its First Year Experience Program
== CSU, Fresno incorporated The First Thirty into its Leadership Program
== Hotels in California & Canada ordered copies of The First Thirty for their staffers