Two expert college admissions consultants-a mother-daughter team-share their step-by-step, proven strategy for creating an application that stands out and gets you IN!

College admissions has never been more stressful. Not only is admission ruthlessly competitive, with more and more qualified students applying each year, but the application process has become more confusing than ever before. Most parents and students feel anxious, overwhelmed, and confused by the choices and trade-offs.

In! is based on the authors' 20+ years of experience working privately on boarding, college, and graduate school admissions with students from all over the world. While there is no shortage of college admissions guidebooks on the market, In! offers students and their parents a crucial element that none of the others do: a clear, step-by-step strategy that helps students not only compete academically with other qualified applicants but also develop a defining interest-in incremental, attainable steps-that distinguishes them from their peers and gives them an edge with college admissions officers.

This strategy is summed up in a four-word phrase: 'be alike but spike.' This means that the applicant must perform on par with other students applying to similar colleges, while also working to stand out from the pack-like a spike on a graph-in one area. (Ironically, it's often the 'well-rounded student,' an ideal many applicants strive for, who gets rejected.) In! shows students how to create that distinction by identifying and "layering" their passion, showcasing their interest in many different ways and circumstances.

Enlivened with instructive case studies as well as entertaining New Yorker cartoons, this book carefully guides students through the application process, showing them how to rise to the top of an applicant pool of thousands. And unlike most books about 'getting in,' In!'s lessons do not end at college acceptance. Rather than viewing college admissions as a hurdle to be quickly and painlessly cleared, mother-daughter team Luterman and Bloom present it as an opportunity for students to mature, expand their horizons, and discover what makes them tick. Not only does this book get you in, it gives teenagers the tools and confidence they'll need for future success.

'Be Alike'-How to optimize your GPA, standardized tests, extracurricular activities, and more.

'Spike'-How to develop a unique area of distinction that makes you stand out from your peers.

How to create a winning college application-including personal essays, activity chart, letters of recommendation, and more.

How to choose the right college for YOU, and how to prepare to attend, and afford, your top-choice school.

About the Author

Lillian Luterman has been involved in education throughout her entire career. She began her educational consulting practice 20 years ago and has watched it expand globally. Her current clients include children of Fortune 500 CEOs and government leaders. A graduate of McGill University with a master's degree from Emerson College, Lillian specialises in working with clients with learning problems as well as with gifted children. She lives with her husband in Westport, Connecticut. Jennifer Bloom, a graduate of Harvard College, Cambridge University (U.K.), and Harvard Business School, began working with her mother, Lillian Luterman, as part of her educational consulting practice, in 2005. Prior to that, she spent more than 10 years in marketing and advertising. She has worked for companies such as American Express, Ogilvy & Mather, and J. Walter Thompson, creating and launching new services as well as award-winning advertising campaigns.

Reviews
Praise for In! College Admissions and Beyond: "An accessible, student-centric approach...Clear examples demonstrate how to incorporate individual talents and energies into an effective strategy. In! will show you how to shine." -- Ray Kim, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Academic Advising, College of Arts and Sciences, Cornell University "Luterman and Bloom make the invaluable connection between who we are and getting where we want to go; as a former client, I know their message is equally applicable to careers over a lifetime. In! offers smart tools that can be employed successfully anywhere one wishes to excel." - Jared Cohen, Director of Google Ideas, formerly of the State Department, Rhodes Scholar, Stanford University Graduate "Helpful and easy-to-read...An excellent guide, especially for students trying to compete at the top level..." -- Library Journal "In! College Admissions and Beyond is the best resource book I have seen for preparing high school students and their parents for the college admissions process. It has both tactical and strategic advice and can be read cover to cover or used as a reference. I used it with my daughter and it made a tremendous difference in her understanding of the process and, therefore, her ability to compete effectively." -- Sally K. Bayless, Through The Magic Door "The book is excellent for parents and students new to the admissions process and contains practical tips that are particularly useful for school counselors both new or seasoned...the authors present the ABCs of the admissions process in a succinct fashion with good advice that can be gleaned quickly in this easy-to-read book. A must for counselors, parents and students." - NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) - Winner of a Gold medal, Education Category, 2012 Independent Publisher Book Awards


Awards
Commended for Independent Publisher Book Awards (Education/Teaching) 2012.



Book Information
ISBN 9780789210609
Author Lillian Luterman
Format Paperback
Page Count 304
Imprint Abbeville Press Inc.,U.S.
Publisher Abbeville Press Inc.,U.S.
Weight(grams) 170g