Two award-winning professors, a former admissions officer at a major university (now a counselor at a prestigious high school), and a gifted high school senior (now in the throes of the college admissions process himself) team up to offer you over 600 tips, techniques, and strategies to help you get in to the college of your choice.

Comprehensive, yet easy-to-read, this book will teach you:

• How to size up the colleges you're considering-and come up with a coherent list.
• What are college nights, college fairs, and college rep visits-and how you can use each to your advantage.
• What are "holistic", "contextualized", and "legacy" admissions-and how each can work for you.
• How some schools count "demonstrated interest"-and how you can take advantage of this little-known fact.
• What are Early Decision, Early Action, and Single-Choice Early Action-and whether any is right for you.
• How to figure out the true costs of college, and what is the difference between "need-" and "merit-based" aid.
• What it means when colleges say they meet "100% of demonstrated financial aid" and what "loan-free" means.
• When and how to make campus visits-and what to do on each.
• How to prepare for each section of the ACT or SAT-and how to increase your scores.
• What admissions officers are looking for in your application-and how to give it to them.
• How to write the all-important Common App essay-and present your extra-curricular activities.
• How to prepare for an alumni interview-and present yourself in the best light.
• Whom to ask for letters-of-recommendation-and how to help them write the best possible letter.
• How to compare your final offers-and, in some cases, substantially improve them.
• When it's good to wait out the "wait list"-and when not.
• -and much, much more.

When you understand the college admissions process, you can maximize your chance of success. Why not put yourself ahead of the pack?

About the Author

Lynn F. Jacobs is a professor of Art History at the University of Arkansas, having previously taught at Vanderbilt University, California State University Northridge, the University of Redlands, and NYU. Jeremy S. Hyman is founder and chief architect of Professors' Guide content products, (www.professorsguide.com) and lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Arkansas. He has also taught at UCLA, MIT, and Princeton University. Together, they are authors of The Secrets of College Success: Over 800 Tips, Techniques, and Strategies Revealed. Jeffrey Durso-Finley has been director of college counseling at the Lawrenceville School, in Lawrenceville, NJ, for the last ten years. Before that, he served for eight years as assistant director of admissions at Brown University. Jonah T. Hyman is a senior at Haas Hall Academy in Fayetteville, Arkansas and is currently in the throes of the college picking and, hopefully, getting in process.

Reviews

"Authoritative and wise. . . accessible and lively. . . . A good first book for any student embarking on the college search."-Theodore A. O'Neill, former Dean of Admissions, University of Chicago

"... easy to read, clearly organized, and very specific in its advice. I plan to use it with my own students."-Jon Reider, Director of College Counseling, San Francisco University High School; former Senior Admission Officer, Stanford University; and co-author of Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know about Getting Into College

The college application process can seem daunting, but this book breaks the process down into logical, manageable steps. There are over 600 tips in this book. Here's one more: Read the book. It should be your first step on the path to college."-Marjorie Savage, Parent Program Director, University of Minnesota and author, You're on Your Own (But I'm Here If You Need Me): Mentoring Your Child During the College Year

"If you read one book on the college process-this is the one you want. Straightforward, spot-on advice to streamline the college exploration and admission process, improve outcomes, and reduce stress for students and families."-Barbara T. Conner, Director of College Counseling, Foxcroft School, Middleburg, VA, and Creator of #FiveFirstChoiceColleges

"... will become the 'go to' resource for parents and students alike... delivers the most up-to-date, practical compendium available today of the ever-evolving landscape of college admissions."-Franca Rawitz, Independent College Counselor & Founder, ReadySetCollegeNYC

"... informative, current and logical, full of important information on a wide variety of topics, yet concise and easy to understand. I wish every family I work with would get a copy."-Alyssa O'Brien, Director of College Guidance, Lawrence Woodmere Academy, Woodmere, NY and former Admissions Reader, Northeastern University

"...captures the essence of the process and provides excellent tips and suggestions to students (and parents!) who are just beginning this journey. Having two sons who went through this process a few years ago, I can say that it would have been helpful to them to have a similar "Guide" handy."-Diane Freytag, Director of Counseling and Advising, The Overlake School, Redmond, WA

"... packed with practical pointers and compiled specifically for students, it's like having a college coach by your side. Filled with advice from college professionals -- including admissions officers -- this book is easily accessible and is a must-read."-Alicia J. Linsey, Counselor, Lexington High School Lexington, MA and founder and independent counselor, The Academic Advancement Group

"... does a fantastic job of capturing the 'moving target' of college admissions. Its easy-to-follow format, complete with web links for digging deeper and finding the latest updates, make it a must-have for high school students. It not only answers standard college related questions, but also answers important questions that students may not otherwise know that they should ask."-Sandy Aprahamian, Independent Educational Consultant, EDNavigators LLC

"... really drills down to the nuanced questions students should ask themselves. Sharing with students and families an actual reader rating card that admissions officers use to evaluate each component of the application is worth its weight in gold! A valuable resource for students, parents and counselors!"-Beth Ann Burkmar, Associate Director of College Counseling, The Hun School of Princeton, Princeton, NJ; former Regional Director of Admissions, University of Pennsylvania; and former Admissions Counselor, Drexel University

"It would take hours, even weeks, to gain the knowledge on one's own that is so accessibly offered in this guide. The authors of this book did their audience a huge favor by doing a lot of the hardcore research and web searching that has taken me over a decade to acquire as a full-time college counselor."-Kelly B. Richards, Director of College Counseling, St. George's School, Providence, RI

"Hundreds of tips with catchy headings ("Best-Kept Secret," "Reality Check," "Epic Fail!") jump off the pages, making it simple for even the busiest (or laziest!) teenagers to find them. Parents, too, will appreciate the ease of honing in on concise explanations, suggestions ... and warnings."-Sally Rubenstone, Senior Advisor, College Confidential

Book Information
ISBN 9781118974636
Author Lynn F. Jacobs
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Jossey-Bass Inc.,U.S.
Publisher John Wiley & Sons Inc
Weight(grams) 340g
Dimensions(mm) 226mm * 150mm * 23mm