A blog suggesting someone read a book? On paper? That’s right.
Stores are flooded with books promising to demistify the college admissions process. Some of them aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. But if you find yourself with a gift card for Amazon or a bookstore this holiday season, consider these books on the college admission process.
(Or stand in the store and read them, then buy something more fun with the gift card.)
These links send you to the Amazon page for each book, but I’m guessing there are plenty of copies on sites like Ebay too. Some have e-reader versions available too.
For students:
Acing the College Application: How to Maximize Your Chances for Admission to the College of Your Choice (Acing the College Application) by Michele Hernandez
Hernandez offers straight talk on best practices for filling out your applications – this isn’t a theoretical approach, she gives specific tips for the application and the essay.
Looking Beyond the Ivy League: Finding the College That’s Right for You; Revised Edition by Loren Pope
A lot of the books on college admissions sell themselves as some secret plan for getting into the Ivy League, but Pope argues that small liberal-arts colleges might make for a better experience – and better learning environment.
What You Don’t Know Can Keep You Out of College: A Top Consultant Explains the 13 Fatal Application Mistakes and Why Character Is the Key to College Admissions by Don Dunbar and G.F. Lichtenberg
Character is key, Dunbar says. A nice change of pace from the slews of books that encourage students to make themselves fit into some pre-packaged ideal of a quality college applicant.
The New Rules of College Admissions: Ten Former Admissions Officers Reveal What it Takes to Get Into College Today by Michael London and Stephen Kramer
This guide takes you through the steps of creating a list of the "best fit" colleges, develoingp a strategy for standardized tests, preparing for and acing the interview and navigating financial aid options.
The College Hook: Packaging Yourself to Win the College Admissions Game by Pam Proctor
I cringe a little at the phrase "packaging yourself" but the books does offer some practical guidelines.
The 75 Biggest Myths about College Admissions: Stand Out from the Pack, Avoid Mistakes, and Get into the College of Your Dreams by Jerry Israel
Mythbusters: the college version. The myths included take on campus life, financial aid and the admissions process.
For parents:
When Your Kid Goes to College; A Parent’s Survival Guide by Carol Barkin
"You’ve taught them how to do their laundry, brought them a year’s supply of toothpaste and shampoo, and lectured them on the do’s and dont’s of life beyond your home. The time has come for your child to leave for college — but are you prepared to say goodbye?"
Is there a book you think should be added to this list? Let me know.