Book Description
College students (more than 115,000 of them) reveal what life is really like at the nation's top schools. This must-have guide gives you college rankings like no other and covers all the essentials -- from academics to social life to financial aid, and everything in between. We also provide you with all the basics: admissions criteria, deadlines, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and more.
Best 361 Colleges uniquely ranks the nation's top schools in more than 60 categories, including:
·Professors Get High Marks
·Best Party School
·Dorms Like Palaces
·Great Campus Food
·Most Politically Active
·Diverse Student Population
·Class Discussions Encouraged
·Great College Newspaper
…and many more!
Featured on Good Morning America and in news stories across the country, Best 361 Colleges continually proves to be a favorite of both students and parents alike.
Customer Reviews:
Better Than Average.......2007-09-21
I have used this book more than the US News and World report. I give this book more value than the other one. I like the student reviews.
Great Reference Book.......2007-09-11
My daughter and I referred to this book hundreds of times when starting her college search - I believe information is current and accurate.
Have recommended to friends
Essential.......2007-07-17
This, along with Fiske's Guide to Colleges, are essential to the college search process. The hard data includes all the deadlines, a quality of life rating, demographic makeup, and lots of facts about admissions and financial aid. Very useful are the "comparable colleges" section which begins with the banner "Applicants Also Look At" and the "Survey Says" section.
Great way to start.......2007-07-13
This book is a great way to start the college search. My kids liked it since the basic facts for each college appear on two pages, quick and easy stats to review.
Huge disappointment compared to the 2005 edition !.......2007-07-11
I saw the 2005 edition of this guide at one of the colleges we visited and really liked it. So I bought it. However the new 2007 edition is so much tamer and more politically correct than the earlier one that it is much more boring and much less helpful than the 2005 version. The student comments have been totally watered down and the star ratings are gone.
Bottom line: you're much better off getting your hands on a used copy of the 2005 edition (which is called The best 357 Colleges).
Book Description
Every spring thousands of middle-class and lower-income high-school seniors learn that they have been rejected by America’s most exclusive colleges. What they may never learn is how many candidates like themselves have been passed over in favor of wealthy white students with lesser credentials—children of alumni, big donors, or celebrities.
In this explosive book, the Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter Daniel Golden argues that America, the so-called land of opportunity, is rapidly becoming an aristocracy in which America’s richest families receive special access to elite higher education—enabling them to give their children even more of a head start. Based on two years of investigative reporting and hundreds of interviews with students, parents, school administrators, and admissions personnel—some of whom risked their jobs to speak to the author—The Price of Admission exposes the corrupt admissions practices that favor the wealthy, the powerful, and the famous.
In The Price of Admission, Golden names names, along with grades and test scores. He reveals how the sons of former vice president Al Gore, one-time Hollywood power broker Michael Ovitz, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist leapt ahead of more deserving applicants at Harvard, Brown, and Princeton. He explores favoritism at the Ivy Leagues, Duke, the University of Virginia, and Notre Dame, among other institutions. He reveals that colleges hold Asian American students to a higher standard than whites; comply with Title IX by giving scholarships to rich women in “patrician sports” like horseback riding, squash, and crew; and repay congressmen for favors by admitting their children. He also reveals that Harvard maintains a “Z-list” for well-connected but underqualified students, who are quietly admitted on the condition that they wait a year to enroll.
The Price of Admission explodes the myth of an American meritocracy—the belief that no matter what your background, if you are smart and diligent enough, you will have access to the nation’s most elite universities. It is must reading not only for parents and students with a personal stake in college admissions, but also for those disturbed by the growing divide between ordinary and privileged Americans.
Customer Reviews:
A Ten Star Read on a Five Star Scale.......2007-10-14
Daniel Golden's The Price of Admission is a ten star read on Amazon's five star scale-- a triumph of hard-hitting investigative reporting combined with thoughtful suggestions on potential reform of college admissions policies.
The thesis of The Price of Admission is simple: a talented "unhooked" student is at a disadvantage in gaining admission to a prestige college, versus less talented alumni legacies, the scions of wealth ("development admits"-- while colleges may contend that admissions are "need blind" with respect to students, the colleges' own financial needs are keenly considered during the admissions process), faculty and staff children, and players of sports of wealth favored under the federal Title IX program, such as crew, polo or lacrosse. The only edge favoring "unhooked" studients is the preference for federally-designated minorities, including blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans-- a group that excludes Asian Americans and poorer immigrants.
Golden proves his thesis handily, using both broad-based admissions statistics and individual case studies. To my mind, Golden's willingness to name names and cite individual cases is a plus-- it is hard to brush off repeated instances of highly-credentialed "unhooked" candidates denied admission for less-talented but better connected children of donors, celebrities and alumni. As a result, this volume is a must-read for college admissions counselors, parents and college applicants. The sting of a college rejection of a talented "unhooked" student will hurt less if the context of that rejection is understood more fully. And perhaps the lure of the Ivy League plus Stanford and Duke will abate a bit if the public realizes that admissions to these institutions are hardly decided on a level playing field.
Especially heartbreaking in The Price of Admission are the stories of top tier students, frequently but by no means uniformly Asian American, rejected at multiple Ivies, while lesser-credentialed but better connected classmates are admitted. Poor foreign immigrants and, ironically, unhooked applicants whose parents have sacrificed to move to strong public school districts or to send their offspring to elite private schools (where they are more likely to compete with "hooked" classmates), are also disadvantaged in college applications. The Price of Admission offers must-read information for such students and families by helping them to realize that the college admissions process is biased and that rejection from top colleges does not signal personal failure. On the basis of personal experience, I would also suggest that talented students who are not admitted to Ivies will typically do well in life on the basis of their talent and drive, and should not let college admissions decisions define them.
Golden also highlights three colleges that do not admit on the basis of alumni preference, family wealth or athletic prowess, illustrating that alternative admissions systems can work effectively. Cooper Union admits strictly on academic and artistic merit, while Caltech admits solely on mathematical and scientific ability. Berea College, which serves a need-based population in the Appalachian Mountain area and in part of Ohio, admits students on the basis of merit, financial need and place of residence. The stories of Berea, Caltech and Cooper Union demonstrate that alternative admissions policies can and should flourish.
Golden concludes The Price of Admission with recommendations for moving college admissions more fully in the direction of merit. Many of his recommendations are thoughtful ones and deserving of careful consideration by college admissions staffs and policymakers.
Altogether, a ten star read on Amazon's five star scale. Recommended with keen enthusiasm.
A bit repetitive... was probably better as a newspaper article.......2007-07-27
In a series of articles for the Wall Street Journal, Golden brought attention to controversial aspects of college admissions that act to hinder economic diversity at elite campuses. The most striking allegation is that many universities mantain active communication between the admissions and development offices. For example, the development office at Duke applied pressure to accept applicants from wealthy families even if there had been no sign of interest in donations. Golden illustrates the unsavory nature of this connection through a series of comparisons between the wealthy (undeserving) applicant who was granted admission and a poor (deserving) applicant who was denied admissions. This style of writing is a nice appeal to emotion, but it works much better in the comparatively short format of a newspaper. After reading a dozen such comparisons between various students I would have preferred some real analysis. One piece of analysis that I have recently come across is a study by the New America Foundation which found that among the 140 most selective colleges, only 3% of students come from the bottom quartile.
The Price of Admission.......2007-03-10
This is one of the most revealing books ever written on the topic of unequal rights and entitlement. Its chilling detail about the disproportionate number of applicants who gain admission into the hallowed halls of America's elite institutions on the backs of their parents financial contributions is riveting stuff. It is very apparent that our legal system would have us believe that colorblind policies and not affirmative action should be the major criterion in considerations of admission in order to level the playing field. But race-based discussions in this context are spurious and misleading. This book reveals plainly why how in the midst of our most diverse society ever, American elite college admissions stands by the motto "I pledge allegiance to my university's endowment and to the hypocrisy for which it stands; one nation, divisble, with Liberty and justice for all who can afford it." Legal challenges would be next to impossible since the cloaked wonders on our Supreme Court come from these same hallowed halls. And we have the nerve to think God Blesses America!
entralling, but biased........2007-02-11
Higher education is regarded as the most effective means to elevate ones socioeconomic position. The author discusses how the admissions system of elite universities continually favors the wealthy, while neglecting disadvantaged students. For this book, he primarily utilizes his past columns on admissions, admissions data from the U.S. News & World Report, and personal correspondence and interviews.
Golden's main theme is the "gross inequity" of elite college admissions obtained through an "informal quota system" aimed at maintaining the homogeneous wealthy class (p. 11). From the introduction, the author details the various means by which elite institutions enact double standards in admissions between "hooked" and "unhooked" applicants via the personal tales of applicants who were rejected by their top choice universities. These sometimes heart wrenching stories are complimented by accounts of admission of various under-qualified applicants assisted by a variety of connections, such as the admission of President Bush's niece to Princeton past the official deadline. While somewhat repetitive by the end of the book, these narratives are effective at illustrating the author's theme of the favoritism towards the wealthy.
Overall, The Price of Admission is as a interesting, though scalding, review of admissions at elite institutions. Daniel Golden's stories of corruption and heartbreak certainly captivate the reader, and the need for admissions reform is clearly communicated. Some of the author's points, such as abolishing athletic preference, especially for athletes in sports only available to the wealthy, can and should be put into place. However, Golden's recommendations are too idealistic as a whole to be easily enacted under realistic circumstances. While forces other than merit should not influence admissions, much cultural and organizational change would be needed to truly change the current system. Universities rely on alumni monies, as they do funds associated with development cases, and until more equitable fundraising procedures such as those at Cooper Union can be successfully enacted, legacy and development preferences cannot be abolished. Also, American universities need to continue to use their limited financial aid funds for our students, rather than offer needs-blind admission to international applicants. Golden states "a fair, accessible college admissions system based on individual merit...would inspire students of all races...." (p. 297). While this is likely true, one must remember that the changes the author recommends would primarily benefit the fairly privileged middle class, who can afford good secondary education and test preparation to meet merit requirements. To truly open elite higher education to the masses, the reform must begin with primary and secondary education.
who's doing the not so right thing ar schools.......2007-02-07
This is a tattletale book of who is working the system to get their kids into privledged schools, often bypassing any main criteria that the institution has for any other students. The ending is a good one because the author offers solutions to this epidemic. he also cites some schools, one bing, Cooper Union in NYC that does not bow to any pressures to let kids into their school.
Book Description
Give PA applicants a competitive edge.
The best resource for anyone considering this career.
Getting Into the PA School of Your Choice, 2/e is a precise blueprint that addresses every step of the application process, including what schools look for in an applicant, financial aid, Internet resources, and information on PA programs.
*How to select a PA program
*Setting and achieving goals
*Comments, suggestions, and tips from current PA students
*Trends in PA programs- including excerpts from "PAs in the field" and salary profiles
*Expert advice on effective letters of recommendation Writing a quality essay-including sample “essays that worked”
*Interview strategies- including the toughest questions and answers
*Advice and contacts for financial aid
*Key web sites and Internet resources
Customer Reviews:
Marginally helpful.......2007-10-16
This book's info is antiquated at best. The author has nice writing examples for personal statements, but CASPA's essay does not allow an essay of this length. The info for deadline dates, as well as tutition is no longer correct for most schools.
The sample interview questions are generic, but the author does give decent insight into what the interviewees may be wanting to hear. I would not spend to money asked for full price on this book, but perhaps a used copy would worth it.
So-so for 2007, Great for 2004.......2007-10-02
Well maybe great for pre-World Wide Web. Most, if not all, the information about the schools is available from online resources. If the author was to compile and update this information yearly and post it on a web site using the book with a key number, he would have a winning combination. Alas, that isn't the case.
Having little or no access to counseling resources, the most difficult part of the PA application process was writing the narrative which for the 2007 application cycle, at least, was to address the statement: Please describe your motivation towards becoming a PA. Looking at the sample essays in the text, I put together a 2000 word statement to somewhat match the sample essay's length. Only one small problem, CASPA now restricts applicants to 2,970 characters which in my case was 519 words. One just doesn't have the luxury of explanations and developing ideas that is shown in the text.
At this stage, I have submitted my CASPA application and am now in the waiting game to hear about interviews. In skimming the interview information, it appears to be a rehash of standard interview hints. Whom would think that one should be well groomed at a professional interview? Whom would to think to have a strong confident posture in interviewing for a medical position. While these hints may be valuable to someone whom has not gone through an interview process, they are standard for most people that have been involved in health care which the majority of Master's level PA applicants have been.
With a minimum of updating to discuss CASPA and how to write an effective 2,970 application essay, this text could be a great help. Until then, at best a so-so use of the dead trees used to create the paper it is printed on.
Great Book!.......2007-09-24
If you are serious about getting into the P.A. profession you NEED this book. Extremely informative. It's been a huge help to me while putting my application together. It was actually recommended to me by the director of the program I'm trying to get into.
goody but oldy.......2007-03-30
I'm contemplating applying to a PA program, and my impression of the book is pretty consistent with the positive reviews here. My only concern is that this 2nd edition from 2003 may be getting out of date, what with all the newsmag articles and whatnot in the last few years about how PAs are going to be one the best job fields to enter over the next decade. This book could really stand to have another edition printed soon.
Excellent. Goal-oriented, methodical, challenging........2007-03-19
Followed the steps in this book, got accepted by both PA schools that I interviewed with.
What more should I write?
Book Description
Vital information for every college applicant. A former Ivy League admissions officer provides tough and funny advice on coming up with the best essay possible.
Customer Reviews:
Grand Slam.......2007-05-27
For the college bound and everyone else, this concise, well-written primer
holds the potential of dramatically improving your writing skills. Writing
with humor, common sense, economy of language, and a wonderfully entertaining
selection of illustrative essays, Harry has gone a long way to help us reach
that goal. This book by itself of course isn't getting anyone into college
with the possible exception of Harry Bauld. Harry can have his pick, though
I don't imagine returning to college offers much allure for a former athlete
who's lost a step and can no longer bend his unforgiving back.
Harry has done several tours in University Admissions and knows whereof he
speaks: The personal essay is how you tell them who you are, how you distinguish
yourself from the ever-multiplying hordes. When your future at the University
of Choice is being weighed, another asset in the plus column couldn't hurt. I
originally bought the book for my college-bound daughter, read it, loved it,
and in a few weeks will be substituting for Harry (I am also bauld) at a family
seminar in our kitchen. At this juncture my wife and I seem much more interested
than our daughter.
Fantastic!.......2005-10-27
Do not apply to college without reading this book! At last something really different yet supremely helpful too on how to get into the best schools. Bravo Mr. Bauld, from far away Greece!
One of the Best of its Type.......2005-08-31
I teach high school juniors, and we have a unit on writing the college admissions essay. This is one of the best on the subject that I've read. It is short, which will appeal to the teenage reader, and it is humorous, which appealed to me and, I am sure, will appeal to them. My daughter, who is in the midst of writing the application essay, read the book. To me, that is high praise. I recommend it.
NOT FOR GRAD SCHOOL APPS.......2005-02-22
I cannot comment on the utility of this book for applying to undergraduate schools. It may be fabulous. The author does use humor and lots of examples to help. However, I was applying to graduate school, and the essay style is completely different (at least it was for all of my applications).
The graduate essay requires a wealth of specific information to be included. Specific, biographical information including past jobs and relevant experiences. This book discourages such broad essays - the very ones required by most graduate programs (at least in psychology). For grad school applicants, I recommend "How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate and Professional School" by Richard Stelzer. Not only is it thought-provoking and well written, it includes sections for specific programs (medical, law, business, etc.)
Brilliant and inspiring.......2004-09-21
This is not only the best book on writing the college application essay, but one of the best books about writing, period. With amazingly fresh and funny examples throughout, it shows how bored admissions officers are by the pompous, self-congratulatory essays that students often think they're supposed to write--and how those students can do much, much better. It literally changed my daughter's life, not only because she got into the very competitive college of her choice, but because she now is a sharper, more interesting writer.
Book Description
With so many qualified applicants, competition for college admissions is fiercer than ever. Now you can put yourself ahead of the pack by making your application flawless!
When applying for college, good grades and high standardized test scores are not always enough to guarantee admission. What sets you apart, argues Michele Hernández, is the way you describe yourself in your application. But how do you present yourself with flair, and highlight all your talents, skills, and passions, in just a few pages?
A former assistant director of admissions at Dartmouth College, Dr. Hernández takes you step-by-step through the entire application process, revealing the details that make or break an applicant. From the multitude of short and longer essays to the myriad of charts, lists, and personal data sections, she offers essential advice, useful anecdotes, and vivid examples. Included are:
• A line-by-line look at the common application
• The truth about the essays, with samples of those that made the grade
• The best way to ask for teacher and guidance counselor recommendations
• When to provide colleges with optional essays and peer evaluations
• The ten common myths and misconceptions of the on-campus interview
• The most meaningful academic subjects, work experience, and extracurricular activities to mention
• Early action versus early decision—the trade offs
With this helpful, savvy book, prospective college students—and their parents and counselors—can now vastly improve their chances of getting into the college of their choice.
“Want to scale the Ivy wall? Michele Hernández gives you the tools to do it. This brisk, no-nonsense book is built on inside dope, and Hernández’s experience allows her to challenge conventional admissions thinking.”
—HARRY BAULD
Author of On Writing the College Application Essay
Customer Reviews:
Got me Into The Ivy League.......2007-06-20
I used this book when helping me fill out my college application to Cornell University. Cornell recently just had their lowest admission year at 20%. I have only a 1280/2000 on the SAT (710M 570V) and got accepted.
I did everything the book asked me too. Highlighting my advantages and writing descriptions to EC's the exemplified leadership.
This is tailored to the Common Application. However it can definitely be applicable to all applications. I do credit this book with getting me into all the schools I applied to except one. This is the only book I used in the application process. I recommend it.
Michele Hernandez is a goddess.......2007-01-13
this book and her other, A for admission, are really the only ones you need for the college admissions process. Hernandez is thorough and straight forward. her other book is better than this one and some of the stuff in this is repetitive of her first, but i bought this one as a Thank you for all the help i received from her first book.
Geared toward extraordinary students.......2006-12-01
My son is bright but not brilliant - gets A's and B's in Honors courses but hasn't taken any AP or IB courses. He loves to play sports but isn't good enough to be on his high school teams. He tried a few clubs but nothing interested him enough to get involved. He's your average kid who spends his free time with a group of friends, playing pickup games of different sports, video games and poker. He's never had a unique passion or hobby. After reading this book, I became depressed.
Lots of Good Information.......2006-11-11
Much of what is in this book is common sense, but during the busy senior year of high school many students may not pay enough attention to the quality and care they put into their college applications.
From this book, a student can gain an understanding of the college admission process and be able to put his or her best foot forward in the application.
Excellent guide!!!.......2006-09-01
As I was reading the other reviews of this book, I could already see the success this book's advice is giving to high school students, especially to seniors. My mom suggested this book to me, and I could have never imagined what a gift it would turn out to be. Applications are all about how you look on paper, and this book gives any student who follows its suggestions a leg up on the competition, especially in the crucial essay-writing phase. So many college prospects find themselves hampered by essays and struggle with them. Taking suggestions such as these into consideration can certainly make or break an application. I also applied to Princeton University early, and I was also accepted. I truthfully do not know what my life would be like now without this book. Thank you Dr. Hernandez for your insights and solid advice.
Book Description
A sought-after “packager” of high school students shares highly coveted strategies to help parents get their kids into the country's most competitive colleges
Did you know? A child's guidance counselor can help reverse a deferral. A parent can help get a child off a waiting list. And there is a way for students to back out of Early Decision once they've been accepted.
Based on the controversial insider information Elizabeth Wissner-Gross has gleaned from working for years as a successful packager of high school students and from interviews with heads of admission at some of the nation's most competitive colleges, this book helps parents answer questions such as: Can an application be sabotaged by a competing student or parent? How do colleges really know if a student applies to two or more schools for Early Decision? Is it possible to prescreen a teacher's recommendation? As well as the biggest question of all: Of the tens of thousands of highly qualified students that graduate each year, why should a college choose yours?
Targeting the college-educated parents of today's college-bound teenagers who seek to gain a proven edge in the highly secretive and seemingly arbitrary college admissions process, What Colleges Don't Tell You (and Other Parents Don't Want You to Know) reveals 272 little- known, unconventional, tried-and-true secrets to help parents get their children into the most competitive schools of their dreams.
Customer Reviews:
Indispensable Consumer-Oriented Reference.......2007-09-15
Having recently gone through the college admissions process with two children, we've looked at most of the books in this category. What sets this book apart from the others is the fact that the author is unquestionably on the side of you, the consumer. Ms. Wisner-Gross lends transparency to the business of college admissions, and offers many suggestions reflecting her ability to think outside of the box. This book was extremely helpful to us, and a clear favorite.
Getting Your Child Into a Top School.......2007-09-02
The presentation emphasizes the importance of monitoring grades from the
9th grade onward because this provides a good predictor of future performance. In addition, parents should track grading rubrics. Student
practice is important to solidify knowledge of the technical subject areas. i.e. math, science and foreign language
Sometimes, group study can make tedious work more palatable and manageable. The author provides a list of excellent colleges that do not require an SAT score. i.e. Bates, Bowdoin, and Harvey Mudd engineering school. Olin College provides a free engineering school. The author recommends that students provide a resume, chart and no picture.
Essays should provide a sincere recitation of your accomplishments and what you plan to contribute to the college. Applicants should demonstrate a passion for the area of study in the application. In addition, areas of strength should be emphasized.
The authors really do not explain the pitfalls of selecting a top school.
First of all, what is a top school? Is it a place with a 100% job
placement rate or a place where only PhDs are hired or a place where
top SAT scorers are highly sought out? In my own experience, it is
important to visit the institution of choice and talk to current and
former students. Do students seem to be happy? Are they overworked?
Do teachers teach or do student teachers take up most of the teaching
load because professors are too busy publishing and doing research?
These are all areas to be investigated because college is a multi-year
commitment in time and money.
The author doesn't say so; however, a top school consists of the following:
o excellent job placement/prospects in your major area of study
o good preparation for graduate school work, if ever contemplated
o comprehensive teaching by academic types or working professionals
o a current curriculum (although professional licensure courses of study
are mandated by state or federal law)
o a reasonable cost for the value of the education provided
o a roster of accomplishment by the alumni
i.e. Professional licensure, PhD or graduate education, publishing,
inventorship, identification by the print media
There are things you do not want in a top school. i.e.
o professors or teachers who delegate too much teaching to assistants
o instruction that is too esoteric or theoretical
o an institution that doesn't link the education to professional placement
o too much adherence to bell curves and rigid grading rubrics
o teaching that assumes too much prior background in the subject matter
o an environment which is not conducive to learning
o an unaffordable cost for the education
A great help!.......2007-08-31
I, like some of the others was a bit put off by the title, however, I bought the book after browsing through the chapters because of the practical and pragmatic advice given.
I did not know that the information that you give for your child's interests in one part of the college application would have a direct bearing on how he/she should write their essays - that one should support the other.
I also did not know how important the essays are on a college application until my son came home with his guidance counselor's form and ALL the questions were in the form of an essay directly taken from the college application.
If my son comes in with well-thought-out essays that showcase him and what he can offer a school, is he to be considered "packaged" because his parents bought a book that helped him?
The negative comments (which are in the minority and really should not have the prominent position they do on this website) really do not reflect the majority of us that have found it invaluable.
For smart parents who want to even out the playing fields.......2007-08-06
Parenting of teenagers has become very polarized in America, as the reviews for What Colleges Don't Tell You seem to demonstrate: There are the involved parents who maintain close relationships with their teenage children, and there are parents who prefer to let their teenagers bring themselves up with minimal input or guidance--independence at all costs--who are outraged by high-achieving families that work together.
Parents who value the art of parenting right into the teenage years can gain a lot from What Colleges Don't Tell You. The book is very respectful of teenagers and tells parents how they can guide and remain close during their children's high school years. But for those who think that parenting ends when their kids become teenagers--or for kids who resent any parental involvement--the book will probably seem foreign and even threatening.
Parents of high achievers will be especially impressed with the insights that this book provides. Admission to the prestige colleges is made more accessible and more logical for hard working, dedicated students. Wissner-Gross helps the reader to understand the current admissions system, which apparently is no longer based solely on GPAs and SATs; she helps the reader understand the many subjective credentials--and how a dedicated student can earn them--in a world where the "haves" prefer to keep these factors secret.
Adults who believe in blind obedience--the high school is always right--may find this approach to college admissions daunting. But more educated parents who prefer to have the playing fields evened out will particularly appreciate the book's in-depth discussions of grades, college essays, and studying.
I don't recommend this book for conventional thinkers who have stereotypical teenage children and prom queens who lack focus and academic commitment. Benefiting from this book probably requires child-centered families with lots of rapport. It seems targeted more toward today's involved parents, rather than 70s style do-your-own-thing parents. I strongly recommend this book to families where parents and their teenagers work as a team. Other people won't get it. I wish it had been available back when I was in high school.
Like Having a Personal College Advisor!.......2007-08-04
This book was released as my daughter was entering 12th grade...I wish Eliabeth Wissner-Gross had written it sooner! In "secret" #14, she discusses some academic competitions and programs which are highly regarded by colleges and are less well-known than Intel and Westinghouse. We had never heard about them, even though we're in a highly academic school district and this is my second child to pass through it! Her unique perspective on how to approach and prepare for standardized testing is detailed, extremely informative and may actually improve your relationship with your college-bound kid! Every section of this book provided valuable information that made us feel like we had a personal college advisor!
Book Description
With increased selectivity by colleges across the board, students feel more pressure than ever to craft an application essay that will sway admissions offices in their favor. This newly revised and diverse collection illustrates proven strategies for tackling the college essay. Each essay was used by a Harvard student on his or her application and is followed by analysis by the staff of The Harvard Crimson, who help give perspective on what works well and what detracts from an otherwise compelling essay. A thorough introduction also explains how to avoid common essay pitfalls, find your voice, and emphasize your strengths. 50 Successful Harvard Application Essays is an inspiration to every student whos staring at a blank computer screen having trouble expressing what truly sets him or her apart.
Customer Reviews:
Extremely Interesting.......2006-11-10
These essays were very good, some of them were very moving. I found that this book explained the college essay process and was an easy read.
Essay-writing.......2006-11-03
This is a fantastic collection of application essays. If you or your child is in need of examples of well-written essays, these 50 essays are just the thing for you. Not only are the essays themselves printed, the book also provides an analysis for each, by the Staff of "The Harvard Crimson". Within each analysis, you learn what topics to choose, what to avoid and how to keep the reader from discarding your essay. If they worked for Harvard students, they'll definitely help you with your school.
The essays are very interesting to read even if you're not applying for college!.......2006-01-16
I bought this book because I tutor English off and on and I was thinking of expanding my tutoring to help high school students write their college essays. I saw this on sale at my local Borders and I thought, well why not? It would give me some samples to show students and help me to focus on certain essentials that make a good essay.
As I started reading the essays, I was so surprised at the depth and creative writing skills of these students. When I went to undergrad, the essay that I wrote was very standard. I talked about my goals and dreams and what kind of student I was, but I didn't turn it into a story (even though I am a writer and stories have been a crucial form of communication for me for years). At the time, I didn't know that it could be done. While I did get into all of the schools to which I applied, I wish I had known that creativity was encouraged in admissions essays.
Since then, I have seen fabulous winning essays to top schools (such as the ones included in this book) and I realize that focusing on a key event of your life and letting it tell a deeper story is part of what connects the admissions counselors to you as a person and reveals depth of character.
This book has really great essays. Some of the commentaries following the essays are better than others. I think, unfortunately, because the reviewers are professional writers, they are more critical than the actual admissions counselors might be because they want you to submit "A" quality work. I think telling your story from the heart is more important than tiny details that only a literary editor would pay strong attention to. Organization is important as is a basic understanding of grammar, but you don't need to get so caught up in the technical aspects of writing this essay that you loose your natural voice.
Other than that, I think this book is a great resource for students (or parents helping their children) who want to go to a university or private college. It is organized efficiently so that you can see the different approaches that various students have chosen and, in general, the commentaries can assist you in pinpointing why a particular essay was so effective. I wish you the best of luck!
Still the best.......2005-09-06
The second edition is much better than the first. The new essays are more timely and the critiques are very insightful. Any high school student can benefit from reading this book and learning different writing techniques and tones for both College essays and school papers.
Brilliant Brilliant Book.......2005-08-15
College essays are so important. They allow you to frame your application, and tie all your disparate achievements together to form a coherent application. I would go so far as to say that the first edition of this book single-handedly got me into Harvard. And the second edition is even better! There are new essays, a more diverse range, and the commentary on the essays is lengthier and more insightful. I especially liked the new essay by Harrison Greenbaum about magic. A must read for anybody who is applying to a competitive college.
Book Description
This is a remarkable book that every student and parent should read before applying to college. It explains the rules and how to play the game successfully. Well-written and up-to-date, Admission Matters offers important insights into the college admission process, as well as important practical advice they can implement all along the way.
Customer Reviews:
good book.......2007-07-15
The best book I read so far. As an admission consultant, I think it covers the basic information that parents and kids should know. I even met her in person this year. There is one little problem about this book - it is two years old. So new things happened within these two years have not yet been covered, such as the SMART grant (new for year 2007).
Amazing resource for anyone with admissions question.......2006-10-11
As a high school senior, I've been having the usual problems with finding a college that I feel is right for me, and then actually going about the process of applying. Not only was this book helpful in answering nearly all of my questions, but it is written in an interesting, friendly manner that I found heartening in the midst of a process that has been incredibley stressful! I recommend this book not only to high school students but their parents as well - my Mother read it and she loved it too!
Admission Matters.......2006-02-25
This book is clearly written and an excellent guide for the high school student and parents.
the best college admissions book I've seen.......2005-12-16
This is an outstanding book. What I appreciate most about it is its thoughtfulness. Where other books present statistics and give only brief attention to very important topics, this book presents a fair, smart, and thorough account of the World of Admissions and encourages you to sit down and think about things, guiding you along each step of the process.
Wonderful Resource!.......2005-11-03
"Admission Matters" attracted me for a number of reasons--the background, experience and knowledge of the authors is compelling, but moreover I chose this book because as the parent of three with two already in college and the third an applicant now, I was hopeful that I would find new details and advice regarding the competitive hurdles that my youngest will be facing. My hopes were more than fulfilled! This book is an engaging and informative resource that blends just the right amount of humor, candor, anectodal details, encouragement and reality for parents and their college bound kids. It is also organized to facilitate quick reads of sections and question areas of greatest interest. This is a refreshing and valuable guide in the high-anxiety sea of college planning.
Book Description
Get everything you need to know to make the right decision! This insider’s perspective on the nation’s top business schools provides rankings based on student surveys, just like those made popular by The Princeton Review’s Best 361 Colleges guide.
Best 282 Business Schools also includes student quotes about classes, professors, the social scene and more, as well as a complete index of schools throughout the country with basic information on their programs. Plus, it covers the ins and outs of admissions and financial aid, and the schools get an opportunity to talk back by including their own profiles. Best 282 Business Schools has all the information you need to find the perfect match in a business school.
Customer Reviews:
I was expecting much much more........2007-07-05
This book gives some information that can be helpful
1. A whole lot of stats (Academic rating, GPA ave, GMAT ave, # of students, student faculty ratio, joint degress, financial facts, and a lot more!)
2. A short description/info on academics, career and placement, student life environment, admissions, + more of every school.
Why I don't like it:
1. Most are just US schools. I expected more schools from Europe, Asia, Australia.. There are still a number of non-US schools. But I bought this book to have an idea of how other schools outside US are.
2. They are all MBA programs. I chose this book among others because it said "Best 282 Business Schools," not "Best 282 MBA programs." I intentionally excluded books with "MBA" on their title from my shopping list. There are a lot more programs than the MBA(Ms Finance, Ms Marketing, Ms International Business etcetc.) Business schools are not just about MBA programs. I was expecting see more of them from the book. The only non-MBA programs that they list are the joint-degrees available per school. If you're looking for an MBA program, this won't be a problem.
3. Academic rankings are........ absurd. I couldn't believe they gave University of Chicago just 78 points in academic ranking. Businessweek ranked that school #1, ahead of Harvard/Wharton/Stanford. They could have at least given Chicago an 85.
One final note, if you plan to use this book to gather research information for your essays in top 30 schools, this won't be enough. You'll still need to interview/talk to the adcom, teachers, students or alumnus/alumna.
A good resource.......2007-01-10
If your having trouble finding which business school to attend this can greatly help you. Very detailed and ranks schools within given regions.
MBA Information.......2007-01-10
This was the first book we purchased on the subject, but is was similar to the top 300 undergraduate schools books - Princeton Review, etc.
This was very helpful in narrowing the field of possible schools and informative on the types of students.
The average graduate's salary was also very helpful.
Great resource!.......2006-10-13
This is a great resource for the money. I found the reviews of the business schools to be very helpful, and when compared to my other research on the subject to be right on point.
Book Description
Stressed and sleepless, today's high school students race from school to activities in their most competitive game of all: admission to a top-ranked, prestigious university. But is relying on magazine rankings and a vague sense of "prestige" really the best way to choose a college? Is hiring test prep teachers and consultants really the best way to shape your own education?
In this book, edited by a veteran admissions counselor, a passionate advocate for students, the presidents and admission deans of leading colleges and universities--like Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, Harvard--remind readers that college choice and admission are a matter of fit, not of winning a prize, and that many colleges are "good" in different ways. They call for bold changes in admissions policies and application strategies, to help both colleges and applicants to rediscover what college is really for. It's not just a ticket to financial success, but a once-in-a-lifetime chance to explore new worlds of knowledge.
Customer Reviews:
Surfdogtom.......2006-09-28
Mr. Thacker does everyone a service with his well orgainzed and written treatise on the often confusing admission process. Job well done Mr. Thacker, keep up the good work! A must read for anyone who is applying to college or whose kids are applying for college. Do yourself a huge favor and pick up a copy of this book now.
An eye opener.......2006-05-29
This thoughtful collection of essays from college administrators is well worth reading. Despite a few clunkily written contributions, it offers real insights into the productizing and marketing of the college experience. In addition, I highy recommend the book, GETTING IN WITHOUT FREAKING OUT -- which, on a very practical, user-friendly level, helps families turn the tables and become wise education consumers.
Students, parents, and colleagues, College Unranked is a must-read.......2006-02-02
Given the moment we are in, Lloyd Thacker's book is not just good for, but vital to the admissions profession. With wisdom and disarming candor, College Unranked's contributors identify the commercial influence in our profession and describe its manifest forms: from the "ranksters" to the overgrown role of standardized testing in the admissions process; from the marketing of educational products to the reallocation of aid from those who need it to those whose numbers are in demand. Rather than just criticize, however, as so many volumes do, the essayists in College Unranked proffer bountiful and sage advice to virtually everyone involved in the college admissions process: students, parents, colleges, the media, for-profit educational companies and the College Board. Anchored by many years of experience, and fortified by their very unity in this volume, the essayists' insight is at once sound, challenging and reassuring. I join Thacker's endorsers who proclaim on the book's back cover that College Unranked is required reading for anyone who is planning to apply to college. As a college counselor who will soon welcome a class of undoubtedly anxious but hopeful high school juniors and their parents to the process, I am grateful to have this book on my shelf. Echoing College Unranked's already published praise, the advice it gives is more powerful, more heartening and more inspiring than that spun by any guidebook or magazine. For that, Thacker deserves abundant commendation.
Must read for the college-bound.......2005-12-22
If you are the parent of a college-bound high school student, you owe it to yourself to read this collection of essays before you enter the fray of college admissions. Too many rankings. Too much marketing. Too much pressure. Too many tests. There's alot of blame to go around, and this book is a beginning at reforming the schools, students, parents and media who drive the system.
Something is wrong with college admissions.......2005-10-01
"Nobody likes what's going on in college admissions---not students, not parents, not college presidents and not deans."
- Lee Pelton, President of Willamette University (quoted in College Unranked)
So, what has happened to college admission? Have the ranksters, the testers, the branders, the marketers, the dot.coms, etc. taken over? How did we let it happen? And what, if anything, can we do about it? Well folks, there is hope, and hope has come in the form of a book and an organization.
College Unranked is more than a book; it is a call to action to all who care about education. The book is the first tangible contribution of the Education Conservancy (educationconservancy.org), a non-profit organization that is "committed to helping students, counselors, and colleges overcome commercial interference in college admissions." All proceeds from the book support the work of the Education Conservancy.
College Unranked is a collection of 20 essays all by college presidents, deans, directors, and others in admissions and higher education. The editor, Lloyd Thacker, wrote the introduction, four sets of "Editor's Stories," and the summary and recommendations. The theme of the book, which runs through the essays, is that "Commercialism's intrusion into college admission has transformed a uniquely American educational experience into a problematic American commercial exercise." This is not, however, a nostalgic look at the "good ol' days," it is full of practical wisdom that can affect what we do today.
Thacker and his essayists are doing more than just asking us to think outside the box; they are asking us to throw out the box completely; the box in which colleges are branded and students are packaged, where colleges are ranked and students are measured. A frequent and deserving target in the essays is the U.S.News rankings---"Complicity [with U.S.News] is a disservice to our students and prospective students, and it helps distort various public policy issues affecting higher education (Adams in College Unranked)." It is important to note that while essayists criticize industry icons, they also put responsibility on those who are compliant as well. While some of the stakeholders are more to blame than others, we are all feeding the problem at some level or, at the very least, our complacency is allowing it to continue.
It is difficult to present a book that can be read with equal interest by admissions personnel, secondary school counselors, parents, and students; but College Unranked has done it. While some outside the profession might not care about or grasp some of the "trade talk" in the essays, there is not enough of it to turn off these readers. This is not a "how to get in" book, it's a book about how to do it right. Parents and students are challenged to take responsibility as well and are given the tools and the advice to help them do so.
Those of us who agree that "Something is wrong with college admissions---something wrong enough to care about, to discuss, and to change (Thacker in College Unranked)" now have a flag to rally around.
"Let us all---counselors, students and parents---reclaim the college selection and admission processes a form of education rather than a form of commercialism (Ballinger, p. 175)." Quixotic? Maybe. But also visionary, optimistic, and crucial. Individual lament can become collective action. We won't know if it will work unless we give it a try. Let's give it a try.
Books:
- The Bible and Its Influence, Student Text (Bible Literacy Project) (Bible Literacy Project) (Bible Literacy Project)
- The Coaching at Work Toolkit
- The Economic Way of Thinking (10th Edition)
- The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels
- The Gregg Reference Manual
- The Hamster Revolution: How to Manage Your Email Before It Manages You
- The Literacy Coach's Handbook: A Guide to Research-Based Practice (Solving Problems In Teaching Of Literacy)
- The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (Book 1)
- The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't
- The Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #37 (Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide)
Books Index
Books Home
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- Financial Reckoning Day: Surviving the Soft Depression of the 21st Century
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College Guides
| Education
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Fiske Guide to Colleges 2008 (Fiske Guide to Colleges)
Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges
U.S. News Ultimate College Guide 2007 (Us News Ultimate College Guide)
Students' Guide to Colleges: The Definitive Guide to America's Top 100 SchoolsWritten by the Real Experts--the Students Who Attend Them
The Insider's Guide to the Colleges, 2007: Students on Campus Tell You What You Really Want to Know, 33nd Edition (Insider's Guide to the Colleges)
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