Planning for College: College Selection
Browse our College Corner
This guide lists just some of the books in our Adult Non-Fiction collection that you can check out. In addition, the Valley Cottage Library maintains copies of a variety of publications to assist families in the college search at the College Corner located by the wall behind the Adult Internet Computers. These copies can not be removed from the library and are intended for reference use only but older copies may be available for checking out. Please see the librarian at the Information Desk for assistance.
To-do Lists While in High School
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The College Conversation by
ISBN: 9781984878342Publication Date: 2020-09-22The College Conversation is a comprehensive resource for mapping the path through the college application process that provides practical advice and reassurance to keep both anxious parents and confused children sane and grounded. Rather than adding to the existing canon of "How to Get In" college guides or rankings, Eric Furda and Jacques Steinberg provide a step-by-step approach to having the tough conversations on this topic with less stress and more success. The book is organized around key discussions and themes that trace the chronological arc of admissions and financial aid--beginning before the assembly of a list of potential colleges and continuing through the receipt of decisions--with a final section that includes advice on the first year of college. -
Fiske Countdown to College by
ISBN: 9781402218972Publication Date: 2009-07-01Unique, simple approach to the complicated college prep process, from the leading authority in college admissions. Getting ready for college is a complicated and confusing process - how do you know when to take the SAT? When do you start applying to schools? What classes should you be taking to help prepare you for college-level work? Is there anything you should do before high school? Fiske Countdown to College is a comprehensive collection of simple, easy-to-use checklists that explain everything you need to do in each year of high school to make preparation for college a breeze. There are 28 "to-do" lists for parents and students, ten "don't" lists, three "top 10" lists, and two glossaries, divided by year, that walk you through high school to college. Quotes from students, parents, and counselors offer advice and support from people who've been through all of this before.
For Students with Specific Learning Needs
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Life after High School by
ISBN: 9781849058285Publication Date: 2010-08-01Graduating high school and moving on to further education or the workplace brings with it a whole new set of challenges, and this is especially true for students with disabilities. This useful book provides a complete overview of the issues such students and their families will need to consider, and outlines the key skills they will need in order to succeed once they get there. The authors describe the legal landscape as it applies to students with disabilities in the USA, and how to obtain the proper disability documentation to ensure that the student receives the right support and accommodations in college. Focussing specifically on the issues that affect students with disabilities, they offer advice on everything from dealing with college entrance exams and the college application process, to selecting the right college, visiting the campus, and achieving medical and financial independence away from home. -
College Planning for Gifted Students by
ISBN: 9781593631819Publication Date: 2006-06-01College Planning for Gifted Students: Choosing and Getting Into the Right College is a must-have for any gifted or advanced learner planning to attend college. Sandra Berger, a nationally recognized expert on college and career planning for gifted students, provides a hands-on, practical guide to college planning in this revised volume of the best-selling College Planning for Gifted Students book. Berger leads students through the college planning process, moving from self-exploration, to college matching, to the application process. She focuses specifically on helping gifted students discover who they are, and how that discovery corresponds to finding the perfect postsecondary endeavor. The author also provides useful, practical advice for writing college application essays, requesting recommendation letters, visiting colleges, and acing the college entrance interview.
Help Choosing a College
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Colleges Worth Your Money by
ISBN: 9781475853964Publication Date: 2020-04-15Unlike existing college guidebooks, which contain easy-to-Google admissions statistics and anecdotal generalizations about campus life, Colleges Worth Your Money reveals where graduates work, salaries, grad school acceptances, internships and research opportunities, career services ratings, and data-rich, school-specific admissions strategies. This book will help parents and students make better informed choices that will positively impact their lives not only for the next four years, but well into adulthood. Tables containing information on admissions, financial, and outcomes data accompany each school profile. -
The Enlightened College Applicant by
ISBN: 9781475826906Publication Date: 2016-08-30Deluged with messages that range from It s Ivy League or bust to It doesn t matter where you go, college applicants and their families often find themselves lost, adrift in a sea of information overload. Finally a worthy life preserver has arrived. The Enlightened College Applicant presents a no-nonsense account of how students should approach the college search and admissions process. Instead of providing recycled entrance statistics or anecdotal generalizations about campus life, authors Belasco and Bergman incorporate cutting-edge data and research to pull back the curtain on critical topics such as: .Whether college prestige really matters, .How to maximize your college admission prospects .Which schools and degrees provide the best return on investment .How to minimize the costs of a college education .What college-related skills are valued in the job market, and much more. Whether you are a valedictorian or a B/C student, this easy-to-read book will improve your college savvy and enable you to maximize the benefits of your higher education." -
It's the Student, Not the College by
ISBN: 9781615192373Publication Date: 2015-04-07The future is in your hands--not Harvard's TO: All students wondering "Can I get into my dream college?" CC: All parents wondering "Can we afford it?" FROM: Educational consultant Kristin M. White MEMO: COLLEGE RANKINGS DON'T MATTER. This claim might sound crazy, but it's true: Research shows that where you go to school makes little difference to future financial success or quality of life--personal qualities such as ambition, perseverance, and a sense of purpose are all more important. Kristin M. White has helped hundreds of parents and students look beyond the dream-school hype and focus on what's most important. Now, in It's the Student, Not the College, she shows how to avoid unrepayable debt and set yourself up to grow, excel, and enjoy yourself at any school. -
Find the Perfect College for You by
ISBN: 9781932662429Publication Date: 2010-04-01A comprehensive approach to selecting a college that is in tune with a student's learning style, this guide offers a personalized, psychology-based approach to selecting the perfect university. Taking into account personal interests and personality types, this reference includes a copy of the Meyers-Briggs personality test, which will help students and parents choose the most appropriate school from the listings of nurturing liberal arts schools, research-oriented universities, creative or spiritual campuses, and more. With accessible tables and simple descriptions of campuses and majors, college bound students and their parents will find self-assessments and suggestions for 82 well-known colleges. -
Colleges That Change Lives by
ISBN: 9780143037361Publication Date: 2006-07-25Prospective college students and their parents have been relying on Loren Pope's expertise since 1995, when he published the first edition of this indispensable guide. This new edition profiles 41 colleges—all of which outdo the Ivies and research universities in producing performers, not only among A students but also among those who get Bs and Cs. Contents include:
- Evaluations of each school's program and "personality"
- Candid assessments by students, professors, and deans
- Information on the progress of graduates
This new edition not only revisits schools listed in previous volumes to give readers a comprehensive assessment, it also addresses such issues as homeschooling, learning
disabilities, and single-sex education. -
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The Insider's Guide to the Colleges 2015 by
ISBN: 9781250048066Publication Date: 2014-07-01With this new edition, The Insider's Guide to the Colleges has been, for 41 years, the most relied-upon resource for high school students looking for honest reports on colleges straight from the college students themselves. Having interviewed hundreds of their peers on more than 330 campuses and by getting the inside scoop on everything from the nightlife and professors to the newest dorms and wildest student organizations, the reporters at the Yale Daily News have created the most candid college guide ever. In addition to the in-depth profiles, this edition has been updated to include: * Essential statistics for every school, from acceptance rates to popular majors * A "College Finder" to help students zero in on the perfect school * All-new FYI sections with student opinions and outrageous advice The Insider's Guide to the Colleges cuts through the glossy Web sites and brochures to uncover the things that matter most to students, and by staying on top of trends, it gives both students and their parents the straightforward information they need to choose the school that's right for them. -
Choosing the Right College 2014-15 by
ISBN: 9781610170772Publication Date: 2013-08-12Choosing the Right College has established itself as the indispensable resource for students—and parents—who want the unvarnished truth about America’s top colleges and universities. It is the most in-depth, independently researched college guide on the market, using on-campus sources to turn up the best—and worst—aspects of nearly 150 schools. Just as important, Choosing the Right College covers the intellectual, political, and social conditions that really matter, including: The integrity and rigor of the curriculum Which courses and professors to take—and which to avoid The prevalence of politics in the classroom and the state of free speech—all highlighted with ISI’s unique “traffic light” Living arrangements, safety, and other keys to student life How to get a real education at any school Beyond all that, this brand-new edition of Choosing the Right College features a host of innovations, including: “So You’re Looking For . . . ,” top-five lists of colleges for all types of students; a quick list of each school’s strengths and weaknesses; an insider’s look at the pros and cons of online education; and more.
College Directories
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Fiske Guide to Colleges 2021 by
ISBN: 9781492664963Publication Date: 2020-07-07Every college and university has a story, and no one tells those stories like former New York Times education editor Edward B. Fiske. That's why, for more than 35 years, the Fiske Guide to Colleges has been the leading guide to 320+ four-year schools, including quotes from real students and information you won't find on college websites. Fullyupdated and expanded every year, Fiske is the most authoritative source of information for college-bound students and their parents. Helpful, honest, and straightforward, the Fiske Guide to Colleges delivers an insider's look at what it's really like to be a student at the "best and most interesting" schools in the United States, plus Canada, Great Britain, and Ireland--so you can find the best fits for you. In addition to detailed and candid stories on each school, you will find: A self-quiz to help you understand what you are really looking for in a college Lists of strong programs and popular majors at each college "Overlap" listings to help you expand your options Indexes that break down schools by state, price, and average debt Exclusive academic, social, and quality-of-life ratings All the basics, including financial aid stats, SAT/ACT scores, and acceptance rates Plus a special section highlighting the 20 public and private Best Buy schools--colleges that provide the best educational value -
The Best 385 Colleges, 2020 Edition by
ISBN: 9780525568421Publication Date: 2019-08-06The Princeton Review's college rankings started in 1992 with surveys from 30,000 students. Over 25 years and more than a million student surveys later, we stand by our claim that there is no single "best" college, only the best college for you ... and that this is the book that will help you find it! STRAIGHT FROM STUDENTS TO YOU · 385 in-depth school profiles based on candid feedback from 140,000 students, covering academics, administration, campus life, and financial aid · Insights on unique college character, social scene, and more RANKING LISTS & RATINGS SCORES · Lists of the top 20 colleges in 62 categories based on students' opinions of academics, campus life, facilities, and much more · Ratings for every school on Financial Aid, Selectivity, and Quality of Life DETAILED ADMISSIONS INFORMATION · The "Inside Word" on competitive applications, test scores, tuition, and average indebtedness · Comprehensive information on selectivity, freshman profiles, and application deadlines at each school Plus! Free access to 2 full-length practice tests online (1 SAT and 1 ACT) to help you prep for the important admissions-exams part of your admissions journey. -
College Handbook 2018 by
ISBN: 9781457309229Publication Date: 2017-07-03This is the only guide available that contains objective information on every accredited college in the United States--2,200 four-year colleges and universities, and 1,700 two-year community colleges and technical schools. With its clearly laid-out entries and more than 40 indexes, the College Handbook 2018 is also the fastest, easiest way for students to narrow a college search and compare the schools that they're interested in.* comprehensive listings of admission requirements, majors, sports, on-campus activities and campus computing* targeted information for home-schooled students and students considering community college as an option* useful features for black and Hispanic students -tables of early decision and wait-list outcomes show information that can't be found in any other guide* planning calendar and worksheets help students organize their applications and stay on track* updated annually by a team of editors who verify information with each college, making the College Handbook 2018 the best college reference guide available -
America's Best Colleges for B Students by
ISBN: 9781932662436Publication Date: 2010-05-01High school students who get average grades and don't ace the SAT or ACT discover that an exceptional college education is by no means beyond their reach with this guide. Along with information on what to look for in a college and what colleges look for in their students besides grades, this college reference provides details on more than 150 colleges that make it a point to help students who have not achieved a stellar GPA and includes information on whether colleges feature extra tutoring, help from professors, and distance-learning programs. Advice on the application process emphasizes the schools that look beyond GPA to the extracurricular activities and community involvement at which many average students excel. Quelling both students' and parents' fears about finding a good education with a less-than-perfect academic record, this guide makes it clear that it is always possible. -
Student's Guide to College Music Programs by
ISBN: 9780979566905Publication Date: 2007-07-01The publishers of School Band & Orchestra magazine proudly present this third edition, offering expanded state-by-state (and now Canadian) listings of more than 1,300 college and university music programs. Detailed information is given for each of the schools listed, including basic admission contacts, course requirements, and music programs. Every state also has its own "home page," with useful facts for students, such as music programs within the state, general state stats, and population figures. Also includes invaluable articles on financial aid, what's expected of incoming freshmen, following a musical vocation, and more. -
Two-Year Colleges 2021 by
ISBN: 9780768944044Publication Date: 2020-09-22Peterson's® Two-Year Colleges 2021 includes information on more than 1,700 accredited two-year undergraduate institutions in the United States and Canada, as well as some international schools. It also features a number of detailed two-page school descriptions written by admissions personnel. College-bound students and their parents can research two-year colleges, including community colleges, for information on campus setting, enrollment, majors, expenses, student-faculty ratio, application deadline, and contact information. In addition, Two-Year Colleges offers articles that cover tips on transferring, advice for adults returning to school, "green" programs at community colleges, the basics of financial aid, and much more. Up-to-date data profiles for over 1,700 institutions, listed alphabetically by state (and followed by other countries) with facts and figures on majors, academic programs, student life, standardized tests, financial aid, and applying and contact information Helpful articles on what you need to know about two-year colleges: advice on transferring and returning to school for adult students; how to survive standardized tests; what international students need to know about admission to U.S. colleges; and how to manage paying for college The latest on exciting, innovative "green economy" programs at community colleges throughout the U.S. State-by-state summary table allows comparison of institutions by enrollment, application requirements, types of financial aid available, numbers of majors offered, and more Easy-to-search indexes offering valuable information on associate degree programs at two-year colleges and four-year colleges