Planning for College: College Admission Process & Application Essay

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."

Getting into a top-ranked college has never seemed more impossible, with acceptance rates at some elite universities dipping into the single digits. In Who Gets In and Why, journalist and higher education expert Jeffrey Selingo dispels entrenched notions of how to compete and win at the admissions game, and reveals that teenagers and parents have much to gain by broadening their notion of what qualifies as a "good college." Hint: it's not all about the sticker on the car window. Selingo, who was embedded in three different admissions offices--a selective private university, a leading liberal arts college, and a flagship public campus--closely observed gatekeepers as they made their often agonizing and sometimes life-changing decisions. He also followed select students and their parents, and he traveled around the country meeting with high school counselors, marketers, behind-the-scenes consultants, and college rankers. While many have long believed that admissions is merit-based, rewarding the best students, Who Gets In and Why presents a more complicated truth, showing that "who gets in" is frequently more about the college's agenda than the applicant. In a world where thousands of equally qualified students vie for a fixed number of spots at elite institutions, admissions officers often make split-second decisions based on a variety of factors--like diversity, money, and, ultimately, whether a student will enroll if accepted.

ADMISSIONS SECRETS COLLEGES DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW

THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ... and incredibly confusing. You have probably heard countless "facts" as to what works, what colleges want to see, and how to get into competitive colleges. Don't believe the hype! Following the wrong college application myths can cost you time, money, and most important, the chance to get accepted into the school of your dreams.

Less-than-perfect grades? No problem Contrary to popular opinion, you don't need to have a 4.0 GPA or a perfect jump shot to get into a good college. This insider's guide reveals easy tweaks that will pay off big-time in showing admissions officers that you as a whole--not just your SAT scores--are a perfect fit for their incoming class. With stellar advice on getting into schools that will allow you to thrive, this handbook reveals how to: Find great colleges that are a good match for your strengths (and will overlook less-relevant weaknesses)

Based on the real-life experiences of students who were admitted to the United States' most prestigious universities, this guide provides proven strategies to get into and pay for any college. Detailing what high school students--from freshmen to seniors--can do to prepare, this updated edition addresses recent changes in admissions and financial aid processes and the increasingly popular early-admissions option. Examples of applications, interviews, and 25 actual college-admission essays complement information on how parents can help without hurting, what it takes to ace the SAT and ACT, and where students can find free cash for tuition. Stories of students' successes and failures reveal how the college-admissions and financial-aid processes really work, while giving a personal face to what is often seen as an impersonal experience. A section for special groups includes admission considerations for athletes, transfer and international students, students with disabilities, and home-schooled students.

Over the last few decades, Americans have turned college admissions into a terrifying and occasionally devastating process, preceded by test prep, tutors, all sorts of stratagems, all kinds of rankings, and a conviction among too many young people that their futures will be determined and their worth established by which schools say yes and which say no. That belief is wrong. It's cruel. And in WHERE YOU GO IS NOT WHO YOU'LL BE, Frank Bruni explains why, giving students and their parents a new perspective on this brutal, deeply flawed competition and a path out of the anxiety that it provokes. Bruni, a bestselling author and a columnist for the New York Times, shows that the Ivy League has no monopoly on corner offices, governors' mansions, or the most prestigious academic and scientific grants. Through statistics, surveys, and the stories of hugely successful people who didn't attend the most exclusive schools, he demonstrates that many kinds of colleges-large public universities, tiny hideaways in the hinterlands-serve as ideal springboards. And he illuminates how to make the most of them. What matters in the end are a student's efforts in and out of the classroom, not the gleam of his or her diploma.

Thankfully, Jill Margaret Shulman, a college admissions coach, application evaluator, college writing instructor, essayist, author, and empathetic parent, is here to be your fiercest ally. She'll guide you through the entire crazy ritual that college admissions has become, month by month, breath by deep, cleansing breath, until you drop your kid off at college where she will ignore your phone calls and texts. Come as you are -- whether chill or roiling with anxiety -- and Shulman, along with a platoon of experts and fellow parents, will help you maintain your strength and sense of self-worth, so easily lost somewhere between your teenager's screaming, "I hate you! You're ruining my life!" and typing your credit card number into the College Board's website for the twentieth time. You've got college admissions cracked, and now, this book has got your back.

The third edition of the Bound-for-College Guidebook contains details on the challenges and changes that have and are currently occurring in the high school to college transition: COVID-19 adjustments made in college admission and application procedures that are now a part of the "new normal, The evolving role of admission testing in student selection, Scandalous, criminal acts brought to light by the Varsity Blues Admission Scandal This guidebook provides contemporary students and parents with the information and tools they need for effective exploration, decision making, and application for admission and financial aid. The student exercises offered throughout the book help students create a personal college guidance portfolio, and the dozens of frequently asked questions address everything a student wants to ask a few he or she didn't think to ask. It is a must read before and throughout the high school to college navigation process. The Bound-for-College Guidebook is also the perfect study guide for counselors and educators to use in conducting workshops or classes on the transition to college.

Reassuring and easy to read, Admission Matters provides deep insight into a process that has become increasingly complex and unpredictable with each passing year. In the fifth edition, readers will learn how to build a balanced college list, when to apply, what goes into crafting a compelling application, how colleges make decisions, how financial aid works, and more. Admission Matters offers real-world expert advice for all students, whether they're aiming for an Ivy or a state school close to home. The book provides practical guidance for students and families whether they come from an under-resourced background or one that has provided abundant opportunities. Admission Matters also includes much-needed information for students with special circumstances, including students with disabilities, international students, transfers, and non-traditional students. Athletes, artists and performers, and homeschoolers will also have many of their questions answered as they plan for and apply to college. Admission Matters also provides the latest information on: The shift to test-optional or test-free admissions at many schools and what that means for you The transition to an adaptive, digital format for the SAT Changes to the federal process for financial aid What selective colleges are increasingly looking for when faced with growing numbers of applications Differences among colleges and how to choose the "best fit" schools Early decision and early action applications and when they make sense And much more... The latest edition of Admission Matters remains the gold standard in guides to the ever-changing and often intimidating process of college admissions.

Writing a memorable personal statement can seem like an overwhelming project for a young college applicant, but college essay coach Alan Gelb's holistic strategy and reassuring voice takes out the intimidation factor. Students will identify an engaging topic and use crative writing techniques to compose a vivid statement that will reflect their individuality. A much-needed supplement to other college entrance exams, this useful handbook will help sutdents win over the admissions dean, while preparing them to write better papers once they've been accepted. Step-by-step instructions lead students from idea to initial draft, through revisions, and to a final version ready for submission.

The competition to get into your college of choice has never been fiercer. Unfortunately, much of the application process is out of your hands. But one major aspect of the admission process is under your control-your personal statement. Your application essay provides you with the opportunity to let your true, unique and totally irresistible self shine through.

College Admission Essays For Dummies is your total guide to crafting application essays that will make people sit up and take notice. It demystifies the authority figures who'll judge your work, helps you decide what to write, and then arms you with the knowledge and skills you need to write your essay on time and on target.