The Thinking Parent's Guide to College Admissions: The Step-By-Step Program to Get Kids Into the Schools of Their Dreams

This is not a book which will give you sure-fire tips on how to get your kid into Harvard (there is no such thing) but what Eva Ostrum says matches in step with what admissions officers at America's most selective colleges are asking for. If you are the type of parent who needs a quick refresher on the process, this is a great guide which won't tell you how to repackage your kid into someone you don't recognize (unlike many other guides I've read). It'll fill you in on the SAT vs. ACT debate, what is really meant when admissions officers say they want to see "passion" in their applicants, and how to stay informed about what your child is doing without getting overly involved. With that said, let me reiterate what an above reviewer stated that this is not a guide for the average parent. This is a guide (despite what it's marketed as or the author thinks it is) for the parents of kids who want to go to a selective college the likes of Lehigh or Brown. This is not for the parent of a student who wants to go to a state public or a local college. The advice she offers is gained from her experience as an admissions officer at Yale and as a private counselor. Lastly, while this book might explain "nuances" of the process to an audience which has themselves already gone through the process, this book will not be a step-by-step guide for a parent hoping to learn how to help their first-generation college student get to college. Ostrum's advice relies heavily on your resources--financial, educational, social--and if you are wanting in any of these categories, her advice probably won't be too helpful. For example, Ostrum apologizes for the fact that students at expensive independent schools have access to counselors who know the admissions process inside and out while students at large, public schools often don't have the same "face time" with their guidance counselors and when they do, they often don't understand the intricate process of applying to selective colleges. If you feel overwhelmed dealing with researching colleges, she advises that you "find a qualified independent college counselor and pay for one or two sessions to get this information from an expert." She doesn't offer much in realistic strategies for such students who may not have the resources or the parental know-how of some of their wealthier peers. This is a guide largely written for middle-to-upper class parents who have always known their child will be going to a selective college and are just figuring out how to get them there.

Bought this book after seeing it at Swarthmore during a college visit with my child. It's been extremely useful for every step in this very challenging process. Highly recommend it.

This book was Very helpful. All the information I needed and a lot of help on items I would have never thought of myself.