The Secrets of Picking a College and Getting In! Over 600 Tips, Techniques, and Strategies Revealed

Two award-winning professors, a former admissions officer at a major university (now a counselor at a prestigious high school), and a gifted high school senior (now in the throes of the college admissions process himself) team up to offer you over 600 tips, techniques, and strategies to help you get in to the college of your choice.

Over 600 Tips, Techniques, and Strategies Revealed

"Authoritative and wise. . . accessible and lively. . . . A good first book for any student embarking on the college search."
—Theodore A. O'Neill, former Dean of Admissions, University of Chicago

Two college professors, a former admissions officer (now a college counselor at a major high school), and a high school senior team up to provide over 600 tips, techniques, and strategies for picking, and getting into, college. Practical and easy-to-read, the book offers insider tips for the top ten "moments" of the college application process:

#1 Making a coherent initial list of colleges
#2 Getting good information from the college fair, the college night, and the college rep's visit to your high school
#3 Facing the finances: assessing your need, applying for financial aid, and finding outside scholarships
#4 Visiting the colleges: the whens, whys, and hows
#5 Preparing for and taking the SATs/ACTs
#6 Constructing your application: the Common App essay, the extra-curriculars, the letters of recommendation, and the supplemental essays and attachments
#7 Figuring out what admission officers are looking for in an application
#8 Deciding whether to apply early decision, early action, or regular decision
#9 Putting your best self forward in the on-campus or alumni interview
#10 Making your final choice—and improving the offer

With tips for the 2015–2016 Common App Essay Prompts and the 2016 SAT, this book will not only demystify the college-application process, it will reduce your stress and maximize your chances of getting into the college of your choice.

Two award-winning professors, a former admissions officer at a major university (now a counselor at a prestigious high school), and a gifted high school senior (now in the throes of the college admissions process himself) team up to offer you over 600 tips, techniques, and strategies to help you get in to the college of your choice.

Comprehensive, yet easy-to-read, this book will teach you:

• How to size up the colleges you're considering—and come up with a coherent list.
• What are college nights, college fairs, and college rep visits—and how you can use each to your advantage.
• What are "holistic", "contextualized", and "legacy" admissions—and how each can work for you.
• How some schools count "demonstrated interest"—and how you can take advantage of this little-known fact.
• What are Early Decision, Early Action, and Single-Choice Early Action—and whether any is right for you.
• How to figure out the true costs of college, and what is the difference between "need-" and "merit-based" aid.
• What it means when colleges say they meet "100% of demonstrated financial aid" and what "loan-free" means.
• When and how to make campus visits—and what to do on each.
• How to prepare for each section of the ACT or SAT—and how to increase your scores.
• What admissions officers are looking for in your application—and how to give it to them.
• How to write the all-important Common App essay—and present your extra-curricular activities.
• How to prepare for an alumni interview—and present yourself in the best light.
• Whom to ask for letters-of-recommendation—and how to help them write the best possible letter.
• How to compare your final offers—and, in some cases, substantially improve them.
• When it's good to wait out the "wait list"—and when not.
• -and much, much more.

When you understand the college admissions process, you can maximize your chance of success. Why not put yourself ahead of the pack?