<p>I am posting this in the parent's forum because I thought y'all might have a better idea of what the best books for info on admissions were. I would really like 1 or 2 books with straight information about admissions, and a book on essays writing. What are the best titles in these areas, and is there an area I am missing. Thanks for the help
Sarah</p>
<p>For a student going through the process (I've recently read at least 8 of this type of book), I would recommend Katherine Cohen's "The Truth About Getting In...", Michelle Hernandez's "Acing the College Application..." and Harry Bauld's "On Writing the College Application Essay". My recommendations for parents might be different.</p>
<p>While a bit dated now, a good look inside the admissions process is "The Gatekeepers". It follows a group of various applicants for the class entering in 2000 to Wesleyan (CT) and other schools by shadowing an adcom there who is now an admissions counselor at a New Mexico private high school. It details relationships with hs GC's and admissions adcoms as well as the decisions of the applicants.</p>
<p>For looks at schools beyond the usual suspects, you should skim through "Colleges that Change Lives" (Loren Pope) and "Harvard Smarvard" (Jay Mathews).</p>
<p>My favorite is "The College Admissions Mystique" by Bill Mayher.</p>
<p>I thought "Essays that Worked" was a good book. For a queasy feeling about your BWRK, read the Torn book on Duke Admissions. :eek:</p>
<p>I have to second Maize&Blue's recommendations of The Gatekeepers and Harvard Schmarvard. While they aren't quite as... well, informational and factual as some others I've read, they aren't condescending or boring, and give a great view of the big picture.</p>
<p>i would also suggest 'what it really takes to into ivy league school and other selective universities' by chuck hughes who was a former harvard admissions senior director</p>
<p>This question comes up with great regularity. Here's a thread that went platinum :)</p>
<p>For what it is worth, I still believe that the books by Allen, Jay Matthews, K. Cohen, Rachel Toor are mediocre at best. </p>
<p>Bill Mayher's book is priceless. The books by Hernandez and Chuck Hughes are very good and a rung above The Gatekeepers. For essays, Harry Bauld's book gets most accolades, but I find the book "Essays that will get into college" by Amy Burnham is more practical.</p>
<p>Hank Herman- Accept My Kid, Please. Adds perspective and humor to the process. A must read- hilarious. (quick read)</p>
<p>As a student whose read many of these books there are 2 that stand out by a long shot:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Michelle Hernandez's A is For Admission (its a little bit outdated, 1997, so ignore the SAT scores she reports, but other than that, I couldn't have read a more insightful book about Ivy League admissions.) </p></li>
<li><p>Harry Bauld's On Writing the College Application Essay. Not only do i feel MUCH more prepared to tackle the college essays i am faced with this summer, but also it has vastly improved my writing as a whole. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>I strongly recommend both of these books.</p>
<p>I have all these books, and if you only want to buy one book, frankly, I wouldn't buy any of them, since all have their faults: biassed, dated, incomplete, shallow, or whatever. Skim them at Barnes & Noble, or get them from the library, but save your money.</p>
<p>I'd spring for the "USNews Ultimate College Guide" - almost all the information you will ever need, sliced, diced, ordered in lists, etc, plus a great deal of factual and statistical information about virtually every college or university in the country. Weighs about 8 lbs.</p>
<p>I'm with Xiggi and Idler regarding APPLICATION books. . .read "The College Admissions Mystique" by Bill Mayher. This book has a very useful perspective on the process. For detail and specific app help, I'd go for "Acing the College Application," the best of Michelle Hernandez's books. For essays, I continue to beat the drum for "College Application Essays for Dummies." A lot of people are put off by that series but this book is the real deal. </p>
<p>Byerly makes a good point regarding COLLEGE INFO books. . .that fat US News book has a ton of stuff in it. For useful narratives on the most selective US and Canadian colleges and universities I like the Fiske Guide. </p>
<p>If I had to go with two I would go with Hernandez "Acing" and Fiske, AFTER borrowing, reading and taking notes on the Mayher book. Check with families who have recently gone through the process, they will likely lend whatever they have. Otherwise, look to buy used on Amazon, or at <a href="http://www.a1books.com%5B/url%5D">www.a1books.com</a>.</p>