Comments on: What Colleges Don’t Tell You : 272 Secrets for Getting Your Kid into the Top Schools

By: Janet R. Yeager

Janet R. Yeager — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:48:41 +0000

I, like some of the others was a bit put off by the title, however, I bought the book after browsing through the chapters because of the practical and pragmatic advice given.

I did not know that the information that you give for your child's interests in one part of the college application would have a direct bearing on how he/she should write their essays - that one should support the other.

I also did not know how important the essays are on a college application until my son came home with his guidance counselor's form and ALL the questions were in the form of an essay directly taken from the college application.

If my son comes in with well-thought-out essays that showcase him and what he can offer a school, is he to be considered "packaged" because his parents bought a book that helped him?

The negative comments (which are in the minority and really should not have the prominent position they do on this website) really do not reflect the majority of us that have found it invaluable.

Rating: 5 / 5

By: Linda J. Burghardt

Linda J. Burghardt — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:30:40 +0000

This book is incredibly useful. If you follow even half the suggestions skillfully set out by the author, you won’t need any other book to help you with college admissions.

It’s filled with highly effective tactics and strategies, and the ideas are original – not the kind you’ll find anywhere else. They go way beyond how to make an applicant look good; they actually improve the applicant’s credentials.

For example, students who win competitions are in great demand at top colleges. But if you’re like most parents, you figure the school enters kids in all the contest there are.

Wrong! Wissner-Gross tells you how you yourself can find opportunities for your child that the teachers don’t even know about. So when the time comes to put together the college application package, your child will have real accomplishments to write about. Lots of them.

Buy this book if your kid is applying to colleges this year or next, of course, but I’d say head for the bookstore now even if your kid is still in middle school. There’s a lot to learn, and this is the place to learn it.
Rating: 5 / 5

By: Ron Perkins

Ron Perkins — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:06:24 +0000

I was skeptical at first because I don’t want to be a “pushy” parent, but I found this book to be very enlightening. It’s kind of like finding the secret key that unlocks the top colleges. I have two sons, and while I try not to drive them too hard, like most parents I realize that a great education is of the utmost importance. Having this book gives me a little bit of an edge over other parents, and hey, why wouldn’t you want to have an edge? Let’s face it, teachers and guidance counselors do their best, but they have many students to worry about. This book is like having your own personal consultant. Some of the tips are admittedly for the supremely dedicated, but others are little things you can easily do to give your child a little boost. The advice is really good and very easy to act on. I highly recommend.
Rating: 5 / 5

By: Homeschool reviewer

Homeschool reviewer — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:54:45 +0000

I did not read this book, but from the excerpts and other reader reviews, it sounds exactly like what is wrong with the world of helicopter parenting. Shouldn’t kids be taught to make their way in the world by themselves; based upon true merit, and ethically at that? Sounds like the authors, and parents who loved this book, need to read some “Love and Logic” books.
Rating: 1 / 5

By: Jane Susan Andraka

Jane Susan Andraka — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:45:33 +0000

i really don’t want the competition to read this book so don’t buy it!!
Rating: 5 / 5