Versed Editors's blog

Rather than adding more useless things to stockings that no one really needs, why not give teens something useful but with a twist? We have compiled a list of 25 items (likely to fit most large stockings that we have these days) that will help teens make studying, writing papers, and doing assignments more fun.

 

Fun Desk Toys

 

Speks Magnetic Balls - Mashable Smashable Buildable Fun Stress Relief Desk Toy

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073XWLZBV

 

Infinity Cube prime for Stress and Anxiety relief/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074J6KPWD

 

Everyday Study Tools (but better and more fun)

 

5-in-1 Tool Pen

https://www.uncommongoods.com/product/5-in-1-tool-pen

 

SUCK UK Origami Sticky Notes

https://www.amazon.com/SUCK-UK-Origami-Sticky-Notes/dp/B0030XG9R2

 

Rettacy Graph Paper Notebook

https://www.amazon.com/RETTACY-Graph-Paper-Notebook-Pack/dp/B07WZLFWP6

 

Best Felt-tip Pen - Prismacolor Premier Fine Line

https://www.amazon.com/Prismacolor-Premier-Illustration-Markers-Black/dp/B0026HJGDW

 

Best Ballpoint Pen - Schneider Slider Memo

https://www.amazon.com/Schneider-Slider-Ballpoint-Black-150201/dp/B0040K7OOG

 

Best Mechanical Pencil - rOtring Mechanical Pencil

https://www.amazon.com/rOtring-Barrel-Mechanical-Pencil-1904443/dp/B00AZWYUA

 

Best Eraser - Prismacolor Scholar Latex-Free Eraser

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004F9QBGY

 

USB Rechargeable Book Light for Reading in Bed

https://www.amazon.com/DEWENWILS-Rechargeable-Brightness-Adjustable-Bookworms/dp/B07N2W2FRZ

 

Koogel Study Cards

https://www.amazon.com/Koogel-Multicolor-Scratch-Bookmark-Greeting/dp/B074VYYWNW

 

Mini Vacuum Cleaner for Desk and Keyboards

https://www.amazon.com/ODISTAR-Endurance-Cordless-Rotatable-Keyboard/dp/B07Q128V6W

 

Screen Cleaner Kit

https://www.amazon.com/Calyptus-Cleaner-Cleaning-Digital-Non-Toxic/dp/B07PHVDTDW

 

Mr Pen Geometry Set

https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Compass-Protractor-Geometry-Students/dp/B01F4HU076

 

Books to Help with Vocabulary, Math, and Keeping Your Mind Sharp

 

365 New Words-A-Year Page-A-Day Calendar 2021

https://www.amazon.com/Words-Year-Page-Day-Calendar/dp/1523509155

 

Secrets of Mental Math: The Mathemagician's Guide to Lightning Calculation and Amazing Math Tricks

https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Mental-Math-Mathemagicians-Calculation-ebook/dp/B000Q80SM6

 

Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life 

https://www.amazon.com/Limitless-Upgrade-Anything-Faster-Exceptional/dp/1401958230

 

Unlimited Memory: How to Use Advanced Learning Strategies to Learn Faster, Remember More and be More Productive

https://www.amazon.com/Unlimited-Memory-Advanced-Strategies-Productive-ebook/dp/B00I3QS1XQ

 

Books to Help You Be a Better Student

 

How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less (written for college students, but very applicable to high school students)

https://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Straight-Student-Unconventional/dp/0767922719

 

How to Be a High School Superstar: A Revolutionary Plan to Get into College by Standing Out (Without Burning Out)

https://www.amazon.com/How-High-School-Superstar-Revolutionary/dp/0767932587

 

Old Style Puzzle Books That Stood the Test of Time

 

Perplexing Puzzles and Tantalizing Teasers

https://www.amazon.com/Perplexing-Puzzles-Tantalizing-Childrens-Activity/dp/0486256375

 

The Moscow Puzzles: 359 Mathematical Recreations

https://www.amazon.com/Moscow-Puzzles-Mathematical-Recreations-Recreational/dp/0486270785

 

For Artsy Teens

 

Kikkerland Make Your Own Music Box Kit

https://www.amazon.com/Kikkerland-Make-Your-Own-Music/dp/B000HAUEFY

 

For instrumentalists, there are many small items you can add to stockings including strings, dampits, rosins, etc. The following are few suggestions that you may not have thought of:

 

This nifty device will revolutionize practicing IN TUNE

 

Korg Orchestral Clip On Tuner

https://www.amazon.com/Korg-Orchestral-Clip-On-Tuner-Black/dp/B072KFB5G6

 

Basic but essential

Seiko Metronome

https://www.amazon.com/SEIKO-SQ50V-SQ50-V-Quartz-Metronome/dp/B000LFCXL8

 

Instrument Cleaning Kit (this one is for trumpet, but google it for any instrument)

https://www.amazon.com/Libretto-Trumpet-Care-Kit/dp/B07DR9Z128

 

For artists, there are many things to add including tubes of paint, drawing pencils, pain brushes, etc. Below are few additional items to consider:

 

Micron Drawing Pens

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0008G8G8Y

 

Tombow Mono Eraser

A slim pencil like eraser great for erasing in tight spaces.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GMRMCBA

 

Hands down, the best markers out there on the market - but they are expensive. You can buy 1-3 markers in favorite colors.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Copic-Markers-E29-Sketch-Burnt-Umber/dp/B004BPNLCO

 

Subscribe to our Newsletter 

Receive inside track information on college admissions process, high school and middle school planning, general pre-college guidance, and be the first to know about our events and announcements.

 

 

Attend Our Upcoming Webinars 

SEE ALL OF OUR UPCOMING EVENTS AND REGISTER HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following up on our blogs about improving academic performance, we have teamed up with Mindprint Learning to go into the science of learning to help parents understand that there isn’t one learning trait shared by all students. This blog post by Mindprint will go through 10 different traits that drive learning.  Be sure to join us for our live webinar in January where Nancy Weinstein, the founder of Mindprint, will share how parents can identify where student’s strengths and weaknesses lie, and use that information to improve learning and help students succeed academically. 

 

10 Learning Traits that Drive Academic Outcomes

 

The following is a brief summary of the learning traits that drive most academic learning. Everyone has their own unique combination of these traits, just as we all have our own unique fingerprint. It’s what makes each of us special but can also make learning confusing or challenging at times.

The 10 skills are organized in four key domains. Click on the links for more in-depth information on each skill.

 

Complex Reasoning

Complex reasoning is the ability to analyze information and solve complicated problems. When students use reasoning skills, they are thinking through ideas in a logical way to arrive at a conclusion. This is often referred to as “higher order thinking.” Don’t be surprised if you have a student who is strong in one area of reasoning but not in another. Most students show a significant difference in these skills and that inconsistency can be the biggest source of confusion and frustration for teachers, parents, and students alike.

Verbal reasoning is the ability to understand language-based information. Biggest impact: all subjects when reading, writing or speaking. Greatest predictor of overall academic achievement. Learn more about verbal reasoning.

Abstract reasoning is the ability to understand non-language-based information, including numbers, shapes and patterns. Biggest impact: math and science, particularly in higher grades. Learn more about abstract reasoning.

Spatial perception is the ability to visualize how objects relate in space. Biggest impact: specific areas of math and science, especially geometry and physics; hands-on activities; fine and performing arts. Learn more about spatial skills.

 

Executive Functions

Executive functions are the traits that involve thinking in an organized and efficient way. Abilities such as purposeful goal-directed activity, paying attention, evaluating, decision-making, planning, organizing, implementing, and following through. Not surprisingly, executive functions are getting a lot more priority in school.

Attention is the ability to sustain focus, even for tasks that you might not find interesting. Biggest impact: All subjects, particularly those a student finds least interesting and longer assignments. Learn more about attention.

Working memory is the ability to mentally juggle multiple bits of information in short-term memory. Biggest impact: Multi-step problem solving in math and science, reading fluency, and following directions. Learn more about working memory.

Flexible thinking is openness to taking feedback and adapting to solve novel problems. Biggest impact: Math and science in middle and high school and behavior. Learn more about flexible thinking.

 

Memory

Memory is the mind’s storage and retrieval system. How a student takes in and organizes information in memory has a big impact on how easily that student is able to recall information under specific circumstances. It is common for students have one memory skill that is significantly stronger than another. Once you understand which is stronger, you can use that skill to make learning more efficient.

Verbal memory is the ability to remember and recall language-based information. Biggest impact: All subjects, particularly in earlier grades when foundational skills are most important. Learn more about verbal memory.

Visual memory refers to how efficiently you remember and recall objects, pictures, patterns, formulas and other visual information. Biggest impact: Math facts, math and science more generally, and visual arts. Learn more about visual memory.

 

Speed/Efficiency

How fast students work has a bigger impact on test performance and student confidence than many adults like. Students who work at a slower pace might find that they sometimes cannot get all their work done in the allotted time. These students might not be able to finish tests or they might take a long time to complete homework and feel like they can’t do the work when they really just need more time. In contrast, students who work efficiently are able to complete thoughtful work within the expected time. They can use any extra time to check their work, take on more challenges, or relax before the next task.

Visual motor speed is how efficiently your eyes and hands work together. Biggest impact: Handwriting, keyboarding, note taking, and hands-on activities. Learn more about visual motor speed.

Processing speed is how efficiently you process and respond to new information. Processing has several sub-categories, including auditory, verbal, and visual. There are also quick thinking processing tasks and slower processing tasks. Biggest impact: Class participation, standardized tests, reading efficiency and homework efficiency. Learn more about processing speed.

 

Bringing it Together

The most successful learning happens when teachers, parents and students understand the complex intersection of these skills. They know when they can excel with a bit of nurturing and when to provide more supports. Use the summary in your student’s Mindprint to understand these intersections and provide the just right level of supports.

 

About Mindprint Learning 

Mindprint is the worldwide leader in formative cognitive assessment that enables educators to effectively differentiate academic instruction and social-emotional learning. Mindprint's one hour screener identifies the root cause of learning struggles, elevates students' strengths and guides teachers and parents to use individualized instructional strategies based on each student's unique needs. 

Learn more at: https://mindprintlearning.com/

 

Read the following blogs to learn more about supporting your students academically:

6 Steps to Better Grades

How to Guarantee Academic Success

How to Prep for the SAT/ACT

How to Help Your Teens Manage Their Time

 

Subscribe to our Newsletter 

Receive inside track information on college admissions process, high school and middle school planning, general pre-college guidance, and be the first to know about our events and announcements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a common question asked by families who do not qualify for financial aid (or do not qualify for enough financial aid) but for whom paying the full cost of college is a significant burden.

As we covered in Financial Aid 101, there are two types of financial aid: need-based and merit-based.  Need-based financial aid will be determined based on a family’s ability to contribute (using family income data from FAFSA and CSS profile). Merit aid will be determined based on student’s achievement and qualifications such as GPA, test scores, and special talents. Colleges use merit aid to attract higher caliber students than the average student body. Some colleges also use merit aid as a discount to attract students who will pay a significant portion of the tuition.

There is a relatively simple way to find out how much merit aid that a college gives out. Using the Common Data Set, which is a compilation of the most important facts and figures about a college in a standardized format, we can find how much institutional aid that each college gave out without respect to financial need. Institutional aid, unlike federal aid, is money from the college or university. Almost all schools offer institutional aid based on financial need (as federal aid will not fully cover the full cost of attending in many instances), but many offer institutional aid that is not tied to financial need.

We have compiled below a list of 100 colleges based on acceptance rates, and provided the total Institutional Aid given in a year (this is based on 2018-2019 Common Data Set), as well as what % and dollar amount is given WITHOUT respect to financial aid (a proxy for Merit Aid). You can see that most competitive colleges will not offer much in merit aid, as they have no reason to try to attract better caliber students - they have the best students applying to their schools! But there are plenty of great schools that do still offer significant amounts in Merit Aid. Look at Vanderbilt (11.4%), Rice (13.9%), USC (23.3%), Tulane (53.0%), Northeastern (39.0%), and even University of Chicago (7.8%).

If you do not see a college you are interested in, google [college name] [Common Data Set] and you will be taken to a page on the college website that will have the Common Data Set where you can find it.

 

Read these blogs for additional insights:

 

Financial Aid 101

Who Gets In And Why - Book Highlights

What Is the FAFSA and How Does It Work?

Getting Started on Scholarship Research

How to Create a Financially Balanced College List

 

Subscribe to our Newsletter 

Receive inside track information on college admissions process, high school and middle school planning, general pre-college guidance, and be the first to know about our events and announcements.

 

 

What distinguishes excellent students from just good students?

In 6 Steps to Better Grades, we provided students with concrete tools to help them improve their grades. One of the critical steps we discussed was paying better attention in class. We know that many students zone out in class, then study on their own before exams by reading textbooks and class handout materials (if any). While studying, if the student is stuck, there isn’t much they can do as the assignment or the exam is due/taking place the next day. Some motivated students may google questions and go on youtube to find answers. Regardless, in order for that student to learn the material, they will have to spend a lot more time than what it would have taken had they actually paid attention in class, and raised their hand to clarify anything they didn’t understand in class. Hence we have established that paying attention in class is far superior to trying to learn on your own. Good students pay attention in class, make sure they understand the material, and spend less time reviewing/studying prior to working on assignments and exams.

Now what if we took this idea one step further. In every class, there will always be one or two students who come to class with supreme confidence and not only answer questions, but engage the teacher in discussions about that days’ learnings, volunteering additional information that no one else has thought of. This student has taken one additional step, which is pre-reading. Prior to class, either the night before or the weekend before, they looked ahead in their textbook, saw what the teacher will cover in this class, and did a quick reading to get a sense for what they will be learning.

One of the reasons why paying attention in class is so challenging (even for diligent students) is that most students in class are too busy trying to follow explanations and taking notes to fully internalize concepts. Imagine trying to understand quadratic equations when it is first introduced in class. If you don’t get it when the teacher first introduces it, then most students are too afraid to raise their hand to clarify, and the rest of the class will just go over their head. Even the students with best intentions will eventually give up and zone out. But if the student came to class having read the chapter on quadratic equations, then the class will now be a review of material that they already know, and the student can confidently use class time to clarify anything that they did not fully understand from reading.

Pre-reading is what separates the excellent student from just good students.

 

The key to mastering concepts and materials is repetition. Pre-reading gives the student one opportunity to learn the material. Attending class, listening to the teacher explain the material, asking questions, and taking notes reinforces and clarifies the material so that now the student has learned the material twice. Doing assignments will be a third reinforcement of the material. By the time the student studies for the exam, in all likelihood, it will just be a review. Compare that to the student who has zoned out in class and is trying to learn the material the night before the exam. There is no comparison. In terms of hours, the student who has taken the extra step of pre-reading will spend LESS time overall on the material than the student cramming the night before exams. But more importantly, The student who took the extra step will enjoy learning in class, will enjoy discussions with teachers, have the confidence to ask questions, think beyond basic concepts, and will even like the subjects that they did not think they will ever like.

 

For additional insights, read:

6 Steps to Better Grades 

Tips For Motivating Your Teen

Versed Guide to Tutoring Services

7 Things Every Middle School Parents Should Know

 

Subscribe to our Newsletter 

Receive inside track information on college admissions process, high school and middle school planning, general pre-college guidance, and be the first to know about our events and announcements.

 

 

 

We all know that self motivated students who are interested in what they are studying, do well in school and get good grades. Students who are engaged in the class, in the specific subject, and connected to teachers will do better and get better grades. However, as much as we would love for our children to love learning for the sake of learning, it is common for teenagers to disengage and not do as well as they could. Even those highly motivated students often have subjects that they are not excited about. So what can we do to help our teens become better students and improve their grades regardless of what classes they are taking?

The opposite of motivated students getting good grades - students who get good grades in class, derive motivation from excelling in class, and can learn to appreciate and enjoy the subject matter. Most subjects, when you engage with it, and understand it, become a lot more interesting. On the practical side, we need to remind our teens that the key to getting good grades is to become more efficient at learning and actually reduce the amount of time spent studying and doing homework (especially in subjects they are not excited about). These 6 tips will help them spend less time studying overall, while getting much more out of learning, and even help them enjoy subjects they may have disliked.

 

Pay better attention in class

The best way to minimize studying outside of class is to maximize learning in class. Too many students zone out in class, and spend unnecessary time learning the materials on their own to do homework or to study for exams. Yes, this is easier said than done. So what can students do to pay attention in class?

• Sit in the front of the class (if this is an option).
• Come to class prepared - do any pre-assigned reading.
• Take notes - keep your hand moving.
• Speak up and participate - for those that have difficulty with this, make it a goal to speak up at least once a class, and doing it early in the class before other answers/questions have been given is less stressful.
• Address anything you do not understand right away during class or right after class with the teacher.

 

Take effective notes

Many good students write down what the teacher says word for word, or almost word for word based on how fast they can write or type. This may be thorough, but not particularly helpful when time comes to study for tests because the information has not been processed, just merely copied. Taking effective notes means the student has processed the materials and wrote down the information in language that they understand. Instead the following methods will help students synthesize and process information.

• Outline method - simple bullet points with main ideas on top, followed by sub bullets to elaborate
• Cornell method - one of the most well known and used methods designed to cut down on processing time after class, you divide your paper into 3 sections: the cue column, note taking column, and summary column to help synthesize the materials in class. Read more about it HERE.
• Handwritten notes often trumps typed notes - since you can’t write as fast as you type, you are forced to only write what is important and leave extraneous materials out. You become deliberate in taking notes and will actually synthesize the material. On top of that, you can draw diagrams and connections easily. This is of course no brainer for math.

 

Stay organized and fight procrastination

Willpower is a limited resource, so it is important to build habits that will work on autopilot without too much prodding. Building good habits requires organization and time management. Some tricks that help includes:

• Have a weekly/monthly planner with every minute/hour accounted for with activities, homework and study time, as well as downtime scheduled in.
• Create a prioritized To Do List.
• Commit to doing one task at a time in small increments to stay focused and avoid distractions.
• Read How to Help Your Teens Manage Their Time for additional tips and tools.

 

Study efficiently

Many students do not have any plans for studying and start by just reading the text books or reading notes. Passive studying will not help students learn or retain the information. Active learning is critical with emphasis on replicating the testing environment such that the actual test becomes less stressful.

• Gather all your materials - class handouts, your notes, homework assignments, prior quizzes and tests, textbooks.
• Identify what is most important and create a study guide that includes important topics, terms and concepts.
• Turn this list into a set of questions that will force you to remember each item. 
• Drill these questions and force yourself to recall each concept. Flashcards are excellent options. Many online versions allow you to repeat questions you got wrong more frequently than the ones that you are familiar with.

 

Write papers efficiently

What makes writing papers so painful and laborious is that everyone sits down with the intention of writing a good, or even an excellent paper. Perfectionism is paralyzing. Paralysis leads to procrastination. Here are some ways to take pressure off the process and enable students to write papers more efficiently.

• Start with a brain dump. Jot down any and all ideas about the topic without worrying about making sense.
• Develop a focus and a key set of questions. The key questions and possible thesis will help narrow down where and how to research the topic.
• Write a bad first draft. Allow yourself to write a first draft without worrying about writing a good paper. Do it quickly without over thinking.
• Work on multiple drafts over time. Revise drafts over several days, allowing a fresh set of eyes to look at each draft over multiple days.
• Edit ruthlessly. Take out anything superfluous, whether it be language, content, or analysis.
• Read Definitive Guide to Writing Help for tips on helping students that need specific help with writing.

 

Establish a good relationship with teachers

If students follow the first 5 steps outlined above, they will likely have a good relationship with their teachers. Teachers enjoy teaching students that are engaged, pay attention, and share their interest in a subject that the teacher cares deeply about.

• Establish communication early - you do not want the first communication with your teacher to be about grades. Teachers are human beings. Get to know them. Participate in class and ask questions that show your interest in the subject.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions about things you don’t know - many students are afraid to ask questions out of fear that they are asking something they should know. If you don’t understand something, chances are, other students are in the same boat. 
• Take advantage of office hours - this is free tutoring, and visiting office hours does not mean that you are not smart or that you are not a good student, in fact it shows that you are a dedicated student who would like to do well in class.
• Address poor grades early on, do not wait until half of the semester is over - If you are doing poorly in assignments and tests, meet with the teacher to understand how you can do better next time. Rather than focusing on grades, ask for advice on what you can do better (what materials you should be studying, how to improve your paper, understanding what dimensions your assignments are graded on, etc.). Ask to redo the assignment if that is an option. It also doesn’t hurt to find out if there are extra credit assignments that you can work on.

 

 

These 6 Steps will help every student on the right path to better grades. That being said, what distinguishes the truly excellent students from merely good students - what will guarantee academic success? Although there are no guarantees in life,  How to Guarantee Academic Success is a good place to start.

 

For additional insights on helping students succeed academically, check out:

How to Guarantee Academic Success

Definitive Guide to Writing Help

Definitive Guide to Math Enrichment

Tips For Motivating Your Teen

Do High School Students Need a Focus?

Most Prestigious Summer Programs

 

Subscribe to our Newsletter 

Receive inside track information on college admissions process, high school and middle school planning, general pre-college guidance, and be the first to know about our events and announcements.

 

 

 

Each May, millions of students around the world sit down to take one or more of the 38 Advanced Placement Exams. Administered by the CollegeBoard, each exam in America costs nearly $100. Notable for their rigor, a good score on these exams actually may result in saving thousands of dollars in college courses (at some schools) and boosting a student’s college application. In this blog post, we will be going over what AP courses are, what they mean for college admissions, and whether they are worth the money. We will also discuss the option of “self-studying,” for students that are not offered AP Courses in their high school curriculum.

 

What are AP courses?

Advanced Placement (AP Courses) offer college-level curriculum to high school students in dozens of subjects. For this reason, these courses are often taken by the more high-achieving students at each high school, and look excellent on the transcript because of their difficulty. At the end of the school year, in May, students take the exams for all of their AP courses in a span of two weeks. Most exams are between 2 - 3 hours long, and the results of these exams are traditionally released in July. Each test is graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest possible score.

 

Do students have to take the AP Exam?

While it is possible for students to take an AP course without taking the exam, many high school teachers actually exempt students from the final for a course if they take the AP exam. Not only that, if your teen excels in the course, a good score on the exam can have many benefits, including college credit. 

 

Benefits of taking the AP Exam

At most public universities, a 3 or above on an AP exam usually offers some type of college credit. More elite private universities tend to require at least a 4 for some type of credit, and may limit the number of AP credits accepted. The credits that a college accepts drastically varies by whether they are private or public and the different majors and courses at the university. The requirements for transferable AP credits are often listed on each college’s website. Taking enough AP Exams and excelling in them could potentially save a semester, or even a year, of college. Different AP Courses have various curves and difficulties, so you can take a look at the AP Score Distribution for 2020 to see which exams have students scoring the highest and lowest.

While college credit is an added benefit, the real value of AP courses is their impact in college admissions. The University of Southern California, for example, lists on their admissions website that "Students should pursue Advanced Placement . . . whenever possible and if offered by high school." Essentially, if an AP course is offered by your teen’s high school, taking the course will improve their chances of being accepted into elite universities. Even if a student only takes AP courses in their career choice of interest, it exemplifies their passion and commitment to the subject.

For example, students that want to go on to pursue engineering or go into medical school often take AP Biology, Chemistry, Physics and/or Calculus. Political science or history majors benefit from taking AP Government, AP European History, or AP US History. These exams may fulfill some of their future major requirements. They will also demonstrate a student’s academic excellence and interest if they do well in the course or exam. AP Exams are offered for 6 different foreign languages including French, Spanish, and Chinese, and scoring at least a 4 or 5 on these exams exhibits fluency and may even fulfill future foreign language requirements in college. For students interested in music, AP Music Theory is an excellent choice. Art students can learn about art history in AP Art History, and can create an art portfolio that will be graded in the AP Drawing and AP Art & Design exams. As a reminder, a full list of available AP Exams is available here.

Students are not required to submit their AP scores on their college application, but some universities allow students to submit AP scores as standardized tests alongside or in replacement of the ACT/SAT. If your teen struggled with their AP course in school but scored well on the exam, a 4 or 5 may also make up for a subpar grade on their transcript for that subject.

AP courses, however, are not for everyone. The curriculum moves quickly, and students often have prerequisite courses they must complete so that they do not fall behind. Homework per night for each AP class usually follows the rule of thumb of 1 - 3 hours per night, and could be difficult to manage, especially for students heavily involved in extracurriculars or sports. 

 

Are AP exams worth taking for students that do not take the course? 

It depends. AP teachers spend an entire year of lecturing, testing and assigning homework to prepare students specifically for a test. Not only that, college admissions officers do not expect students to have taken AP courses that are not offered at their high school. Instead, they simply expect a student to take the most rigorous courses they can. If AP courses are not offered at your teen’s high school, it will not be held against them when they apply to colleges.

However, if your student does not feel challenged by their school curriculum, self-studying for an exam may be impressive. For example, if your student would like to be an economics major, but AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics are not offered at their high school, self-studying can show initiative. If the student scores well on the AP exam anyways, their passion for economics, enough for them to learn it at a high level on their own, may shine through. This also works for students that cannot get into the AP courses at their school due to schedule conflicts or full classes. Taking an AP exam for a subject related to their prospective major helps students who have a clear academic passion build a narrative for college applications. 

 

How do you score well on an AP exam?

The best way to self-study or review for AP exams is by purchasing a review book. Barron’s and Princeton Review tend to be popular brands, but students may look around and find one recommended with excellent reviews. Albert.io is a website often used for AP prep, complete with practice questions and answer key breakdowns. Princeton Review has free practice quizzes and study guides, Khan Academy has free instructional videos, and AP Practice Exams website has a free compilation of official and unofficial practice tests. Timing is one of the biggest issues students face during AP exams, so make sure your teen takes a couple of timed practice tests. Reviewing their wrong answers and those sections to identify their strengths and weaknesses will help them improve their score. There are countless free and paid resources and videos available online to help make the self-study process easier, and if your teen makes proper use of them, they will have no problem scoring well on the exam.

In the end, AP exams are worth it for students that can handle it and have the time and motivation to do the work. They will be competitive in college admissions and be predictive of how well the student will handle coursework in college. AP exams may save entire semesters of college expenses, especially for students planning on attending a public university. For students that cannot afford the cost of AP exams, high schools usually have funds to provide financial aid. Information on federal and state fee reductions can be found here, on the official CollegeBoard Website. 

 

 

For additional insights, check out:

ACT/SAT Scores Still Matter In College Admissions

Best of Online Learning: SAT/ACT Prep

Guide to the Common Application

Are Pre-College Summer Programs Worth It?

 

Subscribe to our Newsletter 

Receive inside track information on college admissions process, high school and middle school planning, general pre-college guidance, and be the first to know about our events and announcements.

 

 

 

By: Sohini Surapaneni

A college admissions interview can be a nerve-racking experience for teenagers that don’t have much experience going through the interview process. They may struggle with setting up an interview, dressing for it, and answering questions in a way that showcases their personality. In this blog post, we will be reviewing the following aspects of preparing for college admission interviews:

• Setting up an interview
• Being Prepared
• Questions interviewers commonly ask
• How to Dress 
• Post-Interview

During the 2020-2021 Admissions Cycle, the interviews will be conducted virtually. The purpose of the interview and how it is used will be the same. Therefore, how students approach the interviews should not change as well.

 

Setting up an interview

There are two types of college admissions interviews: evaluative and informational. Evaluative interviews will have the interviewer write a recommendation letter to add to the student’s application. These are usually conducted by actual admissions officers. Informational interviews are simply meant to answer any questions a student has about a university. Alumni interviews are an example of informational interviews, although alumni sometimes still write a brief letter to admissions describing the interview.

The chart below shows interview policies for some of the selective schools and provides links back to the website where you can find detailed information.

College	Interview Policy	Interview Purpose
Bates College	Optional	Informational
Bowdoin College	Recommended	Evaluative
Brown	Recommended to submit video portfolio	Evaluative
Colgate University	Optional	Informational
Columbia	Recommended	Evaluative
Connecticut College	Recommended	Evaluative
Cornell*	Recommended for most programs*	Informational
Dartmouth	Recommended	Evaluative
Duke	Recommended	Evaluative
Georgetown University	Required	Evaluative
Hamilton College	Strongly recommended	Evaluative
Harvard	Recommended	Evaluative
Haverford College	Recommended	Evaluative
Johns Hopkins	Optional	Informational
Middlebury College	Optional	Evaluative
MIT	Strongly recommended	Evaluative
Northwestern	Optional	Evaluative
Princeton	Recommended	Evaluative
Rice	Recommended	Evaluative
Stanford	Optional	Evaluative
Swarthmore College	Recommended	Evaluative
Trinity College	Recommended	Evaluative
Tufts University	Optional	Evaluative
Union College	Recommended	Evaluative
University of Pennsylvania	Recommended	Evaluative
Vassar College	Optional	Informational
Wake Forest University	Recommended	Evaluative
Washington University St. Louis	Optional	Informational
Wellesley	Recommended	Evaluative
Wesleyan University	Recommended	Evaluative
Yale	Recommended	Evaluative

• *Required (Architecture and  Hotel Administration programs); Recommended (Art program); Cornell does not schedule interviews for most of the students applying to all other programs.

Depending on the university, the type of interview and  the method to set up an interview is different. Below are some of the ways students receive an interview. Please note that in most cases, an interview is no indication of whether the student will be accepted to the university. Most interviews last between 30 minutes to an hour.

Receiving an email following a submitted application

This is the most common way interviews are given out to high schoolers. After a student submits their application, they receive an email from a regional admissions officer or alumni for a local interview. In non-Covid years, these often take place at a coffee shop or library. During the 2020-21 application season, interviews are conducted virtually via video chat or phone. In these cases, universities usually make a point to state that students should not reach out for an interview; instead, interviews will be given by the university on an availability basis. While students may reject interview opportunities, it is in their best interest to accept and prepare for it.

Scheduling an On-Campus Interview

Some universities, like Yale and Rice, also offer on-campus interviews on a first-come, first-served basis from around summer to the end of the year (during non-Covid years). These interviews must be scheduled online by incoming high school seniors that plan on applying the year of the interview. If students schedule an on-campus interview, they will likely not receive an additional alumni interview following the submission of their application.

Requesting an Interview

Colleges such as Swarthmore only offer interviews to students that explicitly request it. While it depends on the college, interviews are usually requested by emailing the admissions office or filling out a form on the application portal or official university website.

 

Being Prepared

When setting up an interview, students should check with the university and their interviewer if they would like the student to bring (or upload/email) a resume or any additional information.

The day before the interview, students should double check the time, location, and address of the interview (during the 2020-21 cycle, check the video conferencing information and make sure that there is good WIFI connection). The day of the interview, the student should leave early and show up at least 10 minutes prior to the interview time. Showing up late or not showing up at all reflects poorly on the applicant, especially when it is an alumni that took time out of their day to interview.

Students should ensure that they know the culture, academics and location of the school very well. This can include specific extracurriculars they would like to join, classes or professors they are interested in, traditions or opportunities unique to the university, and available resources related to their major they believe would be beneficial to their academic and professional career. Interviewees should be able to answer “Why (this university)?” and also ask thoughtful questions that cannot be simply answered by the university’s website.

Coming into an interview, students should not have scripted answers, but be able to answer interview questions in a comfortable manner. Most interviews, especially alumni interviews, are conducted informally similar to a conversation. Students should therefore conduct mock interviews with their teachers, parents, counselors or friends to become comfortable holding a conversation during an interview and be able to introduce themselves to the question “Tell Me About Yourself."

If a student is asked a tough question, they should note that it is alright to ask for a minute to think about their answer. If they still are not sure of their answer, they can ask their interviewers to move on and later get back to this difficult question. Students can mull over and think about their answer as they continue answering questions.

At the very end of an interview, the student will be asked if they have any questions for the interviewer. They should always ask questions! These should be specific questions that have not already been covered throughout the course of the interview. Students may ask more about specific programs or opportunities related to their prospective major. If the interviewer is an alumni, students may ask more about the alumni’s major, courses or experiences when they were a student. If the interviewer is a professor, students may ask about research they have done, students that have stood out, or classes and subjects that they have taught. What does the interviewer love about the university? Do they have any advice or feedback for the student?

Students should also have appropriate and confident body language throughout the interview. This includes a firm handshake either at the beginning or end of the interview, eye contact when speaking, and limited fidgeting. In the case of virtual interviews, making sure to look directly into the camera is critical.

 

Questions Interviewers Commonly Ask

If a student knows another student or alumni that has been interviewed for a specific school, they may find it helpful to ask about some of the questions they were asked in the past. They may also be able to find sample questions for a specific university online so they have an idea of what to prepare. Below are some questions commonly asked by admissions interviewers. Students may use these questions to conduct mock interviews or brainstorm possible interview answers. When answering questions, they should be as specific as possible in a way that is memorable.

Students should share their personal experiences and perspectives, but should be careful about sensitive topics and not offend their interviewer. Students should also be careful when answering questions that ask about shortcomings, obstacles or weaknesses they have. While they should describe their weaknesses and struggles in detail, they should also end on a positive note that discusses how they are overcoming it and bettering themselves. Students should also be transparent about their passion for learning, especially if they have picked a major already.

• Tell Me About Yourself
• What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
• Why this university?
• Why you? What would you contribute to the university? What makes you unique?
• Are you looking at other schools as well? Which ones?
• What Do You Do for Fun?
• Why do you want to major in ______?
• What are your strengths, and what are your weaknesses?
• What do you expect to be doing 10 years from now?
• What is your favorite book? How has it impacted you? What are you reading at the moment?
• Tell me three things that aren’t on your college application.
• Talk about a time where you had to be a leader.
• What do you think about (recent current event)?
• What does being successful look like to you?
• What are you motivated by?
• If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would you choose? Who do you most admire?
• Do you have any questions for me? This one will always be asked.

 

How to Dress 

How to dress for a college interview depends mostly on where the interview will take place. Since most interviews are conducted in a coffee shop, on-campus, or at a library, smart or business casual, such as dark jeans, pants, blouses, modest skirts, button-down shirts or blazers should work fine. Students should stay away from open-toed shoes, excessive makeup/cologne/perfume, too many accessories, ripped jeans, tank tops, t-shirts or any other unprofessional clothing pieces. The same applies to virtual interviews. While footwear will no longer matter, the visible portion of your outfit should be smart or business casual.

 

Post-Interview

Within a day of the interview, ideally within a couple of hours, students should write or email a thank you letter to the interviewer. They should ask any follow-up questions about the university or admissions process and thank them for their time.

 

For additional insights, check out our blogs:

Download our Comprehensive Guide: College Application Process

Guide to the Common Application

Which Teachers Should Students Choose to Write the Letters of Recommendation

Getting Started on Scholarship Research

 

 

About Sohini Surapaneni:

Sohini is currently a student at New York University focusing on Economics major and a double minor in philosophy and business studies. She is passionate about helping Versed’s mission to make educational resources accessible to everyone, and regularly contributes to the blog. Her articles are researched and supplemented by her and her peers experience going through the college application process (and of course with her immigrant parents by her side!).

 

Subscribe to our Newsletter 

Receive inside track information on college admissions process, high school and middle school planning, general pre-college guidance, and be the first to know about our events and announcements.

 

By: Valerie Erde

Don’t we all wish we could be a fly on the wall in those college admissions committee rooms? Jeff Selingo’s insightful and detailed book, Who Gets In And Why, A Year Inside College Admissions is the next best thing to being there, giving readers a behind-the-scenes look into the opaque “holistic” college admissions process. 

In case you don’t want to read the whole book…I’ve provided my own takeaways, divided into four categories with main points and quotes for each:  Big Picture Takeways, The High School Side, The College Admissions Business, and Your College Research & Application. 

 

Big Picture (things you probably know, but…)

1. “College admissions is a business – a big one – that you have very little control over.”  
2. The importance of academic rigor cannot be overstated — even for athletes.
3. But you also need to show some sort of (sustained) interest or talent outside of your academics.  (NB: only playing a sport isn’t enough for top schools.)
4. Your 9th and/or 10th grade choices set the stage for your high school, and eventual, college admissions path.  You cannot wait until junior year because it’s the “depth and consistency of your story” that matters.
5. Getting “in” is not the endpoint.  What you do in college – students and professors you meet, clubs you join, research and internships you do, is often much more important than where you go.

The High School Side

 

Course Rigor & Grades Are The Most Important Criteria To Ad Coms

• Take the most rigorous courses your school offers and that you can handle.
• Grades should either remain consistently excellent or go up, including Senior year.
• AP & IB courses are generally considered the most rigorous, but not all APs considered equal.
  “Few things matter more to those reading applications than strength of schedule and grades.  So don’t skip upper-level math courses just because you don’t like math.” [Pg. 270]

“The committee is looking for grades that are either consistently good throughout high school or on a steady rise from the start.  What concerns them is a downward trend or one that is ‘spiky’” [Pg 142]

“…while she has taken eight of the 23 Advanced Placement courses offered by her high school, her mid-year grades include a C in AP Environmental Science, a course considered the easiest of senior-level advanced courses. [Pg. 2]

“AP Calculus in particular has become the strongest signal of preparedness for an elite college.  In 2019, 97% of Harvard’s freshman class took AP or some form of calculus. [Pg. 168]

 

ACT/SAT/AP Scores Still Matter, Sometimes A Lot

• Test scores are considered an important metric when coupled with courses and grades.
• When test scores are significantly higher than grades, Ad Coms question a student’s effort; when they’re significantly lower, they question the high school’s rigor (grade inflation).
• Testing is one element you actually have some control over as late as mid-junior year (unlike your courses taken and grades by that point).
• Test Prep works for increasing scores, but private tutoring is more effective than classes. 

“Even in holistic review, those three measurements [grades, course depth and breadth, test scores] provide admissions officers with the tools of a ‘rough sorting’ of applications — to separate competitive applicants from the not-so-competitive right off the bat.”  [Pg. 168] Selective colleges favor grades and test scores because, when combined, the research shows that they predict college success better than either alone. [Pg. 176]

“The admissions officers I observed and those I talked with at other schools often use test scores as a counterbalance in their decision making – almost as a confirmation of the grades and high school curriculum  The SAT and ACT merely supplement the grades/course rigor with more in-depth information on a student’s cognitive skills.” [Pg. 170]

“When the GPAs of applicants are all in the A range, it’s difficult for admissions officers to make distinctions among students.  That’s when test scores offer another measure for interpreting grades and differentiating between applicants.” [Pg. 169]

“The test score is one significant metric applicants still have some control over during the college search. After all, it’s too late for a do-over for grades from sophomore year.  And the courses teenagers take their senior year of high school are largely the result or their course schedule from back in eighth grade.” [Pg. 171]

“A 2018 study by researchers at the ACT found that the only significant increase in test scores came from those test takers who reported working with a private tutor.”  [Pg. 63]

 

Interesting Extracurriculars (Plus Some Leadership) Are Vital

• Your stated academic interests should be reflected in your outside-of-school pursuits.
• Unique/Quirky interests help (e.g. student who played football and founded Botany Club [Pg. 90]
• Ad Coms are looking for sustained commitment. 

“Solid activities, but more like a checklist than a deep commitment to any of them.”  Nicole notes that the girl wants to be a doctor, but ‘lists no activities related to pre-med.’ Lupe suggests scoring the student a 3 out of 5 for activities.  Nicole calls it a ‘weak 3.’ She wants to knock it down to a 2.” [Pg. 196]

“While this applicant is at the top of her class, it’s hard to suss out what she cares about.  There’s a lot of member, member, member, and not a lot of leadership” Kortni Campbell, Davidson College.

“The applicant has strong grades and a rigorous curriculum, but the overall file was described as ‘lackluster’ by the original reader with ratings of 2 out of a possible 5 for both recommendations and intellectual curiosity.” [Pg. 3]

 

The College Admissions Business

 

Admissions Departments Are Marketing Departments (that lure you with slick branding and increasingly sophisticated data analytics).

“Sellers are the ‘haves’ of admissions.” (typically a brand name that signals [prestige in the job market and in social circles.”  Buyers are the “have nots.”  They may even provide an equal or better education, but their admissions people actually have to work to “fill classroom seats and beds in dorm rooms”  {Pgs. 48- 49] 

“College is a business and admissions is its chief revenue source”  Richard Whitehouse, former admissions dean, Tulane, 2019”  Pg. 40 and “Selling college in a necessity in an increasingly competitive industry. Admissions counselors are salespeople pitching a product to students, employed by colleges that need to meet a bottom line. “ [Pg 41]

“Your name is sold [by the college Board et al] on average 18 times and as much as 70 times.”  [Pgs. 26-29]

“….universities use systems that track the movements of student through the university’s website and target them with personalized communications based on their interests.”  Page 42  “There were female students with an interest in engineering and SAT scores above 1500 designated for MIT.  Seniors from the Bos-Wash corridor for Wash U.  Yale wanted teenagers keen on the humanities, the University of Miami family incomes above $100K and GPAs above 3.5.”  [Pg. 28]

Student : “I just got an email from Princeton,”  email encouraging her to apply, even though she had a 3.7 and 1350 SAT and would be rejected.  She applied because she believed she was being recruited.  [Pg. 31 ]

 

Early Decision May Benefit You - Or Not (but this merits an entire blog post. Read the book.)

• Though students can definitely benefit/improve their odds by applying early, the “move to move things up” mostly benefits the institution.
• Some institutions use EA/ED/EDII to manipulate their rankings and enrollment stats.
• ED is sometimes beneficial for highly risk-averse families.
  “Early decision is a mechanism that from its start….has been fashioned to assist colleges in managing their application pools in uncertain times.” [Pgs. 119-1120]

“Early decision serves the needs of colleges and universities a hell of a lot more than it serves students”  Chris Gruber, Davidson College [Pg. 138]

 

Your College Research & Application

 

Craft Your College List Thoughtfully:  Try To Avoid “Peer Effects,” and Slick Branding (per above).

• Do the due diligence that an $80K - $240K investment merits.
• Try to avoid getting caught up in rankings and prestige and focus on what matters to you.
• Ask a lot of questions from undergraduates who attend schools that interest you as well as adults.
• Numbers matter.  If your grades and scores are not above a college’s 50% percentile (unless you are being recruited or have some other outstanding talent e.g. YoYo Ma), think about whether the time and effort required for applying to that school makes sense.
  “If students have only sellers on their list, they risk getting rejected from every school they apply to.  Most sellers only offer financial assistance only to students who really need it or who are truly exceptional.”  An example:  UVA is a seller, Virginia Tech is a buyer, despite the fact that grads at both schools, on average, have nearly the same salaries 10 years out.  [Pg. 51]

“If a list is top-heavy with ultra-selective schools, for instance, or fails to incorporate a mix of academics, social and financial factors from the start will fail to produce a good fit.”

“You should be above the 50% percentile of test scores, even if you have good grades and a solid curriculum to back up your scores, if you truly want to compete in the applicant pool of a top college.” [Pg. 171]

“My advice is that if you go to a competitive high school and aren’t a star student, be realistic about your college list.  Understand who the buyers and sellers are on that list, especially if you can afford the tuition price.”

“Students are 20% more likely to apply to colleges for which they can access scattergrams than college without.  What’s the problem?  Colleges only get displayed if the HS as at least 5-10 students applied there in the prior year. [Pgs. 38-39]

 

If Demonstrated Interest Is Important, Demonstrate Yours

“Many colleges track how many emails you open and how quickly, if you’re following them on social media, whether or not you go when rep visits your school, if you’ve toured the campus (assuming you can afford that).

“The response to that [why us] essay on [the application] is most important for him in measuring an applicant’s interest” [Pg. 125]

 

College Essays Matter, But Not As Much As You Think

• Average total application read is 5-10 minutes, so essays are usually scanned.

“The effort applicants spend writing their essays (and the fees parents pay to have them edited) is often inversely proportional to the time admissions officers devote to reading them. Admissions officers scan essays.  When one grabs their attention, they’ll have a closer read.  Essays help lift candidates at the margins; they very rarely are the thing that gets the applicant tin.  The best essays are honest slice-of-life stories both entertaining and serious, that tell admissions officers something they don’t learn from another part of the application.”  [Pg .193]

 

 

About Valerie Erde of Veridian Prep:

VeridianPrep is an academic tutoring and test prep company that combines years of subject expertise and experience with evidence-based approaches to teaching and learning.  VeridianPrep’s strengths lie in quickly determining each student’s strengths and gaps to offer a personalized, and results-oriented approach that builds skills and confidence to help teens succeed not only in a single class or test, but also in their next journey -- college.    Currently, VeridianPrep covers all levels of Math, English, Chemistry, and Physics including AP/ACT/SAT/SAT II, meeting one-on-one with students at home, in offices in Greenwich, CT/NYC, or online. https://www.veridianprep.com

 

If you are interested in speaking with Valerie Erde, or other advisors at Versed about helping students discover their interests and pursue meaningful activities, please contact us.

 

For additional information and insights, check out our blog:

Top 5 Books on College Admissions for those just getting started…

Finding Your Academic Fit

Entrepreneurship Opportunities for High School Students

12 Things Middle Schoolers Can Do This Summer

 

Download Our Soup to Nut Guide on College Admissions:

College Admissions Planning Tools

 

Subscribe to our Newsletter 

Receive inside track information on college admissions process, high school and middle school planning, general pre-college guidance, and be the first to know about our events and announcements.

 

 

 

 

In our last blog post, Top 5 Books on College Admissions for those just getting started…, we recommended 5 great books that will give you big-picture perspectives about colleges, the college admissions process overall, the true nature of selective college admissions, and what you can do to help students prepare for the road ahead. For those Juniors and seniors ready to build college lists focusing on academic, personal and financial fit, these following 5 books do a great job of providing data and college specific information invaluable to this process. Furthermore, these books are consistently recommended by counselors, parents and students alike.

 

The Princeton Review: The Best 386 Colleges

Author: Princeton Review and Robert Franek

This comprehensive guide to the nation's best colleges provides in-depth profiles on schools, best-of lists by interest, and tons of helpful student-driven details that will help you or your student choose their best-fit colleges. This guide includes: 

• 386 in-depth school profiles based on candid feedback from 143,000 students, covering academics, administration, campus life, and financial aid
• Insights on unique college character, social scene, and more
• Lists of the top 20 colleges in 62 categories based on students' opinions of academics, campus life, facilities, and much more
• Ratings for every school on Financial Aid, Selectivity, and Quality of Life
• The "Inside Word" on competitive applications, test scores, tuition, and average indebtedness
• Comprehensive information on selectivity, freshman profiles, and application deadlines at each school

The Best 386 Colleges

 

The Fiske Guide to Colleges

Author: Edward Fiske

The Fiske Guide to Getting into the Right College starts with an in-depth assessment of student priorities, then takes you step-by-step through the process of applying to the schools you actually want to get into. The latest edition is fully updated with information on standardized testing, financial aid, online applications, and more. This guide will show students how to:

• Choose the right kind of school for you
• Filter out the hype
• Navigate the financial aid process
• Earn the test scores colleges want you to see
• Write authentic essays (even if you're not a great writer)
• Submit an application that shows off your best features
• Ask the right questions during campus visits
• Know how admissions officers rank candidates
• Get off the waiting list and get accepted
• Attract and even negotiate the best financial aid package

Fiske Guide to Colleges

 

Colleges That Change Lives

Author: Loren Pope

This is a groundbreaking guide to the 40 best colleges you've never heard of—colleges that will change your life. Choosing the right college has never been more important—or more difficult. For the latest edition of this classic college guide, Hilary Masell Oswald conducted her own tours of top schools and in-depth interviews, building on Loren Pope's original to create a totally updated, more expansive work. Organized by geographic region, every profile includes a wealth of vital information, including admissions standards, distinguishing facts about the curriculum, extracurricular activities, and what faculty say about their jobs. Masell Oswald also offers a new chapter on how students with learning disabilities can find schools that fit their needs. For every prospective college student searching for more than football and frat parties, Colleges That Change Lives will prove indispensable.

Fully revised and updated by education journalist Hilary Oswald, Colleges That Change Lives remains the definite guide for high school students (and their parents) who are looking for more in their college education than football, frat parties, and giant lectures. Building on the foundation of landmark author Loren Pope, Oswald spent more than a year visiting 40 colleges, speaking with students, faculty, and alumni to create these vivid and concise portraits. 

Colleges that Change Lives

 

The College Solution

Author: Lynn O’Shaughnessy

This bestselling book is aimed at helping parents and teenagers become empowered consumers as they navigate through the college process to find wonderful colleges and universities at more affordable prices. Billions of dollars are available to pay for college, but not everybody gets their share. It's not always the families with the brightest students or the parents who are struggling financially who receive the most money. The College Solution shares the secrets of how you can capture some of this money for your own family. The book provides advice on such topics as financial aid, merit scholarships, athletic scholarships, admission hooks, the important differences between colleges and universities, college rankings, the best student loans and the latest online tools to evaluate the generosity of schools. O’Shaughnessy presents an easy-to-use, proven road map for getting past the ratings, and finding the right schools at the right price. No other book offers this much practical guidance on choosing and paying for college now ― and no other book will save you as much money!

The College Solution

 

Paying for College

Author: Princeton Review and Kalman Chany

This annual guide allows you to take control of your financial aid experience with line-by-line instructions for completing the FAFSA aid forms. Financing a college education is a daunting task no matter what your circumstances. With line-by-line instructions for filling out the FAFSA and consumer-friendly advice to minimize college costs, Paying for College helps you take control of your experience and:

• Maximize your financial aid eligibility
• Learn how COVID-19 and the latest tax laws affect the financing of your college education
• Explore long- and short-term strategies to reduce college costs and avoid expensive mistakes
• Complete every question on the FAFSA and CSS Profile forms to your best advantage
• Compare aid offers and learn how to appeal them if necessary 
• Plan strategically as a separated/divorced parent, blended family, or independent student

Paying for College

 

 

For additional insights, check out our blogs:

Top 5 Books on College Admissions for those just getting started…

How to Create a Financially Balanced College List

Finding Your Academic Fit

Download our Comprehensive Guide: College Application Process

 

Subscribe to our Newsletter 

Receive inside track information on college admissions process, high school and middle school planning, general pre-college guidance, and be the first to know about our events and announcements.

 

 

 

Many of us use the internet for all of our information gathering when it comes to any kind of large ticket purchases. Whether we are looking for a new car, a new vacation, or a new home, there is no shortage of information you can find on the internet. The same applies to colleges (a $80-300K investment). That being said, we also hear over and over again that the amount  of information on the internet is overwhelming and there is so much biased information out there from marketers, that it is often difficult to parse out what advice is worth heeding, and conversely what should be ignored.

For those starting out, freshmen/sophomore/junior parents, as well as middle school parents looking to get a glimpse of what is ahead, there are several great books that will provide families with the lay of the land. These books will give you big-picture perspectives about colleges, the college admissions process overall, understanding the true nature of selective college admissions, and what you can do to help students prepare for the road ahead.

 

Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions

By: Jeffrey Selingo

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. One of the most insightful books ever about “getting in” and what higher education has become, Who Gets In and Why not only provides an usually intimate look at how admissions decisions get made, but guides prospective students on how to honestly assess their strengths and match with the schools that will best serve their interests.

Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions

Also check out our takeaway:

Who Gets In And Why - Book Highlights

 

How to Raise an Adult

Author: Julie Lythcott-Haims

In How to Raise an Adult, Julie Lythcott-Haims draws on research, on conversations with admissions officers, educators, and employers, and on her own insights as a mother and as a student dean to highlight the ways in which overparenting harms children, their stressed-out parents, and society at large. While empathizing with the parental hopes and, especially, fears that lead to overhelping, Lythcott-Haims offers practical alternative strategies that underline the importance of allowing children to make their own mistakes and develop the resilience, resourcefulness, and inner determination necessary for success. Relevant to parents of toddlers as well as of twentysomethings--and of special value to parents of teens--this book is a rallying cry for those who wish to ensure that the next generation can take charge of their own lives with competence and confidence.

How to Raise an Adult

 

The Truth about College Admission

Authors: Brennan Barnard & Rick Clark

The Truth about College Admission is the easy-to-follow, comprehensive, go-to guide for families. The expert authors (Brennan Barnard, Director of College Counseling at The Derryfield School and US Performance Academy, and Rick Clark, Georgia Tech’s Director of Admissions) ―with inside knowledge from both the high school and university sides of the experience―provide critical advice, thoughtful strategies, helpful direction, and invaluable reassurance during the long and often bewildering college admission journey. From searching for colleges and creating a list of favorites to crafting an application, learning what schools are looking for academically and outside the classroom, and getting insight into how colleges decide who to accept, this book covers every important step. Helpful sections like "Try This," "Talk about This," and "Check In" show your family how to have open and balanced conversations to keep everyone on the same page, feeling less stressed, and actually enjoying the adventure together.

The Truth about College Admission

 

Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be

Author: Frank Bruni

Written by the award-winning journalist and columnist for the New York Times Frank Bruni, this is an inspiring manifesto about everything wrong with today's frenzied college admissions process and how to make the most of your college years. Bruni 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, he demonstrates that many kinds of colleges serve as ideal springboards. And he illuminates how to make the most of them. What matters in the end are students' efforts in and out of the classroom, not the name on their diploma.

Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be

 

The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College

Author: Jacques Steinberg

In 1999, New York Times education reporter Jacques Steinberg was given an unprecedented opportunity to observe the admissions process at prestigious Wesleyan University. Over the course of nearly a year, Steinberg accompanied admissions officer Ralph Figueroa on a tour to assess and recruit the most promising students in the country. The Gatekeepers follows a diverse group of prospective students as they compete for places in the nation's most elite colleges. Even though 1999 is slightly dated, it was the first book of its kind to reveal the college admission process in such behind-the-scenes detail.

The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College

 

For additional insights, check out our blogs:

Who Gets In And Why - Book Highlights

Top 5 Books on College Admissions for Seniors and Juniors building college lists

Most Prestigious Summer Programs

Are Pre-College Summer Programs Worth It?

Do High School Students Need a Focus?

 

Subscribe to our Newsletter 

Receive inside track information on college admissions process, high school and middle school planning, general pre-college guidance, and be the first to know about our events and announcements.