Book Suggestions: Summer Scholars Thoughts


In December I wrote a blog post on college admissions resource books that I thought would be supportive of a broad range of topics related to college planning, the application process, financial aid planning and the college enrollment decision. The Joyce Ivy Foundation Summer Scholars Alumnae also suggest additional resource books that they found helpful during the college admissions and financial aid process. They have added a brief review of each book to summarize the topics.  Their list follows:

Finding the Right Fit: The Ultimate Guide to College
By Kenneth Albert
“The beginning of this book follows a student throughout high school and tells what needs to be done at each point along the way. A majority of the book focuses on the financial aspects, containing scholarship advice and case studies.”

College Admission:  From Application to Acceptance, Step by Step
By Robin Mamlet and Christine VanDeVelde
“This book is written by the former Dean of Admission at Stanford as well as Swarthmore and Sarah Lawrence. It provides information in a guidebook style for families from any background. Quotes from expert guidance counselors and admissions directors close each chapter.”

The College Hook
By Pam Proctor
“This book is all about how to program and package oneself in order to gain admittance to a top university. Full of great examples and written in a ‘timeline’ fashion.”

The Hidden Ivies: 50 Top Colleges – From Amherst to Williams – That Rival the Ivy League 
By Howard Greene and Matthew Greene
“This book gives a very in-depth look at the top schools, and it allows you to know if each school is a place where you would want to spend the next four years.” 

What Colleges Don’t Tell You (And What Other Parents Don’t Want You to Know): 272 Secrets for Getting Your Kid into the Top Schools
By Elizabeth Wissner-Gross
“This book is divided into small sections based on subject and each section contains “secrets” to the admissions process. There are 272 of these secrets and they cover it all. Solid advice in an easy-to-read format.”

A is for Admission: The Insider’s Guide to Getting Into the Ivy League and Other Top Colleges
By Michele A. Hernandez
“This book was written by a former Dartmouth admissions officer. It is full of case studies, essays, and applicant profiles, along with what qualities will work towards your advantage. It is filled with exceptional advice and statistics.”

Making It into a Top College: 10 Steps to Gaining Admission to Selective Colleges and Universities 
By Howard Greene and Matthew Greene
“Extraordinarily helpful! It is written in a ten-step process that is extremely detailed and covers everything from choosing the right school to financial advice.”

Cut College Costs Now!
By Corey Sandler
“This book focuses solely on the financial aspect of college. There is a section that goes over all of the financial forms and how to fill them out, along with how to maximize the amount of money in your financial aid package.”


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