Panicked Parents' Guide to College Admissions

Rating:
Summary: The Book to Buy
Review: If you buy only one admission book, this should be it. It's full of clear, shrewd, practical tips (dare I even say "tricks"?) on how to select colleges, produce strong applications, shine at interviews, etc., but somehow-while offering the inside scoop on getting your kids into their top-choice schools-the authors also manage to provide much-needed perspective on this potentially stressful and confusing time, along with reassurances that parents will survive it all, regardless of the outcome.

I loved the amusing, upbeat style. It made me feel as if Sally Rubenstone and Sidonia Dalby were two well-informed close friends who were leading me by the hand through the admissions quagmire. Another thing I really liked about this book was the way it is organized. It was easy to access what I needed ("What do we do when our test scores are awful?" "How do we submit audiotapes or an art portfolio?"), without wading through the sections I didn't. There are "good news" and "bad news" capsules that run throughout the text that are both entertaining and helpful, along with dozens of Frequently Asked Questions. What I thought distinguished the FAQ's in this book from those I've found elsewhere (e.g., in other books, on Web sites, etc.) is that they were sufficiently generic to appeal to a broad audience but not so general that they left me saying, "Like, duh!" For instance, in the chapter called "Money Matters: Financial Planning and Financial Aid," the Q&A's include: "Does a stepparent have to provide information when a child applies for aid?" and "Our family owns rental property. How will that be considered when we apply for aid?" Other particularly useful questions touched on such topics as whether or not to urge a shy child to endure optional interviews, who should (and shouldn't) opt for early decision, and how to get noticed on a wait-list.

In addition to lots of information for everyone, there are also special sections for athletes, students with disabilities, those who wish to defer, and so on. I also thought that the two appendices (a Checklist/Calendar and a Web Site Ready Reference) are alone worth the price of the book.

I really can't recommend a book more highly for parents going through the college admissions process, and even students themselves will gain a lot from reading it. Don't force it on them, of course, but, if you leave it lying around, my bet is that you'll have to steal it back.

Rating:
Summary: From a panicked parent...
Review: This book is really great! By far the best of the genre that I've seen. It's the most honest and direct and clear (and entertaining). And it's very readable--the only one I would enjoy reading straight through. I particularly appreciated the examples of real parents. My only complaint is the title (though it's possible that the laid back parents guide wouldn't sell as many books). I try to maintain a relaxed demeanor but I had to "out" myself at the local bookstore as a panicked parent.