Location:Home » » Subjects » What Colleges Don't Tell You (And Other Parents Don't Want You to Know): 272 Secrets for Getting Your Kid into the Top Schools
A great help! August 31, 2007 2 out of 7 found this review helpful
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.
For smart parents who want to even out the playing fields August 5, 2007 5 out of 9 found this review helpful
Parenting of teenagers has become very polarized in America, as the reviews for What Colleges Don't Tell You seem to demonstrate: There are the involved parents who maintain close relationships with their teenage children, and there are parents who prefer to let their teenagers bring themselves up with minimal input or guidance--independence at all costs--who are outraged by high-achieving families that work together.
Parents who value the art of parenting right into the teenage years can gain a lot from What Colleges Don't Tell You. The book is very respectful of teenagers and tells parents how they can guide and remain close during their children's high school years. But for those who think that parenting ends when their kids become teenagers--or for kids who resent any parental involvement--the book will probably seem foreign and even threatening.
Parents of high achievers will be especially impressed with the insights that this book provides. Admission to the prestige colleges is made more accessible and more logical for hard working, dedicated students. Wissner-Gross helps the reader to understand the current admissions system, which apparently is no longer based solely on GPAs and SATs; she helps the reader understand the many subjective credentials--and how a dedicated student can earn them--in a world where the "haves" prefer to keep these factors secret.
Adults who believe in blind obedience--the high school is always right--may find this approach to college admissions daunting. But more educated parents who prefer to have the playing fields evened out will particularly appreciate the book's in-depth discussions of grades, college essays, and studying.
I don't recommend this book for conventional thinkers who have stereotypical teenage children and prom queens who lack focus and academic commitment. Benefiting from this book probably requires child-centered families with lots of rapport. It seems targeted more toward today's involved parents, rather than 70s style do-your-own-thing parents. I strongly recommend this book to families where parents and their teenagers work as a team. Other people won't get it. I wish it had been available back when I was in high school.
Like Having a Personal College Advisor! August 4, 2007 7 out of 11 found this review helpful
This book was released as my daughter was entering 12th grade...I wish Eliabeth Wissner-Gross had written it sooner! In "secret" #14, she discusses some academic competitions and programs which are highly regarded by colleges and are less well-known than Intel and Westinghouse. We had never heard about them, even though we're in a highly academic school district and this is my second child to pass through it! Her unique perspective on how to approach and prepare for standardized testing is detailed, extremely informative and may actually improve your relationship with your college-bound kid! Every section of this book provided valuable information that made us feel like we had a personal college advisor!
An Essential Resource For Students and Parents! August 4, 2007 6 out of 10 found this review helpful
The most insightful, thorough resource available on college admissions! In an extremely competitive college admissions market, the author helps you to gain realistic perspective on your (or your child's) application credentials. She then gives you the tools to craft an honest, effective application which presents those credentials in the most positive light! Wissner-Gross provides keen insight on interviewing, teacher recommendations, essay writing and so much more!
So Bad I Thought Maybe It Was In Jest July 3, 2007 12 out of 22 found this review helpful
This book offers such a neurotic, manipulative, parentally controlled view of college admissions that I thought at times it was a parody. The author believes that parents should maintain individual files to track high school students' work in their classes and should suck up to guidance counselors with home-baked cookies and manipulate teachers with veiled threats. There is virtually no role for authenticity of student in this book--kids are commodities. It's not even clear WHY she thinks people should go to such lengths to get into these colleges....credentials are all. Just appalling.
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