Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting Into College (Jossey-Bass Education) [Paperback]

Sally P. Springer (Author), Marion R. Franck (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0787979678 | ISBN-13: 978-0787979676 | Publication Date: September 2, 2005 | Edition: 1

This is a remarkable book that every student and parent should read before applying to college. It explains the rules and how to play the game successfully. Well-written and up-to-date, Admission Matters offers important insights into the college admission process, as well as important practical advice they can implement all along the way.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The world of college preparation has rumbled with seismic shifts in the last few years. The SAT has been completely revamped with a new writing component, college admissions counselors are rethinking how to weight standardized test scores against applicants' other qualifications, and the application process is moving entirely to the Internet. These are only a few of the changes today's teens confront as they look toward college. As its subtitle suggests, Admission Matters is an excellent introduction for both college-minded teens and their parents. Comprehensive and written in straightforward, clear language, chapters explore the current competitive environment surrounding college applications, what admissions counselors look for, and how to prepare for the new tests and put together an application package. There's also advice specifically for parents ("What your child will remember long after the college admissions process is over is how you supported him or her"), and information about early admissions and financial aid. Sample application forms and recommendation letters, as well as a long list of resources, are among the appended materials. The wealth of information, uncluttered format, and numerous boxed features, such as a checklist of things to do on a college visit, make this an essential guide.

Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

The world of college preparation has rumbled with seismic shifts in the last few years. The SAT has been completely revamped with a new writing component, college admissions counselors are rethinking how to weight standardized test scores against applicants’ other qualifications, and the application process is moving entirely to the Internet. These are only a few of the changes today’s teens confront as they look toward college. The books below will replace outdated volumes and inspire students as they put together post-graduation plans.
As its subtitle suggests, Admission Matters is an excellent introduction for both college-minded teens and their parents. Comprehensive and written in straightforward, clear language, chapters explore the current competitive environment surrounding college applications, what admissions counselors look for, and how to prepare for the new tests and put together an application package. There’s also advice specifically for parents (“What your child will remember long after the college admissions process is over is how you supported him or her”), information about early admissions and financial aid. Sample application forms and recommendation letters, as well as a long list of resources, are among the appended materials. The wealth of information, uncluttered format, and numerous boxed features, such as a checklist of things to do on a college visit, make this an essential guide. (Booklist, August 2005)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (September 2, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787979678
• ISBN-13: 978-0787979676
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #856,568 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sally P. Springer, Ph.D., is associate chancellor emerita at the University of California, Davis. She is a psychologist and has more than thirty-five years of experience in higher education as a professor and university administrator.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

67 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative and timely, September 13, 2005

By 

E. Wong "Empty Nester" (Vallejo, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting Into College (Jossey-Bass Education) (Paperback)

For three years, my daughter and I read U.S. News and World Report's annual ranking of colleges with growing anxiety, a feeling that she had to apply to "the best" ones. Thank heavens for Admission Matters with its message that my daughter should apply, not to the "best" colleges but to the right colleges, ones which will allow her to blossom.

Admission Matters is really three books. The first contains a wealth of information on how to choose "good fit" colleges. The second offers a behind the scenes understanding of what happens in the admissions office, and the third provides a no-gimmick approach to preparing a strong application.

The authors were able to write a book that was valuable to my daughter and to me. They could not have done that without a deep understanding of the anxiety applying to college creates within the family. Well done!

58 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's all about the fit..., September 9, 2005

By 

InfoDiva (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting Into College (Jossey-Bass Education) (Paperback)

Finally, a how-to-apply-to-college book that won't make you, or your kids, break out in a cold sweat.

There are no cute tricks here, no half-baked theories, and most thankfully, no anxiety-producing rankings. Just everything you need to know about finding the right college, and getting accepted there--while keeping your sanity.

As a mom of two, I've read many, many college admissions books, but none cover the process from beginning to end as thoroughly as Admission Matters. The chapters on fit (yes, it is possible to be unhappy at Stanford!) and applying early are worth the cost of the book alone. The section on athletics as a "hook" was eye-opening.

Sure, you'll still need Fiske's Guide or one of the other huge tomes that provide the lists and score ranges--but this is the book you'll want to refer to when you finally sit down with your kids to narrow down the choices and get the applications rolling. It's a winner!

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE textbook for college counseling at The White Mountain School, December 19, 2009

By 

Joyce Vining Morgan (Bethlehem NH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting into College (Paperback)

As a college counselor, I try to read pretty much everything published in the field, with an eye to recommending the best for my students. After all, applying to college can be a frightening process, all the more alarming because of its complexity and apparent inscrutability. In this second edition, Admission Matters takes the reader through the whole process - from identifying colleges that are right for a given student, through applying for admission and for financial aid, to how to choose which college to attend once accepted. The authors unravel the complexity, explain the jargon, and clarify the seeming inconsistencies of admissions decisions. There are worksheets to help students identify their own priorities in the college search, charts to illustrate the elements of standardized testing and to graph decisions "by the numbers" (prepare to be surprised), practical advice on visiting colleges and interviewing and crafting an essay, a sample blank Common Application, a timeline for the process, and a worksheet for comparing financial aid offers. This book is so complete, so professional, so readable and clear that - for the first time in all the years I've been advising students - I am buying a copy for each of them.