Customer Reviews

Getting in Without Freaking Out: The Official College Admissions Guide for Overwhelmed Parents

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This book breaks away from the pack by combining practical, hype-free admissions advice with a refreshing dose of reality therapy. In addition to soup-to-nuts application guidance, the book offers parents advice for preventing the college admissions process from straining our relationship with our kids (I strongly suggest reading this book with your college-bound daughter or son). The author wisely cites studies showing that a good parent-child relationship is a far greater predictor of academic and life success than SAT scores or selective college acceptance! Thank you -- I needed that.

I am so thankful to Ms. Matthews for writing this book. This should be required reading for all parents who have children applying to colleges. I have read a number of books on appyling to colleges, many with good advice, but this is the one I would choose if I only had time to read just one book on the subject. The book was well-written with excellent advice. There was also a healthy dose of humor and entertainment, and don't we stressed out parents need more of that to lighten up with? It is broken down in such a way that it was easy to pick up and read for as much time as I had, put it down, and pick right back up later. It helped me to prioritize and remember what is truly important and necessary. Thank you, Ms. Matthews. You certainly made this process less stressful, and my relationship with my son is most likely much better than it would have been had I not read your book. My son narrowed his search down to just 3 schools thanks to your advice, the apps are in, and now we are practicing secret #37: breathe! I would recommend this book over any other "getting into college" book out there.

I am the father of a high school junior. This book was recommended by my son's guidance counselor. She told my wife and I that she wished she had written it, because it had great advice and a way of taking the terrifying edge off the college admissions process. This book makes you -- and your kids -- remember what is really important, and helps them express who they really are in their applications, without the kind of hype that all the admissions officers have been on to for years. It is not only wise but refreshingly funny. a must-have for any family with a college-bound kid.

A friend of mine gave me this book, and I thought it was going to be another one of those "how to work the system, pump up the application" tomes. I was pleasantly surprised -- relieved! -- to find that this was a totally different kind of book. This author knows how to put college in perspective. She is wise, right on target,and funny as all get-out. I don't know why, but I started reading from back to front, with the "Ultimate Acceptance l;etter" from parent to child. By the time I got to the first essay, 'Relax, It's Only College" I had exclaimed out loud so many times that my high school daughter insisted on reading the book too. She LOVED it! We are spreading the word to everyone in our situation. Bogus books about beating the system just beat us down. Parents, kids; This is the one you need!

This book will save you and your parents lots of time worrying about stupid things and tell you what you can really do to get into a school that's right for you. Be sure to read the sections on essays and SATs, and read the advice about focusing on fewer schools. You will feel much better after you read this book, believe me. You will know what is worth spending your time on as opposed to what part of the admissions process is just hype.

Arlene Matthews has written an invaluable book. Just flip to the end and read her "ultimate acceptance letter." It's the letter any kid would treasure. It's not from a "top tier" school; it's from parents. We think we want the best for our children but we get so off track during high school, keeping our eye on the "prize." It's way too easy to fall prey to the idea that children need to be shaped into desirable candidates, made marketable for colleges. This book helped our family reevaluate our priorities. It provided perspective and wisdom. Thank you, Arlene Matthews!!

Written for overwhelmed parents, "Getting In Without Freaking Out" offers a humorous and refreshing take on the college admissions process. The book is divided into 101 witty vignettes on various admissions topics ranging from "Relax: It's Only College" and "The SAT Could Actually Be Worse" to "Silence is Golden, Sometimes Platinum" and "Senioritis Happens."

Author Arlene Matthews' varied experiences as a psychotherapist, college admissions advisor and mother of a teenaged son come through in her descriptions of the mental processes and emotions that underpin parents' anxiety-ridden and overbearing behavior during college application season. Additionally, Matthews is well versed in the academic research on the lingering effects the college admissions process has on students long after they enroll.

"Getting in Without Freaking Out" does not offer an exhaustive account of the ins and outs of the college admissions process--and perhaps no parent really needs one. Instead it gives parents the perspective they need to support their children in making healthy and informed college decisions. It also provides plenty of laughs along the way.

This uplifting book offers not only great advice that helps you organize your time but also counsel that helps you get your priorities straight. College is "the cheese and cracker plate of life," says the author, nothing compared to the banquet that lies ahead. She advises that kids and parents keep it all in perspective, and reminds us that WE are the consumers who need to make a smart buying decision. Meanwhile, what to do? Ignore those flattering "invitations to apply" (they're about as meaningful and sincere as invitations to sign up for a credit card), focus on what it is you want to learn, and control your urge to barrage admissions officers with extraneous information and countless clever letters ("nobody likes a stalker and few will invite one to come and live closer"). Present yourself in the best light, craft an essay that offers a glimpse of your individuality (steer clear of platitudes about word peace and environmental correctness) and pay attention to detail. The book is liberally dosed with (much appreciated) humor, but if you really want to know how important it is for the whole family to handle this transition with grace, read the author's "Secret 100 -- The Ultimate Acceptance Letter." Hint: It's not from a college, but rather from a parent to a child about to be launched off to an excellent adventure.

My daughter and I have been taking turns reading this book aloud to each other. This has given us lots of opportunities to find out what we each think and how we feel about beginning the college application process. We have both found the book humorous and informative.

Getting your kids into the right school is not only tension-making, it's downright confusing. It's hard to know where to start--and who knows how much things have changed in this process since we all went to college? Turns out Arlene Matthews knows. This book has been a real "map" for my wife and me as we figure out how to get our teenage son started in this process. Filled with sound ideas, common sense, reassurance, and the inside details on what to worry over and what to let slide. Outstanding stuff here. Wish there were more books like this (from this author!) on how to deal with the education system in all its glory.