Overview

Deluged with messages that range from “It’s Ivy League or bust” to “It doesn’t matter where you go,” college applicants and their families often find themselves lost, adrift in a sea of information overload. Finally—a worthy life preserver has arrived. The Enlightened College Applicant presents a no-nonsense account of how students should approach the college search and admissions process. Instead of providing recycled entrance statistics or anecdotal generalizations about campus life, authors Belasco and Bergman incorporate cutting-edge data and research to pull back the curtain on critical topics such as: Whether college prestige really matters, How to maximize your college admission prospectsWhich schools and degrees provide the best return on investmentHow to minimize the costs of a college educationWhat college-related skills are valued in the job market, and much more. Whether you are a valedictorian or a B/C student, this easy-to-read book will improve your college savvy and enable you to maximize the benefits of your higher education.

Full Product Details

9781475826906

Table of Contents

Reviews

With many elite colleges now costing more than $250,000 (!), it's absolute lunacy for parents and teenagers to explore their college options without first becoming empowered college consumers. An excellent way to start is by reading The Enlightened College Applicant. This is a superb and refreshingly unique book that does a masterful job of equipping families with what they need to successfully navigate the entire college admission process. -- Lynn O'Shaughnessy, author of The College Solution (TheCollegeSolution.com) and lead college contributor to CBS Moneywatch The Enlightened College Applicant is not a college guidebook but rather a personal guide that can assist families and students navigate the sometimes bewildering, often confusing, and seemingly secretive pathways that lead to a college education. This extremely well-written book empowers parents through a grounding philosophy of higher education's purpose and place which then becomes a lens through which to consider both questions and decisions about college. By the authors' own admission, it is a researched-based, stats-laden, big picture argument for how parents should approach the college process. However, the book reads more as a thoughtful conversation around the dining room table than as a lecture. Peppered with stories or literary references that unlock the meaning of institutional rankings and help explain the importance of flexibility, it is perfectly pitched for the intended readers. And, while parents are the authors' audience, it is a must read for anyone working with GEAR UP, Upward Bound, Student Support Services, National College Advising Corps, or any other college access organization. A much needed addition to the body of work focused on improving educational attainment in America. -- Joni Webb Petschauer, Senior Fellow for the American College Application Campaign, American Council on Education

Author Information

Andrew Belasco, PhD, is a higher education researcher, counselor, and CEO of College Transitions, an education consulting firm. His work has been published in the nation’s top higher education journals and featured in dozens of media outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Forbes, CBS Money Watch, and NPR, among others. Dave Bergman, EdD, has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, adjunct professor, and independent education consultant. As co-founder of College Transitions, Dave oversees the collegetransitions.com weekly blog, reaching an audience in the tens of thousands and also writes for news outlets including the Charlotte Observer and phillyburbs.com.

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