Finally! College Admission Policies in Plain English! How to Cut Through the Jargon and Crack the Code! Applying for college admission can be a time-consuming, complex process. When you consider that the average high school student applies to approximately six different colleges, it's clear that this is a pretty big job!! At the same time, colleges don't seem inclined to make the process easy. If you look at a typical admissions website, you'll see all kinds of scary acronyms, special 'education-ese' words, and unique requirements that would mystify most people. Reading "College Admission Policies Demystified" is the perfect place to start. Using examples from a variety of different colleges and universities, Lee breaks down all the scary words and acronyms, translates the "education-ese," and helps you figure out exactly what universities are asking for. Then she explains the easiest ways to give schools what they want. Unless you're a college administrator, trying to understand admission policies can leave you dazed and discouraged. With "College Admission Policies Demystified," not only will you crack the college admissions code, but you'll realize that most colleges are not breaking out the gloves to punch you around-they love homeschoolers! "College Admission Policies Demystified" is part of The HomeScholar's Coffee Break Book series. Designed especially for parents who don't want to spend hours and hours reading a 400-page book on homeschooling high school, each book combines Lee's practical and friendly approach with detailed, but easy-to-digest information, perfect to read over a cup of coffee at your favorite coffee shop! Never overwhelming, always accessible and manageable, each book in the series will give parents the tools they need to tackle the tasks of homeschooling high school, one warm sip at a time. Lee Binz, The HomeScholar, understands what it takes to graduate homeschool students who are fully prepared for college and for life. Lee's practical advice and organized presentations have helped thousands of homeschool parents muster the courage to complete their homeschooling journey. She is both reassuring and empowering, and will give you the knowledge you need to successfully graduate your high school student, and have confidence that they are ready to take on the world. A firm believer that homeschooling provides the best possible learning environment, and that parents are capable of providing a superior education for their children, Lee's mission is to encourage and equip parents to homeschool through high school.

When it comes to the hotly disputed topic of college admissions, the one thing everyone agrees about is that it’s unfair. But there is little agreement on what a fair process would be. Rebecca Zwick takes a hard look at the high-stakes competition of U.S. college admissions today. Illustrating her points using analyses of survey data from applicants to the nation’s top colleges and universities, she assesses the goals of different admissions systems and the fairness of criteria—from high school grades and standardized test scores to race, socioeconomic status, and students’ academic aspirations. The demographic makeup of the class and the educational outcomes of its students can vary substantially, depending upon how an institution approaches its task. Who Gets In? considers the merits and flaws of competing approaches and demonstrates that admissions policies can sometimes fail to produce the desired results. For example, some nontraditional selection methods can hurt more than help the students they are intended to benefit. As Zwick shows, there is no objective way to evaluate admissions systems—no universal definition of student merit or blanket entitlement to attend college. Some schools may hope to attract well-rounded students, while others will focus on specific academic strengths. What matters most is that a school’s admissions policy reflects its particular educational philosophy. Colleges should be free to include socioeconomic and racial preferences among their admissions criteria, Zwick contends, but they should strive for transparency about the factors they use to evaluate applicants.

From award-winning higher education journalist and New York Times bestselling author Jeffrey Selingo comes a revealing look from inside the admissions office—one that identifies surprising strategies that will aid in the college search. Getting into a top-ranked college has never seemed more impossible, with acceptance rates at some elite universities dipping into the single digits. In Who Gets In and Why, journalist and higher education expert Jeffrey Selingo dispels entrenched notions of how to compete and win at the admissions game, and reveals that teenagers and parents have much to gain by broadening their notion of what qualifies as a “good college.” Hint: it’s not all about the sticker on the car window. Selingo, who was embedded in three different admissions offices—a selective private university, a leading liberal arts college, and a flagship public campus—closely observed gatekeepers as they made their often agonizing and sometimes life-changing decisions. He also followed select students and their parents, and he traveled around the country meeting with high school counselors, marketers, behind-the-scenes consultants, and college rankers. While many have long believed that admissions is merit-based, rewarding the best students, Who Gets In and Why presents a more complicated truth, showing that “who gets in” is frequently more about the college’s agenda than the applicant. In a world where thousands of equally qualified students vie for a fixed number of spots at elite institutions, admissions officers often make split-second decisions based on a variety of factors—like diversity, money, and, ultimately, whether a student will enroll if accepted. One of the most insightful books ever about “getting in” and what higher education has become, Who Gets In and Why not only provides an unusually intimate look at how admissions decisions get made, but guides prospective students on how to honestly assess their strengths and match with the schools that will best serve their interests.

"A guide for students and families that demystifies the college process"--

In The Qualified Student Harold S. Wechsler focuses on methods of student selection used by institutions of higher education in the United States. More specifically, he discusses the way that college and university reformers employed those methods to introduce higher education into a broader cross-section of America, by extending access to an increased number of students from nontraditional backgrounds. Implicit in much of this book is an underlying social and ethical question: How legitimate was and is higher education's regulation of social mobility? Public concern over colleges' and universities' practices became inevitable once they became regulators between social classes. The challenging of colleges' admissions policies in the courts augments similar concerns that have been present in legislatures for decades. The volume is divided into three main sections: Prerequisites, Columbia and the Selective Function, and Implications. It focuses mainly on four universities, The University of Michigan, Columbia University, the University of Chicago, and the City University of New York. Wechsler maintains that unlike other universities, these institutions were pacesetters; they did not adopt a new policy simply because some other college had already adopted it. A new introduction brings the book, originally published in 1977, up to date and demonstrates its continuing importance in today's academic world of selective admissions.

The most up-to-date version of the best-selling guide to college admissions for over twenty years Newly revised and thoroughly updated, the fifth edition of Admission Matters continues to be the go-to guide for students and families seeking help with the college admissions process. Higher education experts Sally P. Springer, Ph.D., Joyce Vining Morgan, Ph.D., Nancy Griesemer, M.A., and Jon Reider, Ph.D., deliver a practical and accessible roadmap for a successful admissions outcome, whether the student is a high school freshman or a senior about to apply to college. Reassuring and easy to read, Admission Matters provides deep insight into a process that has become increasingly complex and unpredictable with each passing year. In the fifth edition, readers will learn how to build a balanced college list, when to apply, what goes into crafting a compelling application, how colleges make decisions, how financial aid works, and more. Admission Matters offers real-world expert advice for all students, whether they're aiming for an Ivy or a state school close to home. The book provides practical guidance for students and families whether they come from an under-resourced background or one that has provided abundant opportunities. Admission Matters also includes much-needed information for students with special circumstances, including students with disabilities, international students, transfers, and non-traditional students. Athletes, artists and performers, and homeschoolers will also have many of their questions answered as they plan for and apply to college. Admission Matters also provides the latest information on: The shift to test-optional or test-free admissions at many schools and what that means for you The transition to an adaptive, digital format for the SAT Changes to the federal process for financial aid What selective colleges are increasingly looking for when faced with growing numbers of applications Differences among colleges and how to choose the "best fit" schools Early decision and early action applications and when they make sense And much more... The latest edition of Admission Matters remains the gold standard in guides to the ever-changing and often intimidating process of college admissions.