Recommended Books from College Counseling
How to Navigate College Web sites
College Process:
The College Admissions Mystique, by Bill Mayher
Harvard Schmarvard: Getting Beyond the Ivy League to the College That Is Best for You, by Jay Mathews
College Admissions Without the Crazy, by Nancy Donehower
Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be, by Frank Bruni
So, You Are Going to College?!, by San Bolkan
Countdown to College, by Edward Fiske
College Admissions Together: It Takes a Family, by Goodman and Leiman
Admissions Matters, by Springer, Reider, and Morgan
Colleges that Change Lives and Looking Beyond the Ivy League, by Loren Pope
Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning, by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel
Decide Better for College, by Michael E. McGrath with Christopher K. McGrath
The College Majors Handbook: The Actual Jobs, Earnings, and Trends for Graduates for 50 College Majors, by Neeta P. Fogg, Paul E. Harrington, Thomas F. Harrington, and Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D
Subjective College Guidebooks
Cool Colleges for the Hyper-Intelligent, Self-Directed, Late Blooming, and Just Plain Different, by Donald Asher
The Fiske Guide to Colleges, by Edward Fiske
The Insider's Guide to the Colleges, by Yale Daily News
How Colleges Admit Students "Who Get In" Books:
The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College, by Jacques Steinberg
Questions and Admissions: Reflections on 100,000 Admissions Decisions at Stanford, by Jean H. Fetter
Understanding Athletic Recruiting: A Comprehensive Guide for the High School Student-Athlete, by Jeffrey Durso-Finley and Lewis Stival
Specific to Parents:
College Admissions: A Crash Course for Panicked Parents, by Sally Rubenstone and Sidonia Dalby
Letting Go: A Parents' Guide to Understanding the College Years, by Karen Levin Coburn and Madge Lawrence Treeger
I'm Going to College—Not You! Surviving the College Search with Your Child, by Jennifer Delahunty
The Happiest Kid on Campus: A Parent's Guide to the Very Best College Experience (for You and Your Child), by Harlan Cohen
College Web sites are packed with information, but it is sometimes challenging to find what you're looking for. Here are a few suggestions:
Undergraduate Admissions or Prospective Students tab. Within these web pages, you will find information about required admissions criteria, such as, testing, deadlines, financial aid and scholarships, how to visit the college, and how to request information. This section also introduces students to their admission representative, which is typically under the "Meet the Staff" or "Contact Us" page.
Virtual tours are available on most college websites. Remember that they are typically photos of the landmark buildings on campus—and at the prettiest time of the year! Some college websites will have virtual tours of dorm rooms and specific departments.
If you have an interest in a particular academic department, type that discipline in the Search area. Once there, you can find information on required courses, descriptions of courses, how to declare a major, research possibilities, faculty members, and more.
Some schools have a separate web page for scholarships and financial aid, where institutional scholarships will be listed, along with deadlines and requirements. Additionally, information on the cost of attendance or tuition and fees will be provided.
Visit the Athletics website if you have an interest in playing intercollegiate athletics. It will provide information on what level (DI, DII, or DIII) the college competes at, which conference it is associated with, how the season went for the team of the specific sport you're interested, etc. Also, do not forget to fill out the "Recruiting Request Form" for your specific sport. Doing so will add you to that coach's recruiting list.
Information about AP and IB testing (scores needed for credit) can be found on the Registrar webpage, or within the individual department sites. Search AP or IB credit on the homepage to find this information.
Search Housing for information about dorm life. Many colleges have virtual tours of the different housing options on campus.
Under Student Affairs or Student Life, you will find information about housing, food services, clubs and organizations, Greek life, health services, career services, and much more.