There are hundreds of books available that coach kids on writing college application essays, improving SAT scores and trying to beat the admissions system.
Admissions Confidential
is a definitive look at why those books don't work. Toor lifts the veil on a process that anxious parents and high school students have never had decoded before. And they may be shocked to find out:
—that elite colleges spend thousands of dollars recruiting students they will never admit
—why some students at the bottom of their high school classes are admitted to top schools when the valedictorians are rejected
—how pricey independent college counselors can hurt an applicant's chances
—why admission to a top school depends on who reads your application
—why the top of the class at a high-performing high school may end up at their second and third choice
Written in engaging first-person and covering the entire admissions process—from recruiting to enrollment—
is a year in the life of a college admissions officer.