College Admissions Cracked

July 15, 2019
Readers with children will find a good deal of useful information, along with a potentially irritating type-A parenting philosophy, in this primer to preparing teenagers for higher education from Shulman, the founder of a college essay coaching company. Readers will encounter discussions of SAT versus ACT tests, what a good score in either actually means, and how to reduce test anxiety. Ready to visit colleges? Shulman provides a helpful comparison of campuses, big and small, urban and rural, along with “dos and don’ts” for visits. Each chapter features mostly helpful “to-do” lists and other useful lists, such as the “Thank-you Note Checklist for Students” and “Strategies for Motivating Your Kid to Just Write the Thing” (i.e., personal essays). Some of the advice seems geared more to a second grader than a soon-to-be-college freshman (“When she’s not working, let her play”). On the other hand, “What to Expect on Drop-Off Day” will be good prep for parents used to thinking of that day as a long way off. Depending on where readers fall on the helicopter parenting issue, this book will seem either an invaluable guide to prepping teens for college, or a surefire way of making them eagerly anticipate leaving the nest.

Author and college admissions expert Jill Margaret Shulman, who narrates her audiobook, invites parents of college applicants to take a deep breath while talking them down from the ledge of the anxiety-filled process of getting into college. Offering well-detailed instructions for every step of the way, Shulman energetically instructs while attempting to inject a bit of humor and perspective into the proceedings. Though some listeners may be able to do with less of the "it will be okay, just breathe" tone (initially reassuring, eventually repetitious), Shulman offers sound advice, lists of useful resources, and a helpful timeline to keep parents and students on track. Often genuinely funny and never condescending, this listen will help parents stay grounded through the grueling trek of college admissions. J.C.G. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine