Product Description

Winning the College Admission Game: Strategies for Parents and Students is an innovative book that helps parents and students of all backgrounds develop a winning strategy for getting into and succeeding at the college of their choice.  In a unique “flip-book” approach, this book presents parallel content to parents and students to unveil the mystique surrounding selective college admission and to create a blueprint for parent/child collaboration. By taking this unique approach of working collaboratively toward the shared goal of finding a good college “fit,” each parent will learn how best to help his or her child, while respecting that this important rite of passage belongs to the student.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34873 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 200 pages

About the Author

Peter Van Buskirk, the former Dean of Admission at Franklin & Marshall College, has been where you are sheparding his own children through the college admission process. He understands the planning and decision-making that goes into finding the perfect college for your child. As a 25-year veteran of the selective admission process, including nearly a decade as Dean of Admission at Franklin & Marshall College, he also has a thorough behind the scenes understanding of the pressures that influence admission committees as they decide whom to admit.  

Known for his candor and insight, Peter s ability to personalize and demystify the complex and often mysterious admission process has made him a trusted adviser to countless students and their parents.

An accomplished strategist, author, and motivational speaker, Peter is the creator and presenter of Winning The College Admission GameTM, an interactive case-study approach to the selective admission process. Winning The College Admission Game has been presented to more than 500 high school, summer camp, and corporate audiences worldwide totaling nearly 60,000 people.

Peter s expertise is often cited in the national media and his articles on the college-admission process have appeared in numerous professional journals. In addition to writing the book Winning the College Admission Game: Strategies for Parents and Students, he has published The College Planning Workbook (AES, 2004).

Peter is an active member of the National Association of College Admission Counselors

(NACAC), and is a frequent presenter at conferences and professional meetings.

A parent of three, Peter is a veteran of the admission process on the home front as well.

His stories from the road add humor and perspective to his presentations.

Customer Reviews

Excellent overview of college admissions process
I highly recommend this book for high school students planning to apply to competitive colleges and for their parents. The book gives an honest and straightforward explanation of the process, from the earliest college visits to how to what to do if offered a spot on a college waitlist.

This is actually two books in one -- one geared to parents, the other for students. While some of the content overlaps, the advice, comments, and discussion is different in each section, geared to answer the different concerns and questions that students and parents have.

Despite the title, this is not one of those books that claims to explain what hoops the student must jump through to get into Ivy League schools. Rather, the author emphasizes the importance of finding a college that is a good fit for the student and disregarding the hype surrounding college rankings, and provides good tips for the student in narrowing down choices. He also tells parents to back off and let their kids take ownership of the process, while at the same time giving valuable pointers as to way parents can support and guide their teenagers along the way.

I think the book's greatest strength is the author's frank and eye-opening discussion of the hidden agenda that drives college admissions and financial aid decisions. Peter Van Buskirk provides an inside view of how applications are processed and reviewed, what admissions staff is really looking for, what catches their attention, and understanding concepts like enrollment management and how financial aid is awarded. I wish I had this book before my kids applied to college -- so I am speaking from experience when I say that this book contains some important and valuable truths that are ignored, misunderstood, or glossed over in other college books.

If you are new to the process, buy this book first -- and if you are in the midst of the process and hopelessly confused.... buy this book. It really will help you cut through the hype and gain insight into how to find the colleges that best meet your needs, and how to put together an application package that maximizes your chance of acceptance.

Best Book I have seen for those thinking about college
The only thing wrong with this book is that I got it when my daughter was a junior and not a freshman or in the eight grade. It is actually two books in one. One is for the student and one for the parent(s). It tells what you should be doing year by year which leads into how the colleges choose their students. It goes into the importance of the student doing the work, the essay and the choosing of the right college for the student. It gives advice on financing, its availability and how to apply for it. It has a realistic "pyramid" on what your chances are to getting accepted at certain schools. The best part is that nothing is held back and it is so very easy to read and to understand. Considering its low price and the amount of money the student and parents are thinking about spending on college this book becomes "a must have" for any family considering college. I also believe it is a book that any teacher or administrator needs to own or have access to.

A Real Insider's Guide
Peter Van Buskirk was always one of the few admission deans who was willing to tell it like it is. His chapter on "What Colleges is Want" is a gem and could only have been written by someone who spent the better part of his career doing just that. As a school counselor myself, I am weary of books that sensationalize and distort the reality of the admission process. This one lifts back the curtain on college admission and also gives sound counseling that will help both parents and students keep their feet on the ground. Highly recommended.