171 Answers to the Most-Asked College Admissions Questions Kindle Edition
by Mark Stucker
171 Answers provides in-depth explanations to questions readers have about the college admissions process and graduating from college with minimal debt.
12 College Students Give the Best Advice They Never Got
Sheridan Scott, Nancy Allen, and Anya Settle
Twelve college students from all walks of life and different types of colleges and universities share the insider knowledge that isn’t in the school catalog: what made it work for them. (Ep. 176)
21 “To Do” Lists for High School
Valerie Pierce with Cheryl Rilly
A great book with checklists of items to ensure students complete their admission tasks. (Ep. 46)
Accepted! 50 Successful College Admission Essays
Gen and Kelly Tanabe
Examples of 50 real essays are included, and the strengths and successes of each example are analyzed. (Ep. 255)
Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting into College
Sally P. Springer, Jon Reider, and Joyce Vining Morgan
Our favorite book that comprehensively looks at all aspects of college admissions. (Ep. 50)
The Agile College: How Institutions Successfully Navigate Demographic Changes
Nathan D. Grawe
This book gives colleges tools to help them thrive when demographic trends work against them. (Ep. 251)
The Athletic Scholarship Playbook: A Complete College Recruiting Roadmap for High School Athletes and Parents
Jon Fugler
A step-by-step approach to getting recruited by college coaches. (Ep. 87)
The Best 388 Colleges: In-Depth Pfiles & Ranking Lists to Help Find the Right College for You
The Princeton Review
Princeton Review surveyed 140,000 students to tell you which college has the best food, best career services, happiest students, and more. (Ep. 113)
The Black Family’s Guide to College Admissions: A Conversation about Education, Parenting, and Race
Timothy L. Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown
Finding the right college is a challenge for all students. But Black families face additional challenges and questions while navigating the admissions process. (Ep. 224)
Creating a Class: College Admissions and the Education of Elites
Mitchell L. Stevens
One of the best books to understand how selective liberal arts colleges make decisions. (Ep. 267)
College Admission: From Application to Acceptance, Step by Step
Robin Mamlet and Christin VanDeVelde
Another favorite book about college admissions with more than 150 deans interviewed. (Ep. 49)
College Admission Essentials: A Step-by-Step Guide to Showing Colleges Who You Are and What Matters to You
Ethan Sawyer
This comprehensive book is based on interviews with multiple college admission experts and shares their sage advice. (Ep. 153)
College Admissions and the Public Interest
Alden Thresher
This book was originally written in 1966 and looked at MIT’s admission perspective. It’s been reissued, and Jon Bockenstedt of Oregon State University says it’s the best book on how college admissions should work. (Ep. 265)
College Beyond the States: European Schools That Will Change Your Life Without Breaking the Bank
Jennifer Viemont
An invaluable resource for both parents and students alike, and offers an appealing way to opt out of a system that no longer works for most families. (Ep. 144)
Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges
Loren Pope
A classic book that looks at several dozen small transformation colleges that welcome “B” students. (Ep. 181)
The College Conversation: A Practical Companion for Parents to Guide Their Children Along the Path to Higher Education
Eric J. Furda
Eric Furda provides invaluable insights from his time in admissions at the University of Pennsylvania. (Ep. 171)
College Essay Essentials: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Successful College Admissions Essay
Ethan Sawyer
A book with tips and strategies about how to write quality college admissions essays. (Ep. 60)
The College Stress Test: Tracking Institutional Futures across a Crowded Market
Robert Zemsky, Susan Shaman, and Susan Campbell Baldridge
A brilliant and insightful method of identifying which colleges are in financial trouble. (Ep. 124)
The College Visit Journal: Campus Visits Demystified
Danielle C. Marshall
A great resource to record and track your notes from campus visits. (Ep. 152)
Colleges Worth Your Money: A Guide to What America’s Top Schools Can Do for You
Andrew Belasco
This book provides comprehensive information for gauging the ROI of American’s top schools. (Ep. 214)
Doing School: How We Are a Generation of Stressed-Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students
Denise Clark Pope
The author follows five highly regarded students through a school year. (Ep. 162)
Fiske Countdown to College: 41 To-Do Lists and a Plan for Every Year of High School
Edward Fiske and Bruce Hammond
A collection of simple, easy-to-use checklists for each year of high school. (Ep. 247)
Fiske Guide to Colleges
Edward Fiske
The leading guide for the last 30 years provides in-depth descriptions of what student life is like at more than 320 leading colleges. (Ep. 55)
The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College
Jacques Steinberg
A classic that helps readers understand how admissions decisions are made at a selective liberal arts college. (Ep. 267)
Get Real and Get In
Aviva Legatt
Readers learn to think outside the box and focus on what admissions officers are looking for – students who share their most authentic selves. (Ep. 184)
The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences
Marybeth Kravets and Imy F. Wax
This indispensable resource will help students with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, or learning difference find and apply to their personal best-fit college. (Ep. 57)
Hacking Elite College Admissions: 50 Surprising Insights on the College Application Process
Gaelle Pierre-Louis
A former admission officer at Georgetown takes you behind the scenes to share what selective schools look for and how they make admission decisions. (Ep. 134)
How to Be a High School Superstar: A Revolutionary Plan to Get into College by Standing Out (Without Burning Out)
Cal Newport
Explores the world of relaxed superstars-students who scored spots at the nation’s top colleges by leading uncluttered, low stress, and authentic lives. (Ep. 63)
How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less
Cal Newport
Great study tips to help students achieve high grades. (Ep. 54)
Paying for College: Everything You Need to Maximize Financial Aid and Afford College
Kalman Chany and Geoffrey Martz
This essential guide provides line-by-line instructions for completing the FAFSA aid forms. (Ep. 273)
Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs
Lauren A. Rivera
This book argues that where you go to college greatly influences your job offers when it comes to Wall Street, consulting, and white shoe corporate law firms. (Ep. 285)
Poison Ivy: how Elite Colleges Divide Us
Evan Mandery
An eye-opening look at how America’s elite colleges and suburbs help keep the rich, rich – making it harder than ever to fight the inequality dividing us today. (Ep. 287)
The Inequality Machine: How College Divides Us
Paul Tough
Originally published as The Years That Matter Most, this book looks at the structural changes that create inequities in the college admissions process between well-resourced and under-resourced students. (Ep. 104)
The Price of Admission: How America’s Ruling Class Buys its Way into Elite Colleges – and Who Gets Left Outside the Gates
Daniel Golden
This book by Danie Golden, Pulitzer winning journalist, examines how America’s elite colleges resemble an aristocracy more than a meritocracy. He uses hard facts to prove his case. (Ep. 159)
The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges are Failing Disadvantaged Students
Anthony Abraham Jack
A look at the experience of under-resourced students on affluent college campuses. (Ep. 136)
So You Want to Be a Music Major: A Guide for High School Students, Their Guidance Counselors, Parents and Music Teachers
Robert Franzblau
Our recommended resource for students looking to major in music. (Ep. 48)
The Truth About College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting In and Staying Together
Brennan Barnard and Rick Clark
Two friends, one a Director of Admissions, and one a Director of College Counseling, combine to write a book full of advice designed to strengthen the relationship between the college applicant and their family rather than pulling them apart. (Ep. 100)
Valedictorians at the Gate: Standing Out, Getting In, and Staying Sane While Applying to College
Rebecca Munsterer Sabky
The author was in admissions at Dartmouth for 13 years. Her honesty about the business side of admissions is refreshing and enlightening. (Ep. 229)
Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions
Jeffrey J. Selingo
One of the best books at explaining how admission decisions are made; it takes you into the admission committee at three very different colleges to provide insight on three different models. (Ep. 127)
On Writing the College Application essay: The Key to Acceptance at the College of Your Choice
Harry Bauld
A Classic book from a former admission officer with excellent tips on essay writing. (Ep. 61)
Write Your Way In: Crafting an Unforgettable College Admissions Essay
Rachel Toor
Our favorite book on how to write effective college admission essays from a former admission officer. (Ep. 59)
- The Introvert’s Complete Career Guide: From Landing a Job, to Surviving, Thriving, and Moving on Up
Jane Finkle
Advice for how the introvert can get ahead in their career. (Ep. 210)
- Perfect Quotes for College Success: Inspiration, Advice, and Tips for Anyone Going to College
Tom Krieglstein
This book has more than 300 quotes on 34 topics related to excelling while in college. (Ep. 203) - Procrastination Solutions for College Students
Dennis Stemmle
Written by a college professor, this book shows students how to stop procrastinating and achieve peak performance in their studies, work, and personal life. (Ep. 197) - Time Management Secrets for College Students
Dennis Stemmle
This book includes valuable insights for students to learn how to schedule their time efficiently. (Ep. 197)
- Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America
Kathleen Belew
The story of American paramilitarism and the birth of the alt-right. (Ep. 156) - Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right
Cynthia Miller-Idriss
An examination of how far-right nationalists are being recruited in various places, including college campuses. (Ep. 156) - Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and America
Paul Tough
New York Times bestselling author looks at how Geoffrey Canada worked to transform education in Harlem. (Ep. 259)
- Enough as She Is
Rachel Simmons
A great book about the pressures girls have to face to live up to virtually impossible standards. (Ep. 99) - The Freshman Survival Guide: Soulful Advice for Studying, Socializing, and Everything in Between
Nora Bradbury-Haehl and Bill McGarvey
This book provides sage advice about how to successfully transition from high school to college. It covers academics, roommates, mental health, money, social life, and more. (Ep. 202) - Generation Z Unfiltered: Facing Nine Hidden Challenges of the Most Anxious Population
Tim Elmore and Andrew McPeak
The book gets to the root of our kids’ anxieties and fears and explains why they think and feel like they do.(Ep. 107) - The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College
Harlan Cohen
A great book to help students prepare for what the transition to college will be like. (Ep. 33)
- The Attack on Higher Education: The Dissolution of the American University
Ronald G. Musto
This recently published book studies the current threats to American higher education. (Ep. 220) - Breaking Ranks: How the Rankings Industry Rules Higher Education and What To Do About It
Colin Diver
Diver leads readers through the mysteries of college rankings, admissions, financial aid, spending policies, and academic practices. (Ep. 249) - The College Dropout Scandal
David Kirp
This class book looks at the reasons why 40% of students don’t graduate from college within six years. It discusses how colleges could improve graduation rates and gives examples of colleges that have done so successfully. (Ep. 146) - Demographics and the Demand for Higher Education
Nathan D. Grawe
This is the gold standard read when it comes to showing how demographic shifts impact colleges. (Ep. 94) - Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life
William Deresiewicz
This a thought-provoking book that looks at how our colleges are failing to prepare students to give them the skills they need to excel. (Ep. 56) - Generation Z Goes to College
Corey Seemiller and Meghan Grace
Findings from an in-depth study of more than 1,100 Generation Z students are showcased. (Ep. 106) - Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Joseph E. Aoun
Aoun covers the three essential skill sets if you want to robot-proof yourself from the changes created by AI. (Ep. 174) 
The Years That Matter Most – How College Makes or Breaks Us
Paul Tough
This book looks at the structural changes that create inequities in the college admissions process between well-resourced and under-resourced students. (Ep. 104)
- The Blessing of a Skinned Knee: Raising Self-Reliant Children
Wendy Mogel
An inspiring book that shows how your disappointments and failures can help you grow. (Ep. 77) - The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed
Jessica Lahey
An essential read for parents who want to help their children succeed. (Ep. 75) - Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Angela Duckworth
Sharing new insights from her landmark research on grit, MacArthur “genius” Angela Duckworth explains why talent is hardly a guarantor of success. (Ep. 171) - He’s Not Lazy: Empowering Your Son to Believe in Himself
Adam Price
A book that helps us understand why boys frequently don’t do as well in school as girls. (Ep. 80) - How Children Succeed: Grit Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character
Paul Tough
In this must-read book Tough reveals how understanding the mysteries of character can transform young people’s lives. (Ep. 171) - How to Raise An Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success
Julie Lythcott-Haims
Here are tips and strategies to help parents raise children who can excel when parents aren’t there to help. (Ep. 81) - I’m Going to College – Not You: Surviving the College Search with Your Child
Jennifer Delahunty
A resource for parents, written by parents who’ve been through the college search process. (Ep. 175) - Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
Carol S. Dweck
It covers how intelligence isn’t stagnated; it can grow and improve. (Ep. 171) - The Naked Roommate: For Parents Only
Harlan Cohen
This witty book offers advice, facts, tips, and stories from parents, students, and experts. (Ep. 188) - The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money
Ron Lieber
A detailed blueprint for the best ways to handle the financial basics with your children. (Ep. 263) - The Price of Privilege
Madeline Levine
The author explains why kids born into affluence are so often unhappy. (Ep. 76) - The Stressed Years of Their Lives: Helping Your Kid Survive and Thrive During their College Years
Janet Hibbs and Anthony Rostain
A book full of insights on how to help your children excel in school despite all the forces working against them. (Ep. 74) - Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls
Lisa Damour
A must-read that helps understand the anxiety and stress that teenage girls experience. (Ep. 79) 
Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life
Annette Lareau
The book looks at how social class impacts parenting and how that impacts opportunities for kids. (Ep. 291)
- The Debt Trap: How Student Loans Became a National Catastrophe
Josh Mitchell
The book traces the 70 year history of how student debt is now more than 1.6 trillion dollars. (Ep. 207) - How to Appeal for More College Financial Aid
Mark Kantrowitz
The secrets of how to appeal for more financial aid – and how to get more aid in the first place. (Ep. 108) - Paying for College: Everything You Need to Maximize Financial Aid and Afford College
Kalman Chany and Geoffrey Martz
With line-by-line instructions for filling out the FAFSA and advice to minimize college costs, this guide helps families with the financial aid process. (Ep. 273) - The Price You Pay for College
Ron Lieber
This new classic removes the shroud of secrecy around how decisions about what you’re asked to pay work so unaffordable offers from colleges don’t blindside you and your child. (Ep. 201) - The Ultimate Scholarship Book
Gen and Kelly Tanabe
Our favorite book to help students win outside scholarships. It’s updated yearly. (Ep. 32)
Crush Your Test Anxiety
Ben Bernstein
This book gives practical advice on how to conquer the anxieties that keep you from achieving peak performance on tests. (Ep. 209)
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