We here at College Goals wanted to share with you some of our favorite “go to” resources that are guaranteed to support your family through their college admissions journey. These endorsements are our own, not paid placements by any author or company.

 

If you want to listen to a podcast about college admission:

  • “Inside the Yale Admissions Office” — This one got started during the pandemic shutdown, and they recorded a lot of great episodes about different aspects that go into selective college admissions. Episodes are topical (there’s one on letters of rec, one on activities, etc.), they are not too long, and there are no commercials. They have really slowed down in the posting since the pandemic ended, but they do release new episodes when there’s information to change (they did 3 excellent shows about Yale’s return to “test required” admissions). This show is also great for students who are not planning to apply to Yale! It is just straight answers about admissions, but with a focus on hyper-selective universities and their specific considerations.
  • “The Truth About College Admission” — This brings together two of our very favorite communicators about college admissions (Rick Clark of Georgia Tech and Brennan Barnard who writes about admissions for Forbes among other places). In each episode, they interview someone in the field and reveal the “truth” behind the mythologizing that swirls around the admissions process. This is a great place to learn about topics like “institutional priorities” or athletic recruiting. 

 

If you want to read a book about college admission:

  • Who Gets In And Why by Jeffrey Selingo – Selingo, a long-time journalist writing about higher education, spent one year embedded in three different admissions offices (Emory University, Davidson College, and the University of Washington –Seattle). In his year, he observed the admissions “gatekeepers” as they made decisions. He also followed students (and parents), met with school counselors and others, and worked to understand and then dispel some of the misconceptions and mistruths that guide families as they consider admissions.
  • The Truth About College Admission by Rick Clark and Brennan Barnard – This is the podcast in workbook form! This excellent guidebook sets up tasks and charts to support families through every aspect of the college process from building a list to constructing an application.
  • The Price You Pay For College by Ron Lieber – Lieber, the NYTimes financial columnist, has long been an advocate for great clarity and transparency in the college financial aid process. This book is a must for any family looking to better understand how colleges set their costs and more importantly how families can navigate the complex financial aid landscape.
  • I’m Going to College – Not You! edited by Jennifer Delahunty – For some lighter (and occasionally hilarious) reading, Delahunty, the former Dean of Admissions at Kenyon College, has assembled short essays by parents, students, college admissions officers, and college advisors that reflect on the student’s central role and growth in the admissions process. Two favorites are the piece co-written by Delahunty and her daughter about her own admissions journey, and Anna Quindlen’s reflections on swimming in the “deep pool” of her own growth as an undergraduate at Barnard College.

 

If you want to read a blog about college admission:

 

And, finally, one amazing “go to” resource that includes a little bit of everything:

The College Essay Guy – Ethan Sawyer, aka “The College Essay Guy,” has made it a goal to share high-quality and thoughtful materials (free!) to support students through every aspect of the college application process. Not only does he have great resources to support your essay writing (including some amazing brainstorming YouTube videos), he has lists of great verbs to use in your Common App activities list, tricks and tips to tackle the supplemental essays at almost every school on your list, and so so much more!