College Planning for Gifted Students

by Sandra Berger

College Planning for Gifted Choosing and Getting Into the Right College is a must-have for any gifted or advanced learner planning to attend college. Sandra Berger, a nationally recognized expert on college and career planning for gifted students, provides a hands-on, practical guide to college planning in this updated edition of the best-selling College Planning for Gifted Students .

Berger focuses specifically on helping gifted students discover who they are and how that discovery corresponds to the perfect postsecondary endeavor. The author also provides useful, practical advice for writing college application essays, requesting recommendation letters, visiting colleges, and acing the college entrance interview. Throughout the book, helpful timelines and checklists are provided to give students and their parents, teachers, and counselors assistance in planning for and choosing the right college.

Grades 9-12

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

236 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2014

Reviews

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

College Planning for Gifted Students is a good resource for anyone beginning the college search. It is informative and explains the necessary terms without being too expository for someone who is familiar with the process. There are many good diagrams and worksheets that make college decisions interactive for students and parents. Other pages offer profiles of different students so students can identify themselves with one or more.

This book provides a good crash course on AP/IB vs. honors as well as topics like PSAT/SAT/ACT and ED. It also outlines tips and mistakes to avoid, which I think helps parents and students feel more confident. Some specific tips mentioned in this book seem a bit idealistic, like the suggestion that a student visit "approximately eight to twelve colleges to which you think you might apply." I doubt some students could even name twelve colleges in their region, let alone visit them.

I would highly recommend this to anyone in high school who is either unsure how to begin the college search or needs advice along the way.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have a son who is a rising high school Junior, which in other words, means that I am beginning to panic about college admissions. I didn't select this book so much for the 'Gifted Students' part of the title, but the 'Choosing and Getting Into the Right College'. I found the book to have good information about the college admissions process, but nothing that is not available online or in other college guides. It also seemed to have the information in a very scattered format. The book also covers some of the aspects of having a 'gifted student', but not in a manner that was very relevant regarding the college admissions process. Statements like your gifted child might not have good grades because he isn't challenged in school is interesting, but I didn't think there was actionable advice other than try to get that GPA up.

I felt the book was weak in the area of soul searching to find the right school for a student. I am also reading Admissions Matters and this book pales in comparison.

[American Mensa · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are planning to apply to colleges, but do not know how, this book is a great
resource. As a high school sophomore, I know that choosing colleges and figuring out how to
apply is extremely overwhelming. This book helps by breaking down the process into a series of
focused and organized tasks. The author starts with choosing schools to apply to and takes the
reader all the way through what to do when the decisions arrive. Included are tips, charts to fill
in, and questions to ask yourself. The most benefit would come from reading this book as a
freshman or sophomore in high school so that you have time to plan. Some of the information
seems like common sense or something you would find in other college planning books, but the
difference is that it addresses the special circumstances that can come up with gifted students and
includes resources specifically geared toward this group. I gave this book five stars because it
simplifies a complicated process and lowered my stress level about applying to college. I think
all students, gifted or not, and their parents could benefit from the organization and suggestions
in this book.
Reviewed By: Alex F., 15, Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading alot of books about choosing the right college/going to college. Like many others, this is good, practical advice that is focused on those students who are gifted altho it also has informative sections for those who are homeschooled, gifted with disabilities, and underachieving students. On the plus side, this book offered some down-to-earth strategies and tips. On the down side, I didn't think that there was enough emphasis on testing out of classes or going to junior colleges to waive lower division classes. You'd think that these two options would be extremely important for gifted students who may be more willing to step up at a younger age than others. I'd say that if you're starting out as a parent or student and have questions about the college process, this is a good book to start with.

[Readersaurus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a review. Just points I found useful or interesting.

Author recommends starting college planning in 7th grade. (Yaaaaaaag!)

Keys to choosing the right colleges:
self-awareness
personal values, aptitudes, needs

Teaching and learning are sometimes better at schools you have never heard of.

Parents:
Know your child.
How does she make decisions?
What are her needs and interests?
Help her find what she's looking for.
Listen.
Do not do the applications for your child.
Do help keep track of deadlines.

From the start of high school, kids should work with their guidance counselors to craft college-bound course schedules that also reflect their interests.

Author advocates taking PSAT for practice prior to junior year.
Advocates SAT subject tests.

Gifted means more than good grades. If there's something unusual about you, if you have a talent that's not reflected in your transcript, write about it. If you have a way of learning that has conflicted with school expectations and getting good grades, explain how it can be a strength in other arenas.

There's a good checklist on p. 57-58 that is worth photocopying and having your college bound kid think about.

Huntington-O'Shea Career Decision Making System revised
Career Occupational Preference System
Self-Directed Search
Barron's Online College Search Engine
College Board Big Future
Princeton Review Career Quiz
What Can I Do with This Major?

(Some of these charge a fee. Maybe ask if the school already makes these available to students.)

A good section on questions to ask when touring colleges.

[Yana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book mainly focuses on the adult/parent audience rather than the students that are planning on going to college. There are a lot of tips on how parents should talk with their children about the actual process of attending college and how to set their child on track to finding a perfect college for them. One thing that confused me a bit was the student's personal stories; on many of them there was no citation stating where the author gathered the information. This makes me wonder in the author actually collected these stories from real life students or if she made them up for the sake of making a point.

Something that I enjoyed from this book was the College Planning Timeline for Grades 9-12. I feel that this could really be useful while planning for college.