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The Truth about College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting In and Staying Together
A high school counselor and a college admission director help families on the path to a positive college search and admission experience. Is your family just starting to think about visiting colleges? Maybe you are in the throes of the experience, feeling stressed out and overwhelmed. Did we miss a deadline? Should we be looking in-state or out-of-state, big school or small school? And what is a "FAFSA" anyway? The Truth about College Admission is the easy-to-follow, comprehensive, go-to guide for families. The expert authors―with inside knowledge from both the high school and university sides of the experience―provide critical advice, thoughtful strategies, helpful direction, and invaluable reassurance during the long and often bewildering college admission journey. From searching for colleges and creating a list of favorites to crafting an application, learning what schools are looking for academically and outside the classroom, and getting insight into how colleges decide who to accept, this book covers every important step. Helpful sections like "Try This," "Talk about This," and "Check In" show your family how to have open and balanced conversations to keep everyone on the same page, feeling less stressed, and actually enjoying the adventure together. The Truth about College Admission is the practical and inspiring guidebook your family needs, an essential companion along the path to college acceptance.
240 pages, Paperback
Published September 10, 2019
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354 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 12, 2020
This is much better than the average guide to college admissions. Apply the relevant information and ignore the irrelevant. In each chapter, the authors, a high school counselor and the Georgia Tech Director of Admissions, provide families with the means to discuss the process, which families desperately need but rarely do, largely because it's so fraught with emotion. They quote Simon Sinek: start with Why. Why are you going to college? Why do you want to study X? Why do you want to pursue a career as Y? Why do you want to attend college A, B, or C?
They emphasize that the process belongs to the student, not the parents who must be careful not to speak of "our first choice" or "we applied, " etc. See p. 41 for a masterful list of behaviors to maintain a healthy family relationship throughout the process like "We can limit talk about college to one day a week. We can accept that a college does not define a person." This is true to a point and that point is financial
When the authors quote "A 2018 report...that parents often overestimate what they will ultimately pay," I guffawed; this is not my experience. Rather, parents significantly UNDERestimate what they will ultimately pay. Do not miss the masterful chapter on Creating the College List. "Only .2% of students get more than $25,000 or more in scholarships per year. 1 in 8 students received an average of $4,202. Just 1.5% of undergraduates received enough scholarships ...to cover 100% of the cost of attendance." 2.7% were awarded 90%, and 6% were awarded 75% . In other words, don't believe the scholarship hype. The authors direct families to actually talk about the money issue and not to take on student loan debt; it's not worth it. Most students have no idea what the family's monthly expenses are and should know the implications of their college choice on the family, so open the books. This is an important step on the road to adulthood, so don't infantilize them.
The College Visit chapter suggests some probing questions, but most tour guides and even admissions officers will not know the facts, just the marketing lines. They will tell you that this is the #1 college in the country for X, Y, Z, when there is no evidence at all to support their assertions. Asking how this college differs from others will not be helpful since most students will only have experience of this college and no means of comparison. Most of the answers to the questions the authors recommend asking are available through the common data set [type name of college and "common data set" in your favorite browser]. The phrasing of the question matters. Few tour guides will honestly reply to the authors' suggested "What has disappointed you?" but "If you could wave a magic wand and change 3 things about this college, what would they be?" and "What do you wish you had known coming here?" are more likely to result in the desired data points.
The interview questions are also helpful, though so few universities actually conduct interviews these days.
The book is at its best when it discloses information that many parents do not know (regardless of how many times we tell them) about colleges' marketing ploys and discount rate. You're more likely to buy something on SALE! than at a regular price; that's why the average college provides a scholarship of 50%, rather than merely lowering the sticker price. Furthermore, a lower price is too often associated with lower quality and who wants that?
This is the guide I recommend to parents now, though I still use the guide I published for templates for resumes, activity lists, what to do when, questions to ask on visits, and requests for letters of recommendation. The main problem I have with this book is that these two fellows focus so much on fit, a luxury few families can afford. The families I work with focus on price, especially in Florida. Their progeny will attend Florida public universities because they are the second best buy in the nation and they are excellent. There are even several mechanisms in Florida that render a university education free: dual enrollment in high school and Bright Futures scholarships. Other states have similar programs. Avoid loans. Start at community college if necessary. Fit is overrated. Maybe your kid would be happier on the short term at a small liberal arts school, but there is no guarantee of that and s/he will be more likely to incur debt, which can seriously impede long term happiness. My advice is to be practical and downplay fit.
They emphasize that the process belongs to the student, not the parents who must be careful not to speak of "our first choice" or "we applied, " etc. See p. 41 for a masterful list of behaviors to maintain a healthy family relationship throughout the process like "We can limit talk about college to one day a week. We can accept that a college does not define a person." This is true to a point and that point is financial
When the authors quote "A 2018 report...that parents often overestimate what they will ultimately pay," I guffawed; this is not my experience. Rather, parents significantly UNDERestimate what they will ultimately pay. Do not miss the masterful chapter on Creating the College List. "Only .2% of students get more than $25,000 or more in scholarships per year. 1 in 8 students received an average of $4,202. Just 1.5% of undergraduates received enough scholarships ...to cover 100% of the cost of attendance." 2.7% were awarded 90%, and 6% were awarded 75% . In other words, don't believe the scholarship hype. The authors direct families to actually talk about the money issue and not to take on student loan debt; it's not worth it. Most students have no idea what the family's monthly expenses are and should know the implications of their college choice on the family, so open the books. This is an important step on the road to adulthood, so don't infantilize them.
The College Visit chapter suggests some probing questions, but most tour guides and even admissions officers will not know the facts, just the marketing lines. They will tell you that this is the #1 college in the country for X, Y, Z, when there is no evidence at all to support their assertions. Asking how this college differs from others will not be helpful since most students will only have experience of this college and no means of comparison. Most of the answers to the questions the authors recommend asking are available through the common data set [type name of college and "common data set" in your favorite browser]. The phrasing of the question matters. Few tour guides will honestly reply to the authors' suggested "What has disappointed you?" but "If you could wave a magic wand and change 3 things about this college, what would they be?" and "What do you wish you had known coming here?" are more likely to result in the desired data points.
The interview questions are also helpful, though so few universities actually conduct interviews these days.
The book is at its best when it discloses information that many parents do not know (regardless of how many times we tell them) about colleges' marketing ploys and discount rate. You're more likely to buy something on SALE! than at a regular price; that's why the average college provides a scholarship of 50%, rather than merely lowering the sticker price. Furthermore, a lower price is too often associated with lower quality and who wants that?
This is the guide I recommend to parents now, though I still use the guide I published for templates for resumes, activity lists, what to do when, questions to ask on visits, and requests for letters of recommendation. The main problem I have with this book is that these two fellows focus so much on fit, a luxury few families can afford. The families I work with focus on price, especially in Florida. Their progeny will attend Florida public universities because they are the second best buy in the nation and they are excellent. There are even several mechanisms in Florida that render a university education free: dual enrollment in high school and Bright Futures scholarships. Other states have similar programs. Avoid loans. Start at community college if necessary. Fit is overrated. Maybe your kid would be happier on the short term at a small liberal arts school, but there is no guarantee of that and s/he will be more likely to incur debt, which can seriously impede long term happiness. My advice is to be practical and downplay fit.
February 26, 2021
Nothing super earth-shattering here, but a practical guide that boils things down to the essentials. I like the focus on approaching the process as a family and ignoring what everyone else is doing.
January 15, 2024
This book provided me with ways to explain the world of college admission in simpler ways for the families I work with.
January 3, 2023
Fantastic!! I would strongly recommend this for any family preparing for the college application process.
October 8, 2019
Take family tension out of the college application process! Especially liked the information about getting organized to start the process, the explanation of institutional priorities, the reality of holistic admission review, and am still laughing at the "we" and "our" anecdotes. No student wants a "we" and "our" parent! The use of humor and compassion throughout the book is smart. It kept me interested and helped give perspective to this overwhelming subject (yup, sorry it just is). I think it will also resonate well with students. Great resource to jump start and guide the suggested scheduled family college meetings (wish we had done this with our kids). Note: this use of "we" and "our" is acceptable. LOL
January 31, 2024
Widely recognized as one of the most stressful times in a student’s life, the college admission process is quite intimidating. Whether it’s the many essays, the low acceptance rates, or something else, every individual applying to college has something that intimidates them. The Truth about College Admission by Brennan E. Barnard and Rick Clark aims to simplify this process and break it down for families across the United States.
Written by a high school counselor, Barnard, and a college admission director, Clark, this book offers a unique perspective on college and the processes around it. Because the authors are directly involved in college admission, their advice is authoritative and assists in calming the nerves that come with this topic. Beyond that, the book's layout is somewhat unusual—it’s written like an activity; each chapter ends with discussion prompts, and quizzes are sprinkled throughout the pages. This design helps both the student reader stay engaged as well as the parents of the future student.
The Truth about College Admission has four parts, each serving a unique purpose in the book’s goal. Part I focuses on what happens before a student begins applying to colleges. First and foremost, Barnard and Clark ask, “Why are you going to college?”. For many readers, this may be the first time they have been asked this question. Some students only attend college because of pressure from their parents; others may just want the typical “college experience. This opening question does a great job of setting a student’s future into focus.
Part II focuses on finding and visiting the colleges that interest the student. After the student decides why they are going to college, the authors encourage them to search for colleges that fit them, not vice versa. Barnard and Clark offer suggestions for criteria, including location, size, majors and programs, people, and cost. After considering these, they suggest compiling a list of the colleges the student is excited about. When the list has reached around five to nine colleges, separate them into three categories: go, match, and likely. They add that most guides use the term “safety” for the latter category and criticize this, stating that there is no such thing. Then, they suggest visiting the colleges.
Part III helps the student understand what a college is looking for, both academically and outside the classroom. The chapters within this part are arguably the most important within The Truth about College Admission, as this is where Bernard and Clark genuinely shine. They seem excited to share the “industry secrets” of college admission, which makes this part extremely interesting. They do a great job of eluding positive energy through the pages and encouraging students in their college journey. They mention academic rigor, extracurriculars, and standardized testing as vital concepts.
Finally, Part IV stresses the factors that go into deciding where the student will attend college. It's time to decide after looking at what colleges on their list the student got into. The authors call back to the reasons discussed in Part II and recommend that the students use these to aid their final decision. Barnard and Clark emphasize that the decision is not easy and that you should find as many systems as possible for advice and support.
After reading The Truth about College Admission, I can wholeheartedly say that I feel more confident about beginning the strenuous process of my senior year. Not only do Barnard and Clark offer many clever pieces of knowledge, but they do so in an encouraging, positive way—a far cry from much of the content I have consumed on college admission. Overall, the authors come across as kind, experienced guides of their field, which I found quite pleasant.
The Truth about College Admission also helped me a lot with perspective. I have always dreaded beginning the process of applying to colleges, and this book helped me settle my anxiety and just look at reality. It’s rare that I find a piece of college media that contains more than just how low acceptance rates are or how expensive colleges are, so I deeply appreciated this book’s approach.
I would recommend The Truth about College Admission to anyone who is even considering going to college. While I had already learned a lot of the content within this book through other means, I still felt like I began to understand the processes and the “WHY” behind them a bit better. I deeply appreciated everything from Barnard and Clark’s tones to the witty references made within the book. I believe it will be useful for everyone I know applying to colleges. Regardless of your knowledge level when it comes to applying to college, The Truth about College Admission is a valuable tool for prospective college students and their parents.
Written by a high school counselor, Barnard, and a college admission director, Clark, this book offers a unique perspective on college and the processes around it. Because the authors are directly involved in college admission, their advice is authoritative and assists in calming the nerves that come with this topic. Beyond that, the book's layout is somewhat unusual—it’s written like an activity; each chapter ends with discussion prompts, and quizzes are sprinkled throughout the pages. This design helps both the student reader stay engaged as well as the parents of the future student.
The Truth about College Admission has four parts, each serving a unique purpose in the book’s goal. Part I focuses on what happens before a student begins applying to colleges. First and foremost, Barnard and Clark ask, “Why are you going to college?”. For many readers, this may be the first time they have been asked this question. Some students only attend college because of pressure from their parents; others may just want the typical “college experience. This opening question does a great job of setting a student’s future into focus.
Part II focuses on finding and visiting the colleges that interest the student. After the student decides why they are going to college, the authors encourage them to search for colleges that fit them, not vice versa. Barnard and Clark offer suggestions for criteria, including location, size, majors and programs, people, and cost. After considering these, they suggest compiling a list of the colleges the student is excited about. When the list has reached around five to nine colleges, separate them into three categories: go, match, and likely. They add that most guides use the term “safety” for the latter category and criticize this, stating that there is no such thing. Then, they suggest visiting the colleges.
Part III helps the student understand what a college is looking for, both academically and outside the classroom. The chapters within this part are arguably the most important within The Truth about College Admission, as this is where Bernard and Clark genuinely shine. They seem excited to share the “industry secrets” of college admission, which makes this part extremely interesting. They do a great job of eluding positive energy through the pages and encouraging students in their college journey. They mention academic rigor, extracurriculars, and standardized testing as vital concepts.
Finally, Part IV stresses the factors that go into deciding where the student will attend college. It's time to decide after looking at what colleges on their list the student got into. The authors call back to the reasons discussed in Part II and recommend that the students use these to aid their final decision. Barnard and Clark emphasize that the decision is not easy and that you should find as many systems as possible for advice and support.
After reading The Truth about College Admission, I can wholeheartedly say that I feel more confident about beginning the strenuous process of my senior year. Not only do Barnard and Clark offer many clever pieces of knowledge, but they do so in an encouraging, positive way—a far cry from much of the content I have consumed on college admission. Overall, the authors come across as kind, experienced guides of their field, which I found quite pleasant.
The Truth about College Admission also helped me a lot with perspective. I have always dreaded beginning the process of applying to colleges, and this book helped me settle my anxiety and just look at reality. It’s rare that I find a piece of college media that contains more than just how low acceptance rates are or how expensive colleges are, so I deeply appreciated this book’s approach.
I would recommend The Truth about College Admission to anyone who is even considering going to college. While I had already learned a lot of the content within this book through other means, I still felt like I began to understand the processes and the “WHY” behind them a bit better. I deeply appreciated everything from Barnard and Clark’s tones to the witty references made within the book. I believe it will be useful for everyone I know applying to colleges. Regardless of your knowledge level when it comes to applying to college, The Truth about College Admission is a valuable tool for prospective college students and their parents.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2019
This is certainly a usable book for a family embarking on the college admissions journey. It is written by two highly-esteemed professionals in the field, both of whom write a great deal and always with thoughtfulness and intelligence. I feel for the authors, though, since this fall the new recruitment rules mandated by the Department of Justice may bring enormous changes to the college process, rendering much of the book obsolete.
In addition, I find the title overblown, and did not encounter any distinctive truths about college admission in the book. Rather, it reads like the kind of handbook produced by independent school counselors for use by their students. This is a very good introductory course in college admissions, though it competes with a great many others on the market, but it (like most of the others) is not at the A.P. level. It's actually too short to cover all that a family might benefit from knowing.
The authors correctly mention that colleges tend to make themselves sound alike, I would have liked to see a lot more attention to how students can research to differentiate them. Resources that can help in this are occasionally mentioned in passing, but never explored in depth.
There are appropriate warnings about how difficult it is to gain admission to schools with low admission rates, but the examples given understate how incredibly hard it really is. 1500 SATs now just get a student consideration, and more than half of the students who test that well fail to gain admission to the most sought after schools. The extracurricular achievements these schools require are challenging to achieve, and usually involve showing an impact beyond the student's high school.
I think it would also have been helpful to create a bit of skepticism about statistics published by schools. It's fine to recommend looking at alumni employment data, but I question whether many of the schools are truthful claiming that 95% of their students are employed or in graduate school directly after completing college.
There is extensive discussion of separating schools by mission. That idea is appealing, but I don't think it is practical. Institutional missions will not seem terribly distinctive. But an even greater difficulty with this concept is that in my decades of work in college admissions at four schools, I never saw an impact of a school's mission on admission decisions. Rather,the pressure is heavily on metrics -- admission rate and college testing in particular -- since those are used by guide books and bond-raters most heavily.
Finally, there is a lot more which could have been said about financial aid. Most schools these days are "Need-aware" which means that a family's ability to pay is a factor in admission decisions.
And this would have added to the discussion of the waiting list, where often students with any significant financial need will never advance beyond that status.
The strength of the book lies in the planning suggestions and thoughtful comments concerning how a family can most fruitfully interact during a students college process. I just wish it had gone further, and actually delivered more of the hard truths inherent in this emotionally-charged topic.
In addition, I find the title overblown, and did not encounter any distinctive truths about college admission in the book. Rather, it reads like the kind of handbook produced by independent school counselors for use by their students. This is a very good introductory course in college admissions, though it competes with a great many others on the market, but it (like most of the others) is not at the A.P. level. It's actually too short to cover all that a family might benefit from knowing.
The authors correctly mention that colleges tend to make themselves sound alike, I would have liked to see a lot more attention to how students can research to differentiate them. Resources that can help in this are occasionally mentioned in passing, but never explored in depth.
There are appropriate warnings about how difficult it is to gain admission to schools with low admission rates, but the examples given understate how incredibly hard it really is. 1500 SATs now just get a student consideration, and more than half of the students who test that well fail to gain admission to the most sought after schools. The extracurricular achievements these schools require are challenging to achieve, and usually involve showing an impact beyond the student's high school.
I think it would also have been helpful to create a bit of skepticism about statistics published by schools. It's fine to recommend looking at alumni employment data, but I question whether many of the schools are truthful claiming that 95% of their students are employed or in graduate school directly after completing college.
There is extensive discussion of separating schools by mission. That idea is appealing, but I don't think it is practical. Institutional missions will not seem terribly distinctive. But an even greater difficulty with this concept is that in my decades of work in college admissions at four schools, I never saw an impact of a school's mission on admission decisions. Rather,the pressure is heavily on metrics -- admission rate and college testing in particular -- since those are used by guide books and bond-raters most heavily.
Finally, there is a lot more which could have been said about financial aid. Most schools these days are "Need-aware" which means that a family's ability to pay is a factor in admission decisions.
And this would have added to the discussion of the waiting list, where often students with any significant financial need will never advance beyond that status.
The strength of the book lies in the planning suggestions and thoughtful comments concerning how a family can most fruitfully interact during a students college process. I just wish it had gone further, and actually delivered more of the hard truths inherent in this emotionally-charged topic.
September 21, 2022
Excellent book, a how-to guide with very actionable steps to guide families through the college application process. My oldest is a freshman in HS so we are early in the process, but I appreciated reading this now so we can be proactive and not reactive, and to help frame college conversations in a healthy and meaningful way.
The book talks a lot about the abundance of college, getting away from the madness surrounding admissions to the top selective schools, and starting with your "why". Once you know why you want to go to college (which is rarely asked of kids) you can use that to frame your search and your application process.
It has sections for parents and sections for kids (although sometimes it switches the audience without being clear about this, which is a small criticism). It has a lot of very actionable pointers: specific things to ask and look for on college tours, when talking to admissions, considerations for the essays, etc.
The book talks a lot about the abundance of college, getting away from the madness surrounding admissions to the top selective schools, and starting with your "why". Once you know why you want to go to college (which is rarely asked of kids) you can use that to frame your search and your application process.
It has sections for parents and sections for kids (although sometimes it switches the audience without being clear about this, which is a small criticism). It has a lot of very actionable pointers: specific things to ask and look for on college tours, when talking to admissions, considerations for the essays, etc.
August 22, 2024
This was a good book to start the college application/review process with. Our family is new to this, and they explained a lot in very simple terms. It's the kind of book you could pass on to your high school student and they could read the explanations themselves. It gave a lot of tips for navigating the process and staying sane, and also explained why people don't get in, why some people receive scholarships and others don't, etc. The tone of the book is light, and it's clear. It's not the most comprehensive book, but it's a great beginning.
June 23, 2025
4.5. I've got one kid about to start junior year & one a few years younger, so this was the right book at the right time for me. Practical info for some of the things we've wondered about (how to look past the marketing fluff, understanding rankings, class size, etc.), but it also asks the big questions (*why* do you want to go to college, what environments do you thrive in?). I ordered a physical copy after listening to the audiobook, knowing that we've got several years ahead of us where this info will be helpful.
October 5, 2021
This book was extremely helpful—wish I’d found it before now. I highly recommend it for juniors and parents of juniors. I love the suggestions for how to respond to well meaning people asking “where are you going to college?” And the mindset of having 5 number one choices (one or 2 in each category of reach, target and likely) so that no matter where you end up getting in, it’s one of your top choices. Win win.
January 11, 2020
If you are just beginning the process, or need a refresher, this is a thorough examination of the college admissions process. I enjoyed it all, but the way they take down US News and Report is worth the price of admission. These are professionals from both sides of the desk, and they are worth the read.
October 24, 2020
Excellent guide for parents and teens getting ready to start the college application process! It provides insights for parents with conversations to have with your teen regarding finances for college, choosing a college location, etc. It also gives tips for teens to navigate the process without being overwhelmed.
April 30, 2021
This is a good guide for families - particularly American families - wanting to understand how the US admissions process works. There is a nice synergy between the two authors - one high school counselor and one college admissions person. That said, I do wish there would be some inclusion of international students that would enhance the book's usefulness.
December 28, 2024
I listened to this book as an audiobook.
This was more informative than some of the research articles and textbooks I read for class this semester on college admissions. Probably because this book actually talked about the specifics of admissions rather than the demographics and differences between college types.
This was more informative than some of the research articles and textbooks I read for class this semester on college admissions. Probably because this book actually talked about the specifics of admissions rather than the demographics and differences between college types.
February 24, 2020
Assigned reading. Well worth the effort. I cover some of this in something I wrote along these lines a while back. Which Ivy League university is the easiest to get into?
March 23, 2025
Written to a student probably in their junior year of high school. A few tips for parents but mostly it is for students to know what to do during and after the college campus tour and how to utilize that time to their advantage when it comes to filling out an application.
February 23, 2021
Helpful information. Great perspective.
April 1, 2021
Good reference with lots of action items for those new to this bewildering world.
April 21, 2021
Every family should read this book, parents and kids!
October 30, 2023
Interesting practical advice. Extremely well written. Listened on audiobook.
December 20, 2023
Of the ones I’ve read, this is the most helpful college application guide. Does a good job of reducing anxiety while also helping us to feel prepared. Written for both patents and high schoolers.
January 4, 2024
Fabulous read for any parent who is curious about the current college admission process. It's easy to read, provided practical tips and made the process feel much more exciting and hopeful.
September 16, 2024
Nothing earth-shattering here for anyone who knows the college admission process well, but highly recommend this very accessible guide to any parent/family who is new to the process.
October 9, 2024
3.5⭐️. Helpful tips as we begin to navigate this process.
July 27, 2025
Great advice!
December 1, 2025
Really helpful tips about how to approach the entire process as a family - the questions to ask yourself as parents and as the student - how to approach college visits, etc.
December 20, 2021
Excellent! Concise and enormously practical for both parent and student!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews