This week’s giveaway is one of my favorite books on college admissions: Getting In-The Zinch Guide to College Admissions.

I’ve read plenty of books on college admissions. Some are so scholarly heavy that you need a degree to figure them out. Others are so shallow you can find most of the material in your teen’s high school handouts. Zinch’s book is neither of the above. It’s geared toward the student, but is also extremely valuable from a parent’s perspective. Zinch reminds the student that while the college process often involves the entire family, the final choice must be their own. I agree with this whole heartedly. Every parent should grasp this truth.

Since this book is jam-packed with information, it would be difficult to speak about all of it. Suffice it to say that Zinch covers EVERYTHING from beginning to end. It’s an invaluable resource to have for your student (especially at the beginning of the process), because it walks them through admissions step by step.

Following are some of the highlights (and my favorite parts):

• The Truth About College Admissions-This chapter alone is worth the cost of the book. They debunk the myths about college, college rankings, and tell you the things colleges don’t want you to know. Superb!
• Behind the Scenes-This chapter goes into great detail about what goes on in a college admissions office. As a parent, this chapter will be an eye opener. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on, Zinch spells it out!
• College Input-One of the impressive components in the book is the input Zinch includes from actual specific college admissions officers. It helps you see how they think and how they view the process.
• Social Media-Zinch recognizes the importance of social media and how it can affect the college admissions process. The book talks about your student’s online presence and reminds them that Google never forgets.
• The Hook-This is the first book that I’ve seen that talks about “marketing” the student to the colleges. Zinch explains how important this is in order for your student to stand out.
• The Application process-Since this is the most important part of college admissions, the book goes into specific detail about every aspect of the application with step-by-step guides and tips.
• Three Case Studies-This is my favorite part of the book. Zinch takes three college applicants of different backgrounds and academics and presents their entire application to various colleges for review. The colleges then give their recommendations for acceptance, wait listing or rejection, giving you insight into the “whys” of the decision, along with how they came to their decision. It’s a wealth of information for both students and parents.

Wouldn’t this be a great book to add to your college collection? It’s easy to enter this giveaway. Just follow the directions below and you will be all set for a chance to win this great book.

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