Anyone here read the The Gatekeepers? Fascinating behind the scenes look at the admissions process

[Anonymous]

Just read The Gatekeepers and found it (as a parent of 2 high school students) an eye-opening look behind the scenes at the admissions process at a competitive small liberal arts college (in this case Wesleyan). College admissions has gotten even more competitive since the book was written but much still rings true today espe re: the holistic admissions process practiced at many of the top colleges.

http://hepg.org/her-home/issues/harvard-educational-review-volume-74-issue-2/herbooknote/the-gatekeepers_68

Any other book recommendations re: the admissions process?

[Anonymous]

The grubby narc who got off Cornell's waitlist (if I recall correctly) was exposed when it came time for law school: She went to some third tier commode.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I read it OP. Very interesting.

[Anonymous]

+1 every parent of a DC applying to colleges in today's crazy acceptance world should read it.

[Anonymous]

I liked Crazy U by Andrew Ferguson

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I liked Crazy U by Andrew Ferguson

Was just going to say this. That was so refreshingly funny.

[Anonymous]

I liked The Gatekeepers. Haven't read Crazy U. Maybe that should be next.

[Anonymous]

So glad I am done with the whole college thing. I did read the "Gatekeepers." I was very disappointed by the book. I felt it offered few useful insights into the admissions process. I also felt that while Wesleyan "scored" a Native American student, they were either unwilling or wholly unprepared to provide the academic and social support needed to support his success in school. But, hey, they could claim him for their diversity numbers.

[Anonymous]

I thought Crazy U was really bad. The guy is so pessimistic and he plays into parents' fears instead of helping to make the process more clear. Because he worked for the Bush White House, he gets access to some people that we wouldn't, but he doesn't do anything but make you think you're screwed in this process. Who needs to read a book like that?

If you have one kid who went through the process already, you'll read it knowing that some of the events he describes are made up, positioned to be earlier in the college process, or exaggerated.

He describes UVA as a "big state U" when it's nowhere near OSU, Michigan, Wisconsin, or other schools that actually should get that label.

[Anonymous]

Do read also The Price of Admissions which is particularly relevant these days as it mentions a certain party now working at the White House and how he apparently earned admission to an Ivy. Very good read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought Crazy U was really bad. The guy is so pessimistic and he plays into parents' fears instead of helping to make the process more clear. Because he worked for the Bush White House, he gets access to some people that we wouldn't, but he doesn't do anything but make you think you're screwed in this process. Who needs to read a book like that?

If you have one kid who went through the process already, you'll read it knowing that some of the events he describes are made up, positioned to be earlier in the college process, or exaggerated.

He describes UVA as a "big state U" when it's nowhere near OSU, Michigan, Wisconsin, or other schools that actually should get that label.

How is UVA, not a "big state U", and what's wrong with that label?

[Anonymous]

He makes it sound like his kid ended up at a not very competitive large university which isn't prestigious -- mostly because the kid was so laid back and the dad was so chill. They lived in Oakton and the kid went to UVA. Surely there was a lot more Kumon and Stanley Kaplan and summer computer camp in there than he's letting on. And the kid is hardly some hippy free spirit and neither is the dad.

[Anonymous]

U VA is absolutely a big state school - and that is not a bad thing, just a fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U VA is absolutely a big state school - and that is not a bad thing, just a fact.

UVA's undergrad enrollment on the main campus is about 16,000. Ohio State has 60,000 undergrads (as many as UVA in each class) and lots of schools -- Arizona State, University of Florida, University of Texas, Michigan State, Indiana, Texas A&M, to name a few -- have about 50,000. Those are BIG state schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:U VA is absolutely a big state school - and that is not a bad thing, just a fact.

UVA's undergrad enrollment on the main campus is about 16,000. Ohio State has 60,000 undergrads (as many as UVA in each class) and lots of schools -- Arizona State, University of Florida, University of Texas, Michigan State, Indiana, Texas A&M, to name a few -- have about 50,000. Those are BIG state schools.

None of these schools has an undergraduate enorollment higher than 41,000.

Ohio State Unuversity 41,000. Arizona State University 38,000. University of Florida is 30,000. University of Texas 36,000. Michigan State 35,000. Indiana University 31,000. Texas A&M 43,000.