The Truth about College Admission

Brennan Barnard and Rick Clark make a stressful decision more sane, understandable, and educationally useful. This book is needed because misinformation and a cacophony of noise about college admission are hurting students.

This approachable book, which includes a great diversity of professionals who provide observations and advice, feels like a real, extended conversation. Barnard and Clark have crafted a terrific collaboration from both sides of the admission desk. On an all-too-crowded bookshelf of 'how-to' manuals for college admission, this book offers a much-needed step-by-step journey to a successful outcome for students and their families.

The college admission ritual can be a joyful opportunity for reflection and discovery. With insight, empathy, and wit, Barnard and Clark empower families to tune out the noise, own the journey, and focus on what really matters in a lived college experience.

A MUST-read for students applying to college and their parents! Come along and share the authors' meaningful personal and professional stories, which will help you think through the entire process, including why you are doing what you are doing and how to make it all less stressful. I recommend this book highly to the students and families with whom I work.

At a time when the college search is too often defined as an anxious process by frazzled parents and students, Barnard and Clark come along with an invaluable, clear-headed guide for navigating the search and finding the right fit. This is a practical roadmap filled with tactical tips from two insiders that should be on the shelf of every high-school counselor; it is a must-read for parents and students before they ever set foot on a campus tour.

At last, a book about the college admission process that doesn't promise secret tips for admission (hint—there are none!) but instead provides advice from two respected and experienced professionals. If families are looking for how to manage the college admission process in an ethical, thoughtful, student-centered way, this book provides an important road map written in a way that even the most reluctant student will find engaging.

In a field that is sometimes viewed as nearly as much art as science and often fraught with misinformation, Barnard and Clark provide expertise that is accurate, useful, and empathetic to the needs of applicants and their families. The book is a terrific resource for students and parents.

We have allowed admission selectivity to become a proxy for quality when it comes to how we assess colleges and universities. Barnard and Clark help us remember that talented students and incredible universities, of all levels of selectivity, find their way to each other every year. The right combination of student and college can be transformative for both! This book is a much-needed resource for families.

I love this book. It's packed with sensible advice and some wonderful questions. I highly recommend it.

Honest, insightful, and practical. Barnard and Clark provide straightforward guidance to families working to make sense of an ever-changing higher education landscape. Their experiences and reflections help to provide organization to a process that can feel, at times, overwhelming.

A welcome antidote to today's college admissions mania! The Truth about College Admission is filled with specific, often surprising, information and insights. A valuable combination of stories, statistics, exercises, and examples, this book is bound to stimulate productive conversations between parents and students. No magic, no guarantees—but instead a refreshing abundance of straightforward, sensible strategies and suggestions.  

As the parent of a college-bound student, The Truth about College Admission provides a much-needed dose of practical advice necessary to navigate the emotional roller coaster of the college admission process.

We could tell our sixteen-year-old was anxious about the college admission process. So we determined to make it a fun family activity: we agreed to meet once a week on Saturdays over cookies and tea to chat, ask questions, and explore ideas. What had been a dreaded topic became an enjoyable activity that she directed. We learned more in that first family conversation than we had over the previous several months of what seemed to her to be painful cross-examinations. This book is a godsend.

Every family approaching college applications should be armed with The Truth about College Admission. It begins with aligning expectations and establishing a game plan for success. Each chapter follows the process from discovery to applications and responses, and provides questions and realignment exercises for each engagement. This book helped us make sense of the process and understand the results. It was the soothing balm we all needed.

Who knew a college admission book could be so enjoyable and provide pertinent information? This is exactly what I found. Clark and Barnard's perspective, mixing facts with humor, helped reduce my own stress and gave me a much-needed reality check. The Truth about College Admission is an outstanding resource for families, as it thoughtfully addresses the journey of college admission from beginning to move-in day.

We love The Truth About College Admission. The tips and suggestions are realistic and practical. The sections about campus visits and essay writing were especially helpful to our son, and we appreciate the question prompts that let us know what we should be asking. My favorite feature, however, is the book's honest and the optimistic tone. After reading this, we parked the helicopter and climbed in the family car.

Clark and Barnard's writing effortlessly blends wisdom and wit, honesty and insight. It has truly saved our family's sanity during our college admission adventure.