College Admissions: What Matters Most

College What Matters Most is NOT a normal college admissions book. It doesn't tell you how to craft your personal statements or ask your teachers for letters of recommendation. It doesn't tell you how to research what you'd like to major in, or how to fill out the common application. Instead, it covers the things you should think about before you dive headlong into an admissions campaign, before you put yourself through the frustration and heartache that so many students end up experiencing when they apply. In College What Matters Most, Mike Barrett draws on his experience from over a decade as one of the world's leading tutors to show you how American higher education really views the admissions process, and what you can really expect as you try to increase your chances of getting into college. Barrett explains that the admissions process is not a meritocracy, and that most students waste significant amounts of time, money, and energy on the admissions process. He shows you an easy way to determine where you stand and decide what kind of approach makes the most sense in your situation. Reading this book is like having a frank, relaxed conversation about getting into college with someone who has seen thousands of people go through different parts of that process. Many readers and reviewers have reported that Barrett's simple, direct advice gave them a new understanding of what college admission actually involves, allowing them to set clear priorities. As Barrett himself says in the first section of the " . . . I value a child’s future and happiness more than I value anything else in this process. . . . [I]f the result is that you’re able to make the best possible decisions in this ridiculous admissions process, then I’m happy." If you're just getting started in the admissions process, read Barrett's book before you take any serious steps If you've been drowning in the admissions process for months now, College What Matters Most might just be the life-preserver you've been looking for.