Book Corner-Who Get’s In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, by Jeffrey Selingo
It is February and we are in that fallow period of “wait and see” with regards to hearing about admissions decisions from colleges for this year’s group of high school senior applicants. I want to recommend the following resource if you are looking for a peek behind the curtain to better understand how colleges are making their decisions.
In his book Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions (Scribner 2020,) author Jeff Selingo provides a fascinating and informative behind the scenes look at the US college admissions process. He does this by looking at larger trends in college admissions while zeroing on the processes in play at three college/universities–University of Washington, Davidson College and Emory University. Additionally he spends time looking at the college application season through the eyes of three students from varying backgrounds and shows us how their application processes are impacted by forces in their control and forces beyond their control. This book is an excellent, engagingly written, eye opening resource for parents and applicant students who are interested in understanding the larger forces at work when a high school senior embarks on the college journey and for the counselors and professionals who support them. While this book was written a few years back, its points are still timely and relevant and it belongs on your bookshelf.
Selingo does an excellent job of breaking down the relevant information into manageable chapters. The book has 10 chapters with titles like “Selling a College: The Endless Pursuit of Students,” “Playing the Odds: Early Decision,” “Paying For College: The Best Class Money Can Buy,” split across three sections (Fall: The Recruitment Season, Winter: The Reading Season and Spring: Decision Season" that align with the college application timeline. He has such an engaging style of writing that I often found myself quickly finishing the chapters which were usually about 25-30 pages long. Selingo chooses some provocative subtopics to focus on (the transformation of college outreach into a multibillion dollar industry, how perception of prestige drives the system, the role of parent anxiety etc.) as he constructs a compelling narrative that looks at the sprawling nature of the college application industrial complex.
I was genuinely surprised how often I found myself scribbling “whoa!” in the columns next to a section that explained a new piece of information about what goes on behind the scenes at colleges. Selingo introduces terms like “Seller Schools” (schools that don’t need to vie for applicant attention and therefore do not need to engage in “merit aid” shenanigans) versus “Buyer Schools” (schools that struggle to fill seats that need to dangle money in front of applicants to come) and “Drivers Families” (applicant families that have gotten an early start on the process and are finishing the application season with Early Decision/Early Action application deadlines in Nov 1) versus “Passenger Families” (applicant families who focus on the later Jan application deadlines which means fewer options are open to them for realistic chances of admission or financial aid) that are now firmly embedded in my conversations with parents, students and other professionals who are helping young people navigate their future beyond college.
What is your favorite book that helps demystify the college application process?
At What Comes Next we specialize in helping students and families imagine what comes next beyond high school.
Reach out to us for a free consultation if you are feeling like you need support in understanding the application process for admission and financial aid at 4-year colleges or exploring other post-high school options that make sense for your child.
