Suggested reading as you plan your acceptance to university.

Over the last several years, anxiety, even panic, about selecting a college has increased. Some of that stress comes from false assumptions about the nature of college admission. Once students and their families replace the quest for the best college with one focusing on the best-fit college, the level of tension is significantly reduced. While College Match covers both getting in and fitting in, it focuses on fitting in because Antonoff feels this should be the primary emphasis throughout the college selection process. Fitting in is the largest contributor to creating a good college experience.

Bruni, a bestselling author and a columnist for the New York Times, shows that the Ivy League has no monopoly on corner offices, governors' mansions, or the most prestigious academic and scientific grants. Through statistics, surveys, and the stories of hugely successful people, he demonstrates that many kinds of colleges serve as ideal springboards. And he illuminates how to make the most of them. What matters in the end are students' efforts in and out of the classroom, not the name on their diploma.

Every college and university has a story, and no one tells those stories like former New York Times education editor Edward B. Fiske. That's why, for more than 35 years, the Fiske Guide to Colleges has been the leading guide to 320+ four-year schools, including quotes from real students and information you won't find on college websites. Fully updated and expanded every year, Fiske is the most authoritative source of information for college-bound students and their parents.

From the book...

Let's begin by agreeing that college should change your life. It's a catchy idea (and not a book title), so hang on to it for a minute to contemplate. What does it mean to find a college that changes your life?

The answer depends on you...Don't fall for Ivy worship. Don't listen to the blather about "best" schools whipped up by the rankings game.

Be bold. Set your expectations high.