The two scariest books in the world for high school seniors

21 Dec

Posted by Sam Jackson as Admissions, College, Esoterotica, Internets, odd & fun

Disclaimer: I just set up my Amazon affiliates account. Remember, I have to cover my self-help portion of Financial Aid somehow…

Well, at least one who hasn’t already been admitted into their dream college!

These make excellent christmas gifts, if the recepient is a high school student and the gifter is a sadist.

Still, I’m bringing them back up again because I think that everyone who has already been admitted to college–whether you’re a graduate or just a relaxed senior–should read these books. If you haven’t been admitted yet, well–the anxiety might kill you, so wait until afterwards.

Jerome Karabel’s The Chosen is scary enough, as a history of elite college admissions. But Daniel Golden’s Price of Admission takes the cake for pure fear factor. Unless, of course, you’re filthy rich, in which case it might assuage any worries you might have that you can’t buy your way into the school of your choice.

Anyone have any other admissions “must reads”? I’ve said before that I’m not so hot on The Gatekeepers, but there must be a few more worth reading? I have lots of time, but if I don’t get suggestions soon it will just turn to political books as I prepare for my spring term internship in Washington. I’m looking at you, admissions officers and higher education marketers–I know you’re reading!

4 Responses

Chris Osborne

December 21st, 2006 at 6:39 pm
1

It’s not a book, but http://rateyourstudents.blogspot.com/ has a lot of complaints that professors have. So it gives you an idea of what not to do.
Ryan Kellett

December 21st, 2006 at 8:00 pm
2

I haven’t read The Chosen or The Price of Admission but back a few years when I applied to school, I definitely read The Gatekeepers, which I didn’t find too terrifying. I found it quite enjoyable to read compared to all those Michelle Hernandez how-to get into an Ivy League school books. I suppose The Gatekeepers is a bit outdated now, though…
Friend

June 24th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
3

I have Price of Admission on my summer reading list. Should I wait until next summer?
Sam Jackson

June 24th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
4

Wow, how did I miss these comments? I must have been too carried away in the post-admitted haze to notice, and for that I’m sorry. Chris- looks like that could be a good resource, nice discussion there, I’ll have to investigate. And ryan, I know you’re just speaking chinese now, and I’m sorry I can’t respond in mandarin, but–I read the Gatekeepers and wasn’t really very satisfied with it, as I said.

As for you, Libbie- I would probably put off reading it until after you’ve got all your admissions letters in hand, otherwise it could produce depression and feelings of doom! Absolutely a must-read, truly, but not an a primer for junior year college admissions.

RSS feed for comments on this post · TrackBack URI

Who is Sam Jackson?

I'm currently a sophomore at Yale University and I've been blogging about college admissions and higher education marketing trends since I began my college application process in 2005. I now also write about my experience here at Yale, and am an official Yale blogger. Click here to read my 'about' page.

Kind words about my blog:

Andrew Careaga calls it “a service to all of us in the higher ed marketing business.”

Christian Long says it has “dramatically inspired college admissions folks to take notice”

Bob Johnson says “I like [it] because I agree with so much of what he says.” and that “Paying attention what Sam writes will let you focus more closely on students who will actually attend your school.”

Karine Joly says my witty and fresh style “offers a rare glimpse at the mind of our elusive prospective students”

and TargetX calls my blog “good reading” and me “wise-beyond-my-years.”