College Planning for Dummies - Softcover

Pat Ordovensky

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0764550489 ISBN 13: 9780764550485

Publisher: Hungry Minds Inc, 1997

Synopsis

Good planning makes all the difference when choosing and applying to a college. With costs and competition higher than ever -- and the job market all but insistent that new employees come bearing sheepskins -- College Planning For Dummies, 2nd Edition, may prove one of the most valuable books on your bookshelf. Completely revised and updated with the latest information on financing, entrance examinations, campus life, and more, College Planning For Dummies, 2nd Edition, is a practical, easy-to-understand resource for parents and counselors, as well as students.

Author Pat Ordovensky, for over 15 years a national education writer for USA Today and the Gannett News Service, shows you how to

Research and evaluate potential colleges Fill out applications Compose essays that show you at your best Prepare for interviews and campus visits Find the best financial aid and scholarship opportunities Attend the college of your choice in the United States (for non-U.S. citizens) Save time and money by using the Internet to research schools, apply for admission and financial aid, and more

About this title

Review:

Getting into college is easy. In the United States, there's no problem finding some institute of higher learning that will admit you, in exchange for some amount of money. Getting into the right college, however, the college that is best suited to you, your academic abilities, your goals, and your personality--that's a little more of a challenge. It's a challenge well worth all the effort you can put into it, however, as college is one of the formative experiences of your life.

The college search is a kind of a game, with preestablished rules and institutional expectations. To find the right college requires knowledge about how the game works. Anyone can play, however, so long as he or she has access to the relevant information. And that's where Pat Ordovensky's College Planning for Dummies comes in. There's a chapter devoted to what exists out there in higher education, explaining the options of private, public, single-sex, and religion-affiliated schools, as well as tuition-free, two-year colleges, and colleges in other countries, and another chapter on what plans and decisions you can make, way before it's time to select a school, with suggestions for 4th graders, 10th graders, and, of course, the last-minute 11th graders. There are also chapters on campus visits, interviews, how many applications to send off, and how colleges look at you, followed by bottom-line chapters on paying for college, describing all your financial aid options in clear, understandable English.

It's organized so nicely that just checking out the table of contents goes a long way toward quelling the panic of an overwhelmed high school junior. It also allows you easily to reference the sections that apply, and to skip those that don't. Despite the title, this is one smart book, intended for people (students, parents, teachers, etc.) who are keen enough to know they could use some guidance through the college maze. --Stephanie Gold

From the Publisher:

Find helpful advice on how to:

Research and select the best two- or four-year college for your needs

Plan ahead -- from grade school to graduation -- to ensure college success

See the right people and ask the right questions during campus visits

Complete applications, essays, and financial aid forms easily and accurately -- and make your best impression in an interview

Locate sources of financial aid and understand the latest trends in scholarships, grants, and loans

Explore your options as a "non-traditional" student, commuter, non-US citizen, or student with special needs

Use the Internet as a resource in college planning

Understand the opportunities available to you for studying abroad, transferring schools without losing credits, and more

About this edition

• Publisher: Hungry Minds Inc
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0764550489
• ISBN 13: 9780764550485
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 348