Belasco and Bergman, cofounders of education consulting firm College Transitions, have put together a friendly, easy-to-follow guide for approaching the overwhelming topic of higher education. The authors give parents a bird’s-eye perspective of the college admissions landscape, discussing the financial realities of college education along with practical advice for helping children identify colleges that are right for them. Acknowledging that students and parents alike are drawn to big-name schools, they open with the sobering fact that 37,000 students will compete for 2,000 seats in Harvard’s class of 2021. For best results, they advise high school seniors on curriculum choices for their final years of high school and dispel the notion that summer programs carry any weight in acceptance. Nowadays schools tabulate 'demonstrated interest' based on whether prospective students use social media to introduce themselves to their top choices. Parents may have trouble accepting that 'higher education is a buyer’s market,' but the voice of reason in these soon-to-be dog-eared pages will provide comfort and direction for those starting the application process.

Publishers Weekly

Here’s one college guide that does away with trite advice about teaching teens to do laundry, letting go, and navigating their first Thanksgiving back home. Belasco and Bergman, experienced education consultants, address parents of college-bound students in a six-part guide to the search and admissions process....There is a laser-sharp focus on targeting a school and major to maximize return on investment: how to solve seemingly impossible and infinite equations, including variables such as school rankings, class sizes, percentage of full-time faculty, and what you could make back on your money through different majors and study paths. The authors address tangible costs of college, helping readers carve through recruitment language and dive into the realities and (dis)advantages of institutions, from Ivies to in-state schools. Families seeking enlightenment about how to rationally and reasonably advise their teens in the higher-education arms race would do well to seek out this title.

Booklist

Admissions-counseling consultants share their insights into selecting and getting into an appropriate college in this debut guide, aimed mainly at parents. Many people have a hazy goal of getting their children into the most 'prestigious' college possible. However, it may be a better idea to dig deep into the data to find the college that’s the best fit. Belasco and Bergman, the cofounders of admissions counseling/consulting firm College Transitions, advocate for a 'more holistic and consumer-minded approach to the college selection process.' They believe that parents should spend more time with their children to determine a course of study and then figure out what skills the kids will need to pursue. These 'matter as much or more than where they go,' say the authors, who also urge parents to consider—and hopefully avoid—the long-term consequences of assuming too much debt. Parents and students should explore the many top notch colleges that exist beyond the so-called 'name' schools, they say. To that end, they helpfully provide college lists that assess various ranking factors (such as student/teacher ratio), drawn from the College Board and other sources. The book also discusses other key aspects, such as the difference between early decision and early action, and the importance of college-level courses in high school. Overall, the authors offer both an authoritative overview and calming guidance for anyone who’s struggling—and stressing out—over the college admissions process.... [T]his detailed guide does offer a reasoned and reassuring road map for selecting the best college, both as a concerned parent and as an informed consumer; for example, the authors clearly emphasize that readers face 'more of a buyer’s market than ever before,' with many colleges struggling to meet enrollment goals and therefore open to lowering their 'sticker price.' A de-stressing trove of data that will help readers make more well-rounded college decisions.

Kirkus Reviews

With many elite colleges now costing more than $250,000 (!), it’s absolute lunacy for parents and teenagers to explore their college options without first becoming empowered college consumers. An excellent way to start is by reading The Enlightened College Applicant. This is a superb and refreshingly unique book that does a masterful job of equipping families with what they need to successfully navigate the entire college admission process.

Lynn O'Shaughnessy, nationally recognized college expert, TheCollegeSolution.com

The Enlightened College Applicant“is not a college guidebook” but rather a personal guide that can assist families and students navigate the sometimes bewildering, often confusing, and seemingly secretive pathways that lead to a college education. This extremely well-written book empowers parents through a grounding philosophy of higher education’s purpose and place which then becomes a lens through which to consider both questions and decisions about college. By the authors’ own admission, it is “a researched-based, stats-laden, big picture argument for how parents should approach the college process.” However, the book reads more as a thoughtful conversation around the dining room table than as a lecture. Peppered with stories or literary references that unlock the meaning of institutional rankings and help explain the importance of flexibility, it is perfectly pitched for the intended readers. And, while parents are the authors’ audience, it is a must read for anyone working with GEAR UP, Upward Bound, Student Support Services, National College Advising Corps, or any other college access organization. A much needed addition to the body of work focused on improving educational attainment in America.

Joni Webb Petschauer, Senior Fellow for the American College Application Campaign, American Council on Education