50 College Admission Directors Speak to Parents

Twenty-five years ago, Sarah McGinty and Sandra MacGowan gathered a congress of respected and experienced admission directors and asked them the questions parents want to know more about. The answers reflect the commitment and complexity of their jobs and the wisdom and patience directors bring to "putting together" an incoming class. There is still much of value in this book. So while some admission practices have changed (committee-based evaluation, optional testing, deadlines and costs), admission remains a process of selection led by dedicated people who work very hard for not much money. This compilation shares their answers to many of the most important questions about college access and lets families confidently launch the process of college selection. Admission icon Fred Hargadon (Princeton) often said, "We are engaged in precision guesswork." The selections here uncover the precision and unpack the guesswork, bringing together the wisdom of some of the best people ever to work in admission.