Review: America's Elite Colleges

Having read countless guidebooks, I'm usually only mildly impressed by any effort put out by a big box publishing company - this is one major exception. This author has taken an often neglected concept and written an entire book principled on it; that in our current "sellers market", applicants need to know how to

1. Identify their interests and strengths
and then
2. Comprehensively communicate those strengths to fit what that college is looking for.

The book emphasizes that applicants are not appraised equally at all institutions. The author cites examples such as one student applying to Amherst for engineering and the school, neither admitting him nor denying him, simply telling him that Amherst wasn't right for him because it lacked any engineering equivalent. This sort of puzzle piece fitting is ultimately what colleges are looking for, not generically qualified applicants.

Because the author emphasizes a student really connecting with a school not only in academic programs, but also in general motivations and personality, a sort of personality quiz is included in the book in which students are either labeled "Idealist, Rational, Guardian, or Artisan". Don't be fooled by this seemingly generic test, though. Whereas most tests simply spit out information (i.e. "you are logical" - so what?), this book actually uses this grouping to match you with one of the 32 "Elite Colleges of America" and actually helps you make the choice based on personality fit, not just on admission chances or name.

Without the dull common sense page-filling fluff occupying 3/4 of most guidebooks, this book is a must for any student considering top schools because it skips straight to the heart of the discussion. In addition to admissions advice on how to communicate your match with the college, brief but insightful profiles of 32 of America's top schools are included in the back of the book, making this a great resource for those who don't want to waste their time flipping through thousand page volumes. The best part may be that the reviews are written so as to differentiate the schools from one another - an absurdly rare occasion among guidebooks for any colleges. As opposed to generically advertising a liberal arts education or strong campus community, the book breaks down school demographics and the real passions driving the school forward.

Ultimately, I'm very impressed by this book's insightful and condensed information. "America's Elite Colleges" is a must for all potential applicants to top colleges who want real, useful information out of a guidebook that for once distinguishes colleges rather than homogenizing them.