A Necessary Voice

Mindful Admissions: An Insider's Guide to Staying Sane, Applying Well And Getting Accepted To College by Laurén Carter
Laurén Carter, January 20, 2022

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How can we support our students (or own children) in a college application season that grows ever more competitive and rigorous? First as the Director of College Admissions at NYU, then as the Director of College Counseling at several independent schools, Laurén Carter has dedicated her career to helping students find their best match. To read this book, with separate sections for teens and parents, is to be immersed in a warm, compassionate conversation with a wise admissions professional about what a student or parent can (and what they can't or shouldn't!) do to increase the student's chances of receiving that (virtual) fat envelope. Included are approachable activities, guides for conversation, practical suggestions for ways to generate and narrow lists, and monthly checklists for each year of high school that make the mounting tasks feel manageable. Especially valuable for recent recruits to secondary education, but also worth a look from busy college counselors looking for practical activities to support individual students, this guide invites introspection, reflection, and sustainable action; it is a necessary voice of reason during an intense process.