Don't Stalk the Admissions Officer: How to Survive the College Admissions Process without Losing Your Mind

by Risa Lewak

The college admissions process
   A) Similar to gallbladder surgery without anesthesia
   B) Worse than watching American Idol auditions without earplugs
   C) Soul-destroying, ego-crushing, and life-sucking
   D) Actually kind of funny when you think about it
   E) All of the above
 
There’s no denying Applying to college is a grueling journey just shy of cruel and unusual punishment. But that doesn’t mean you can’t laugh along the way. If college is on your horizon, Don’t Stalk the Admissions Officer shows you how to ace the tricky application process—while maintaining your sense of humor and sanity. Former pre-admissions counselor Risa Lewak empowers you to craft a killer essay, choose between the SAT and ACT, score stellar recommendations, nail the interview, handle overly involved parents, and more. You’ll also learn how to navigate crucial post-application issues, like financial aid, rejection, and deciding whether to take a year off. Packed with insider tips, helpful suggestions, and laugh-out-loud anecdotes, this savvy handbook gives you the know-how and confidence to conquer this stressful rite of passage . . . and minimize nervous breakdowns.

Genres: Nonfiction, College

198 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Preri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haha, that was really funny. It put a gentle and lighthearted spin on the stressful college admissions process. Ms. Lewak is quite hilarious, and I had a blast reading this. There were some helpful tidbits throughout the book as well. I would definitely recommend this to anyone in their later high school years.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. This really wasn't aimed at me since I'm long past college admissions and didn't need most of the advice in the first place, but I picked it up because it looked funny. It was funny, but it was also occasionaly ableist, sexist, and especially transphobic in its humor, which put me off considerably.

[Natalia · Rating 1 out of 5]

The humor in this book was lost on me. I saw the author was trying to be funny, but after a few pages, it just became too annoying. I did not see any new information in this book that was not already in all the other books on the topic of college admissions.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty decent short guide to college admission process with some humor. I didn't finish it before my daughter's acceptance letters came.

[Sarah Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://yarsocalif.blogspot.com/2010/1...

This book covers everything from deciding where to apply to how to decide if a gap year is right for you and everything in between. With irreverent quizzes and checklists, the author has taken a sometimes stressful topic and made it humorous. Her experience as an admissions counselor and alumni interviewer provides valuable insights which make this guide a must-read for anyone considering college.

[Savvy]

A very helpful book. There was some language and content I would have preferred not to see, but all in all, the book was funny and useful.

[A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too many jokes and not enough information. Strange mix of excessive humor and advice. Cannot recommend.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy her humor, but the advice in between all the lame jokes was actually good.