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| Acknowledgments | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Why Has College Admissions Become So Competitive? | |
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| It Used to Be Simple … But Not Anymore | |
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| What Is Selectivity All About? | |
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| Why Is There So Much Interest in a Small Croup of Colleges? | |
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| The Rankings Game | |
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| Why Are Rankings So Popular? | |
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| "I'll Make More Money If I Graduate from an Elite College": Another Myth | |
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| Getting into Graduate School | |
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| The Importance of Fit | |
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| What Do Colleges Look for in an Applicant? | |
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| How College Admissions Has Changed | |
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| What Matters Now | |
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| The Academic Record | |
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| Standardized Tests | |
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| Engagement Beyond the Classroom: The Extracurricular Record | |
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| Personal Qualities: The Person Behind the Paper | |
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| Hooks and How They Help | |
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| Fitting It All Together | |
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| How Do Colleges Make Their Decisions? | |
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| Who Works in Admissions? | |
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| What Happens to Your Application? | |
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| Tentative Decisions | |
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| How the Final Decision Is Made | |
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| The Special Case of the Most Selective Colleges | |
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| The Role of Your High School Counselor | |
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| How College Access Programs Can Help | |
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| Should You Consider Hiring an Independent College Counselor? | |
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| The Parents' Role | |
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| How Colleges (and Students) Differ: Finding What Fits | |
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| So Many Choices: How Do You Begin? | |
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| Some Questions to Ask Yourself | |
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| Liberal Arts Colleges | |
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| Research Universities | |
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| What's in a Name? | |
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| Master's Universities and Baccalaureate Colleges | |
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| Specialized Programs | |
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| Colleges with Special Affiliations | |
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| Earning Your Degree Abroad, in English | |
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| Which Kind of College Is Best for You? | |
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| Majors, Careers, and Curriculum | |
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| How Easily Can You Get Advice and Help? | |
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| What Makes for a Quality Undergraduate Experience? | |
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| Determining Your Priorities | |
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| Where Should You Apply? | |
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| Start at Your Counseling Office | |
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| Use a College Search Tool | |
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| Meeting College Representatives | |
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| Read What They Send You (But Don't Let It Go to Your Head) | |
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| How to Narrow Things Down | |
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| The College Visit | |
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| Showing That You Are Interested | |
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| Selectivity and Your College List | |
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| Check Out the Data | |
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| How Long Should Your College List Be? | |
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| The Key to a Good College List | |
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| A Word About Finances | |
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| The Big Tests | |
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| What Is the SAT Supposed to Test? | |
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| What Is the ACT Supposed to Measure? | |
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| How Much Do Standardized Tests Count? | |
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| How Should You Prepare? | |
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| Which Test Should You Take? | |
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| When Should You Take the SAT or ACT? | |
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| How Do the PSAT and PLAN Fit into the Picture? | |
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| Test-Optional Schools | |
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| The Case of Special Accommodations | |
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| The SAT Subject Tests | |
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| A Word to Parents About Standardized Tests | |
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| Deciding About Early Decision and Other Early Options | |
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| An Overview of Early Acceptance Programs | |
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| The Pros and Cons of Early Decision | |
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| Early Action in Detail | |
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| Should You Apply Early Decision or Early Action? | |
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| More Things to Consider | |
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| Likely Letters and Early Notification | |
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| The Advantage of Thinking Early Even If You Decide Against Applying Early | |
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| And Humor Always Helps Keep Things in Perspective | |
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| Applying Well, Part I: The Application and Essay | |
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| Getting Off to a Good Start | |
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| Using the Common Application | |
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| Writing an Effective Personal Essay | |
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| An Important To-Do List | |
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| Applying Well, Part II: Recommendations, Interviews, and Activities | |
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| Getting Great Letters of Recommendation | |
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| Shining in Your Interview | |
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| Highlighting What You've Accomplished | |
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| The Canadian and British/Irish Difference | |
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| You've Finished Your Applications. What's Next? | |
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| Making the Most of Your Special Talents | |
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| The Student Athlete and Athletic Recruitment | |
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| Options for the Student Artist | |
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| Students with Special Circumstances | |
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| Students with Disabilities | |
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| Tips for Homeschoolers | |
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| Making a Change: How to Successfully Transfer Colleges | |
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| Paying the Bill | |
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| Key Concepts for Understanding Financial Aid | |
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| How Colleges Determine Your Financial Need | |
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| What Forms Will You Have to File? | |
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| Getting an Estimate of Your Financial Need | |
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| What Goes into a Financial Aid Package? | |
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| Why Need-Based Packages Can Differ from College to College | |
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| Will Your Need for Financial Aid Affect Your Chances for Admission? | |
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| How Merit Aid Works | |
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| Seeking Outside Scholarships | |
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| Financial Aid and Your College List | |
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| Evaluating Aid After You've Been Accepted | |
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| Another Word About Early Decision | |
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| Planning Ahead When Your Child Is Young | |
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| Advice for International Students | |
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| The Advantages and Disadvantages of Being an International Applicant | |
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| What Are Colleges Looking For? | |
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| How Will Your Application Be Reviewed? | |
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| Where Should You Apply? | |
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| The Role of Standardized Tests | |
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| Tests to Show Proficiency in English | |
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| Getting the Application Completed | |
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| Paying for Your Education | |
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| Special Circumstances | |
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| The Bigger Picture | |
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| Making Your Decision After the Colleges Make Theirs | |
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| How Will You Be Notified? | |
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| The Special Case of Early Decision | |
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| What You Can Do If You Are Deferred | |
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| When It Is Your Turn to Decide in the Spring | |
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| Dealing with Disappointment | |
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| Spring Admits | |
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| Taking Another Look | |
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| Revisiting Financial Aid | |
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| How Wait Lists Work | |
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| Deposit Ethics | |
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| Should You Consider a Gap Year? | |
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| A Word About Senioritis | |
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| Celebrate and Enjoy! | |
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| What Matters Most: Advice to Parents and Students | |
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| Some Parting Thoughts for Parents | |
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| Some Parting Thoughts for Students | |
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| Appendixes | |
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| College Research Worksheet | |
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| Common Application Essay Instructions and Prompts, 2013-2014 | |
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| Sample Student Information Sheet for Letters of Recommendation | |
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| Financial Aid Comparison Worksheet | |
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| Cost of Attendance Worksheet | |
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| College Preparation Time Line | |
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| Glossary | |
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| Resources | |
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| Notes | |
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| About the Authors | |
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| Index | |