The Dirty Little Secrets for Getting Into a Top College, by Pria Chatterjee

Surely I'm not old enough to have a child who is ready to start thinking about college!  The reality is, I am that old.  There are a couple of other realities that I face: my son, a sophomore, is bright enough to have good college prospects.  Further, with annual tuition at many colleges exceeding my annual salary, I don't have the money to simply write a check for his college.

So I was very interested in what Pria Chatterjee might have to offer in her book The Dirty Little Secrets for Getting Into a Top College.  Chatterjee, a Harvard grad and college admissions counselor, has examined Ivy League admissions statistics over the last ten years, and has developed some guidelines that can help high school students as they develop their resumes and prepare for the admissions process.

Chatterjee starts with a holistic approach.  "Focusing on a bigger purpose--your best self--will help you realize your best college fit, and allow you to take greater control of your life and academic future."  Each student should find his or her "hook" that will raise him or her to the top of the stack of applicants.  There are many factors we can't change: race, geography, legacy, citizenship, income.  The top colleges would balk at saying they have strict quotas, but Chatterjee's numbers don't lie: certain demographic combinations of these five hooks stay consistent from year to year.  Given that a given student will fit a certain demographic basket (e.g., white, Southern, not a legacy, U.S. citizen, lower income), the student must distinguish himself within that basket with the other three hooks: academics, athletics, and activities.  No big surprise here.

Chatterjee's very specific advice for distinguishing oneself in the first A is practical and useful.  It goes without saying that a student will need top grades and test scores to be considered.  But colleges also look for course content.  Taking challenging and unusual courses outside of the core requirements speaks highly of the student's drive and ability.  For the other two As, I was a little less impressed with her take.  Her advice: win state and national athletic competitions.  Sure, a top-ten nationally ranked fencing champion will have a leg up on that soccer forward who plays second string.  But such a goal is not realistic for most kids.  Leadership positions in other activities, and awards for involvement or accomplishments are a bit more realistic, but still, Chatterjee seems too flippant about expecting such things.

I am definitely encouraging my high schooler to read Dirty Little Secrets.  There's good information here, as well as inspiration for the college-bound student.  I don't know if he'll even end up wanting to go to an Ivy, but, whatever he decides, Chatterjee can help him expand his options.  Better get started.

 
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

If this review was helpful to you, please give my review at Amazon.com a helpful vote!