Who Gets In and Why

A Year Inside College Admissions

By: Jeffrey Selingo

Narrated by: Sean Patrick Hopkins

From award-winning higher education journalist and New York Times bestselling author Jeffrey Selingo comes a revealing look from inside the admissions office—one that identifies surprising strategies that will aid in the college search.

Getting into a top-ranked college has never seemed more impossible, with acceptance rates at some elite universities dipping into the single digits. In Who Gets In and Why, journalist and higher education expert Jeffrey Selingo dispels entrenched notions of how to compete and win at the admissions game, and reveals that teenagers and parents have much to gain by broadening their notion of what qualifies as a “good college.” Hint: it’s not all about the sticker on the car window.

Selingo, who was embedded in three different admissions offices—a selective private university, a leading liberal arts college, and a flagship public campus—closely observed gatekeepers as they made their often agonizing and sometimes life-changing decisions. He also followed select students and their parents, and he traveled around the country meeting with high school counselors, marketers, behind-the-scenes consultants, and college rankers.

While many have long believed that admissions is merit-based, rewarding the best students, Who Gets In and Why presents a more complicated truth, showing that “who gets in” is frequently more about the college’s agenda than the applicant. In a world where thousands of equally qualified students vie for a fixed number of spots at elite institutions, admissions officers often make split-second decisions based on a variety of factors—like diversity, money, and, ultimately, whether a student will enroll if accepted.

One of the most insightful books ever about “getting in” and what higher education has become, Who Gets In and Why not only provides an unusually intimate look at how admissions decisions get made, but guides prospective students on how to honestly assess their strengths and match with the schools that will best serve their interests.

thumbs up

a must read/listen for HS students heading to college or parents of those students. I wish I found it sooner.

A MUST READ….

Very insightful and detailed. Have a pen handy as there are very important resources provided.

@sassynchicago

Provides so much useful information in a easy way to understand-and does give you an inside look of various administration process at a handful of colleges.

Highly recommended

This book really is a godsend. I have two teenaged kids about to enter their junior year. Jeffrey offers tremendous insights no matter your child’s situation. Also, it takes the pressure off the need to get into a top school. You can still find a great education that prepares you for your future.

what I didn't know

things have changed drastically or I was too oblivious at 18 to even care . this work provides a roadmap for people who have kids they will be sending to college