COLLEGE ADMISSION
ESSENTIALS by Ethan
Sawyer does an excellent job of providing its promised “Step-by-Step Guide to
Showing Colleges Who You Are and What Matters to You.” Sawyer encourages
learning by doing; he begins with a chapter focused on Essence Objects, Values,
and Core Memories Exercises. I was struck by his conversational voice and
students will likely appreciate the “you can do this - let’s get to work tone” tone. Throughout the book Sawyer refers to the
Treasure Trove of resources on his website which is indeed full of valuable
information. In addition, he provides student samples in the book and often defers to another college admissions or
counseling expert such as when discussing financial aid, completing the FAFSA, and analyzing
award letters. The information in this text is well-organized, with specific
chapters on topics like Early Decision and Early Action, Artists and Athletes, First
Generation and Low Income students (see his Matchlighters
mentoring program), LGBTQ+ students, Transfers and Veterans, plus an appendix
with a detailed College Planning Timeline, beginning in 9th grade.
Obviously, this book was written prior to the pandemic’s
impact with its shifts towards remote learning, fewer opportunities for traditional
extracurricular activities, and restrictions on college visits. However, Sawyer
does encourage students to find their passion and that clearly parallels the Making Caring Common Project where in June 2020 College Deans offered
suggestions on admissions in response to COVID-19. Overall, Sawyer understands students, speaks
to them effectively, and truly seems to be concerned about them, as when he
writes, “I told you at the start of this book my goal was to make this process
easier, more fun, and more meaningful. I hope I’ve done that. I also hope this
book has helped you discover more about who you are and what you care about.” COLLEGE ADMISSION ESSENTIALS is
an exceptionally useful tool that I encourage all of our students to
investigate.
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