Your 2018 summer reading list — from an unusual group of recommenders

By Valerie Strauss

Published by The Washington Post June 1, 2018

Each summer I publish a summer reading list with recommendations from college admissions counselors and deans, compiled by Brennan Barnard, director of college counseling at the Derryfield School in Manchester, N.H.

Here is his 2018 list of nearly 40 fiction and nonfiction books, with some titles that can appeal to just about everybody.

By Brennan Barnard

I try to heed author C.S. Lewis’s advice that “one must read every good book at least once every 10 years.”

Recently I dusted off Ron Suskind’s “A Hope in the Unseen,” which was first published in 1998, and Lloyd Thacker’s 2004 compilation, “College Unranked: Affirming Educational Values in College Admission.” Both books ask that readers consider the greater culture surrounding higher education, access and purpose — decades later, they are each just as applicable as when first written.

This past school year I have also read a number of other great books, including “Immunity to Change:  How to Overcome It and Unlock the Potential in Yourself and Your Organization,” by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey, and “Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-lived, Joyful Life,” by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans.

As summer approaches, I wonder what other great books I am missing. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads.” So with this in mind, I asked my colleagues in high school counseling and college admission to recommend their favorite books from the year, and here are their top picks.

Here’s the list:

Books Related to Education

“Make Your Home Among Strangers” by Jennine Capó Crucet

Recommended by: Elena Becker, admission officer, Whitman College, Washington state

“Demographics and the Demand for Higher Education” by Nathan D. Grawe

Recommended by: Heath Einstein, dean of admission, Texas Christian University, Texas

“iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy — and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood, and What That Means for the Rest of Us” by Jean M. Twenge

Recommended by: Shondra Carpenter, school counselor, Cherokee Trail High School, Colorado

“Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Recommended by: Karen Mason, director of college counseling, Germantown Academy, Pennsylvania

“What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen”by Kate Fagan

Recommended by: Bernadette Condesso, director of college counseling, Solomon Schechter Westchester, New York

“Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City” by Matthew Desmond

Recommended by: Tina Brooks, senior assistant dean of admissions, Pomona College, California

“My (Underground) American Dream: My True Story as an Undocumented Immigrant Who Became a Wall Street Executive” by Julissa Arce

Recommended by: Ginger Miller, associate director of college counseling, Landon School, Maryland

“The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds” by Michael Lewis

Recommended by: Matthew DeGreeff, dean of college counseling and student enrichment, Middlesex School, Massachusetts

“The Measure of Our Success: A Letter to My Children and Yours” by Marian Wright Edelman

Recommended by: Anne Richardson, director of academic advising and college counseling, the American School in London

“Matching Students to Opportunity Expanding College Choice, Access, and Quality” by Andrew P. Kelly, Jessica S. Howell and Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj

Recommended by: Marie Bigham, director of college counseling, Isidore Newman School, Louisiana

“When Likes Aren’t Enough: A Crash Course in the Science of Happiness” by Tim Bono

Recommended by: Barbara Sams, co-director of college counseling, Whitfield School, Missouri

“At What Cost?: Defending Adolescent Development in Fiercely Competitive Schools” by David L. Gleason

Recommended by: Brennan Barnard, director of college counseling, Derryfield School, New Hampshire

“A Day in the Life of the English Language” by Frank L. Cioffi

Recommended by: Jeff Durso-Finley, co-director of college counseling, Lawrenceville School, New Jersey

“Educated: A Memoir” by Tara Westover

Recommended by: Justin Fahey, associate dean of admissions, Bowdoin College, Maine

“The Diversity Bargain: And Other Dilemmas of Race, Admissions, and Meritocracy at Elite Universities” by Natasha K. Warikoo

Recommended by: Jamiere Abney Sr., assistant dean of admission, Colgate University, New York

“Enough As She Is: How to Help Girls Move Beyond Impossible Standards of Success to Live Healthy, Happy, and Fulfilling Lives” by Rachel Simmons

Recommended by: Deb Shaver, dean of admission, Smith College, Massachusetts

“Colleges That Change Lives” by Loren Pope, revised by Hilary Masell Oswald

Recommended by: Barbara Tragakis Conner, director of college counseling, Foxcroft School, Virginia

“Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of Race” by Debby Irving

Recommended by: Jami Silver, director of college advising, Kingswood Oxford School, Connecticut

“How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success” by Julie Lythcott-Haims

Recommended by: Bruce Barton, director of college counseling, Holderness School, New Hampshire

“Fangirl” by Rainbow Rowell

Recommended by: Dayna Bradstreet, associate director of undergraduate admission, Simmons College, Massachusetts

“Call Me By Your Name” by André Aciman

Recommended by: Michael Brosseau, admission counselor, Emerson College, Boston

“The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas

Recommended by: Meghan Farley, director of college counseling, Pingree School, Massachusetts

Other Great Reads

“Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead To So Much More” by Courtney Carver

Recommended by: Morgan Phillips, director of college counseling, Saint Mary’s School, North Carolina

“Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption” by Bryan Stevenson

Recommended by: Tim Neil, assistant director of admission, Sewanee: The University of the South, Tennessee

“Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro

Recommended by: Cory Zimmerman, college counselor, Taipei American School

“Untamed: The Wildest Woman in America and the Fight for Cumberland Island” by Will Harlan

Recommended by: Rick Clark, director of undergraduate admission, Georgia Tech, Alabama

“Americanah” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Recommended by: Whitney Soule, dean of admissions and financial aid, Bowdoin College, Maine

“I’ll Give You The Sun” by Jandy Nelson

Recommended by: Moira McKinnon, director of college counseling, Berwick Academy, Maine

“A Tale for the Time Being” by Ruth Ozeki

Recommended by: Blythe Butler, co-director of college counseling, Catlin Gabel School, Oregon

“Chasing the Scream: The Opposite of Addiction is Connection” by Johann Hari

Recommended by: Mike Schell, director of academic and college counseling, Catholic Memorial School, Massachusetts

“10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works — A True Story” by Dan Harris

Recommended by: Jeff Schiffman, director of admission, Tulane University, Louisiana, and by Kortni Campbell, senior associate dean of admission and financial aid, Davidson College, North Carolina

“Cutting for Stone” by Abraham Verghese

Recommended by: Matthew Hyde, dean of admissions, Lafayette College, Pennsylvania

“A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles

Recommended by: Ted McGuinness, college counselor, Archbishop Molloy High School, New York

“The Trouble with Poetry and Other Poems” by Billy Collins

Recommended by: Corie McDermott-Fazzino, director of college counseling, Portsmouth Abbey School, Rhode Island

“A Long Way Gone — Memoirs of a Boy Soldier” by Ishmael Beah

Recommended by: Sue Willard, associate director of admissions, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, New York

“The Refugees” by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Recommended by: Mark Moody, director of college counseling, Shanghai American School

“The Book That Changed America; How Darwin’s Theory of Evolution Ignited a Nation” by Randall Fuller

Recommended by: Matt Cohen, senior associate director of admissions, Skidmore College, New York

“Spring” by Karl Ove Knausgaard

Recommended by: Jeremy Dickerson, associate vice president for enrollment and director of admission, Hendrix College, Arkansas

There’s a lot to read this summer! Let’s not forget the wise words of Henry David Thoreau:

“A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting.”

Worried About College? Be Like Sara!

By:  Patrick O'Connor  Ph.D

Posted on Counselors' Corner 5/16/18

Sara came home from a softball game last spring and was surprised to see her father’s car in the driveway. May was a busy month in his line of work, so he usually went back to the office after watching Sara pitch, finished a little paperwork, and came home in time for a late dinner.

That day, he greeted his daughter in the kitchen. “Nice game, Ace!”

“Thanks, Daddy. Why are you home?”

He beamed at his 11th-grade daughter and said, “I have a surprise. There’s an overseas community service project heading to a small village in Japan. They’ve opened a large orphanage there for children who lost parents in the earthquake, and they need volunteers to help with the babies, so the residents can rebuild their homes.”

Sara peeled an orange while her father continued.

“You’d be there four days, and you’d be making a difference in the world. Your grades are strong and your pitching is great, but I think something like this could put you over the top at the colleges we’re talking about. The Web site for the project is up on the computer. What do you say?”

Sara continued to peel the orange. “Can we talk about it at dinner?”

Her father was a little deflated, but he smiled back. “Sure, honey. I’m going to run back to the office for a little bit, but I’ll see you at seven.”

Dad came through the kitchen door at 7:15 and quickly took his place at the table with the rest of the family. After more congratulations for Sara’s great game and a little razzing about her hair from her tech-savvy brother John, her dad said “So, how about Japan?”

Sara put her fork down slowly and looked up. “It’s a great idea, Dad, but I looked on the Web site. Does this trip really cost $6000?”

Her father choked on his ice water, while Sara’s mom gave him a long, cold stare.

“We can afford this, Sara,” he said, smiling faintly. “It’s about your future.”

Sara looked down at her placemat again, and swallowed hard. “Well, I looked up the name of the town I’d be going to. It turns out Habitat for Humanity is working there, too, and they need $4000 for a new pump so the town can get fresh water again. I also called the Boys and Girls Club down on Wilson Street, and they said they could really use some help this summer.

“I sure appreciate the offer, Daddy, but don’t you think it would be better if I stayed here, and we sent the $4000 to Habitat for Humanity? That way, the town would have fresh water forever, John could get that new computer he’ll need for high school next year, we’d have a little money left over for my college fund, and I could still make a difference in the world. It would just be a difference in my own neighborhood.”

Sara’s mother did a very bad job of trying to chew nonchalantly, while John tried hard to wipe the tears out of his eyes in a 14-year-old macho fashion. Her father’s shoulders relaxed, as he smiled almost to himself, and said “Yeah, honey. That’s a great idea.”

Sara will be a senior next year — but the question you should be asking yourself is not “Where will she get in?”

The question to consider is, “Does it really matter?”

Exciting Update to Bright Futures Awards

2018 Legislative Changes for Bright Futures

Governor Scott signed into law a bill that made the following changes to Bright Futures:

Florida Academic Scholars
 • Provides 100 percent tuition and specified fees
 • Provides $300 each fall and spring terms for educational related expenses
 • Provides funding for summer enrollment, beginning in the 2018 summer term

Florida Medallion Scholars
 • Provides 75 percent tuition and specified fees
 • Provides funding for summer enrollment, beginning in the 2019 summer term

Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) 
Currently, over 5,000 students statewide have met the academic requirements for the scholarship but have not submitted an FFAA. Students who completed the federal application (FAFSA) still need to complete the FFAA if they want to be considered for a Bright Futures Scholarship.

For assistance, call OSFA Customer Service at 888-827-2004 or the Florida Bright Futures Program office directly at 850- 410-5195 and request to speak to a Bright Futures program specialist.

It Is Time To Eliminate the SAT and ACT Optional Essays

Click here for an interesting article on the optional ACT and SAT essays, as well as a list of colleges that still require the essay for admission (only 28 nationally).

Tufts Drops SAT Subject-Test Requirement

From Inside Higher Ed 

By 

Scott Jaschik

March 12, 2018

Tufts University has announced that it will no longer require the SAT subject tests. The university had been among 10 American colleges to require what had once been standard for admission to competitive colleges.

A statement posted on the university's website said, "Beginning with applicants to the Class of 2023, Tufts requires either the SAT or the ACT. We do not require SAT Subject Tests, the SAT Essay, or the writing section of the ACT; you may submit those scores to Tufts if you choose to sit for these sections, but please note that they are not required and sending them will not increase a student’s likelihood of admission."

The tests, previously called the SAT II or the achievement tests, are subject specific and test knowledge of mathematics, sciences, literature, history and languages.

Karen Richardson, dean of admissions and enrollment management at Tufts, via email offered these reasons for the shift: "We recognized that most universities no longer require the subject tests as part of the testing requirement. There also seemed to be fewer opportunities offered for students to take the subject tests, raising questions of accessibility. Additionally, our institutional research office has determined there is very minimal correlation between performance on the subject tests and a student's performance in first-year classes here."

The colleges that still require the tests of all applicants tend to be math and science oriented, places like California Institute of Technology, Harvey Mudd College, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Webb Institute -- all institutions where perfect or near-perfect scores on the math SAT are common. These institutions generally require one of the two mathematics tests and one science exam.

Tufts until now had given arts and sciences applicants choices on which subject tests to submit but required mathematics and a science exam for engineering applicants.

Colleges that have been dropping the requirement for subject tests have generally said that they want to decrease the pressure on students, or to encourage more low-income students (who may not want or feel able to pay the fees) to apply, even though the College Board does have a system of awarding fee waivers. The basic fees are $26 to register for a test date at which someone can take one, two or three exams; $21 for each test; and $26 for language tests that include portions in which test takers listen to the language and respond.

An Overview of Early Admission Stats for the Class of 2022

In the past few months, the most highly selective colleges in the U.S. released their Early Admission statistics for the Class of 2022. As always, many more students applied than were accepted. And once again, it was harder than ever to get in. 

Below is a chart of the early acceptance data released by a sample of different highly selective schools. 

College/ University	# of ED/EA Applicants	# of Accepted Applicants	% Acceptance Rate Fall '18	% Acceptance Rate Fall '17
Boston College	10,350	3,170	31	33
Brown	3,502	738	21.1	22
Cornell	6,319	1,533	24.3	25.8
Dartmouth	2,270	565	24.9	27.8
Duke	4,090	875	21.4	24.5
Georgetown	8,383	1,002	12	11.9
Harvard	6,630	964	14.5	14.5
Johns Hopkins	2,037	610	29.9	30.6
MIT	9,557	664	6.9	7.8
Notre Dame	6,598	1,636	24.8	24.4
Penn	7,074	1,312	18.5	22
Princeton	5,402	799	14.8	15.4
Yale	5,733	842	14.7	17.1

* Columbia University does not release their stats. 

Florida 2018 Seniors: Apply for the Bright Futures Scholarship

 

Florida 2018 Seniors: Apply for the Bright Futures Scholarship

Even if you're not planning to attend a Florida college

The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship application is now available online. The Bright Futures Scholarship program rewards Florida high school graduates for academic achievement.

 

All Florida seniors who meet the requirements should complete the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) no later than August 31 in order to qualify for this non-need based scholarship.If you do not register you will not be considered for any of these awards.

 

Who Should Apply?

Even if you are NOT planning to attend a Florida college, apply for the Bright Futures Scholarship as soon as possible. The deadline to apply is August 31. Remember, no one can predict the future.If you transfer to a Florida college for any reason, this money will be available to you.

 

Eligible students have up to two years after they graduate from high school to begin using the scholarship. A Florida Academic Scholar (FAS) or Florida Medallion Scholar (FMS) may receive funding for up to five years from high school graduation. The Bright Futures Scholarship aid is available for almost all undergraduate schools in the state of Florida.

 

Minimum Requirements

Type	16 HS Course Credits	HS Weighted GPA	ACT/SAT scores	Service Hours
FAS	4 - English 4 - Math 3 - Natural Science 3 - Social Science 2 - World Language	3.5	29/1290	100 hours
FMS		3.0	26/1170	75 hours

To Apply for the 2018-2019 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship

Submit an application at: https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/ua/sawstua_uaform.asp

 

After Submitting the Application

Be sure to watch for official e-mail acknowledgement communication.  This provides instructions for obtaining a USER ID and PIN to access the submitted application, update information on the application, check the status of the application, and view notifications online.

 

Eligibility for the Scholarship is determined by the date of graduation from high school.   This is NOT a need-based scholarship.

Complete information on the Bright Futures Program http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/ssfad/bf/