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"Peter Van Buskirk speaks with the wisdom of both a veteran admission officer and a loving parent. Winning the College Admission Game" offers valuable insight on the college search process for students and parents alike."
- Ted Fiske Author, Fiske Guide to Colleges
"Winning the College Admission Game is fun to read and filled with insider information. Peter Van Buskirk provides insights to assist you in helping your son or daughter make that important decision about college. In particular, don't miss the 'Hidden Agenda,' 'behind the scenes of the admission committee,' and 'strategic nagging."
- William Bushaw, Executive Director, Phi Delta Kappa International
"Through thoughtful analysis and lively anecdotes, the author welcomes the reader into the complicated and seemingly capricious world of college admission. Like a trusty guide in a foreign country, Van Buskirk orients teens and parents to the language and culture of college admission and provides valuable context and advice for their own unique journeys."
- Susan Kastner Tree, Director of College Counseling, Westtown School
"Finally, a student-centered approach to getting into college! Peter goes inside the process and tells it like it is. His ability to engage both the parents and the students with meaningful solutions makes this a ‘must read’ for families getting started in the college admission process. I am sure that college access professionals engaged in the work of the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP) will find this resource guide helpful in guiding more low-income and minority students to gain access to postsecondary education."
- Hector Garza, Ed.D., MPH, President, NCCEP
"If the process of college admission was a maze, this book would be the map to help navigate through it. With its helpful insights on how to keep organized, interviewing tips, essay writing tricks, and guidelines for Mom and Dad, this book would help the family "team" avoid dead ends."
- Alissa Belcastro, Student
“With wisdom, insight, and realism, Peter Van Buskirk tells it like it is. This book provides practical advice for how to succeed in the college admissions process, not just survive. The best part is that as a parent and an admissions professional, Van Buskirk knows that "winning" the game means something different for every student. The objective is to identify and gain admission to the colleges that will best fit each individual's academic, professional, and personal goals. Van Buskirk's book will help students make that happen.”
- Moira McKinnon, College Advisor, Berwick Academy
"This book is a must-have for all parents. Read it when your child is young and continue to read it to remind yourself of all that is involved as a parent in helping your student make the best decisions for herself or himself and your family--the first time! The contrast of the Pyramid of Selectivity with the Admission Funnel provides visual images that truly clarify the process of admission to college."
- Alicea Roy, High School Principal
"With humor and understanding, Van Buskirk leads students through the college admission process. He tells you what college admission counselors don't want you to know and breaks down classic stereotypes to help students find the perfect college. Van Buskirk brings the whole admission process to a less stressful and almost enjoyable level."
- Sara Eckert, Student
"Amid the clutter of books telling students 'how to get in,' this book poses the far more important question of 'where do I belong?' Peter Van Buskirk makes it clear that 'winning' occurs when a student thrives socially, academically, and personally. This rule book will make that kind of 'winning' more likely."
- Mark Sklarow, Executive Director, Indep. Educational Consultants Association
“Peter Van Buskirk was always one of the few admission deans who was willing to tell it like it is. His chapter on "What Colleges is Want" is a gem and could only have been written by someone who spent the better part of his career doing just that. As a school counselor myself, I am weary of books that sensationalize and distort the reality of the admission process. This one lifts back the curtain on college admission and also gives sound counseling that will help both parents and students keep their feet on the ground. Highly recommended.”
- Bruce Hammond, Sandia Preparatory School
"This high-quality book takes you through the process of getting into college. It is easy to understand, explains what families should be doing—from the beginning of the process of looking for the right school(s) and what those schools look for—to applying for financial help and handling acceptance or rejection."
Ralph Langham, Parent/Adjunct Professor, Stetson University
"Peter Van Buskirk's strategy for applying to college emphasizes an individual's fit with a college, not a college’s ranking in a magazine. Winning the College Admission Game gives a comprehensive and succinct overview of the nerve-wracking college admission process."
- William Mackey, Student
“Winning the College Admission Game makes even the daunting task of applying to college seem less intimidating. Keeping organized will be easy with a season-by-season chart of preparing for college throughout high school and checklists for course selection and campus visits.”
- Alexandra Konisky, Student
“Winning the College Admission Game takes you though the steps necessary to select a college based on reason, not stress; confidence, not uncertainty; and academic quality, not merely 'big name'. With extensive experience in the system, Van Buskirk can be trusted to help you find a good match college. Check out this book. You'll save both tears and dollars.
- Steven R. Antonoff, Ph.D., Author of College Match and College Finder
"What I found most useful about this book is its pragmatism toward college admission. It explains what colleges, as businesses, are looking for but don't tell potential applicants. Winning the College Admission Game will help students realize what they are looking for in a college."
- Thomas Batcho, high school student
"Winning the College Admission Game provides two interesting views of the college 'scramble'. By dividing the book into parent and student sections, Van Buskirk allows both parties to benefit from an easy-to-understand guide to the college admission process. This book was very educational!"
- Anisha Singh, high school junior
“I highly recommend this book for high school students planning to apply to competitive colleges and for their parents. The book gives an honest and straightforward explanation of the process, from the earliest college visits to how to what to do if offered a spot on a college waitlist.
This is actually two books in one -- one geared to parents, the other for students. While some of the content overlaps, the advice, comments, and discussion is different in each section, geared to answer the different concerns and questions that students and parents have.
Despite the title, this is not one of those books that claims to explain what hoops the student must jump through to get into Ivy League schools. Rather, the author emphasizes the importance of finding a college that is a good fit for the student and disregarding the hype surrounding college rankings, and provides good tips for the student in narrowing down choices. He also tells parents to back off and let their kids take ownership of the process, while at the same time giving valuable pointers as to way parents can support and guide their teenagers along the way.
I think the book's greatest strength is the author's frank and eye-opening discussion of the hidden agenda that drives college admissions and financial aid decisions. Peter Van Buskirk provides an inside view of how applications are processed and reviewed, what admissions staff is really looking for, what catches their attention, and understanding concepts like enrollment management and how financial aid is awarded. I wish I had this book before my kids applied to college -- so I am speaking from experience when I say that this book contains some important and valuable truths that are ignored, misunderstood, or glossed over in other college books.
If you are new to the process, buy this book first -- and if you are in the midst of the process and hopelessly confused.... buy this book. It really will help you cut through the hype and gain insight into how to find the colleges that best meet your needs, and how to put together an application package that maximizes your chance of acceptance.”
- Abigail Marshall, Parent/Author
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