From an Ivy League dean and a college admissions expert, a guide to help parents support their children as they navigate their way to collegeThe College Conversation is a comprehensive resource for mapping the path through the college application process that provides practical advice and reassurance to keep both anxious parents and confused children sane and grounded. Rather than adding to the existing canon of "How to Get In" college guides or rankings, Eric Furda and Jacques Steinberg provide a step-by-step approach to having the tough conversations on this topic with less stress and more success.The book is organized around key discussions and themes that trace the chronological arc of admissions and financial aid-beginning before the assembly of a list of potential colleges and continuing through the receipt of decisions-with a final section that includes advice on the first year of college. The topics include preliminary conversations about the search, and specifically how parents can think about their children's interests and what kind of college would best suit them; choosing a college (based on its curriculum, culture, and community); writing the most effective essays; assessing acceptances, including considerations of finances and aid; and making the transition from high school to college life.The College Conversation will provide parents, students, and counselors with the credible, level-headed information often missing in this process, as well as a much-needed dash of perspective borne of experience.

HOT TOPIC DURING PANDEMIC: With many institutions offering entirely remote experiences, COVID-19 has changed the face of higher education in America. In light of this diminished experiential environment, many students and parents no longer see the value of the current price of tuition. The College Conversation highlights a range of educational options that are increasingly relevant in this new landscape.HIGHLY REGARDED: With reviews in the Wall Street Journal and endorsements from a range of education professionals, The College Conversation has been lauded for its accessible style, in-text exercises, and thoughtful approach to the daunting college process.AUTHORS WITH EXPERIENCE: Furda has served since July 2008 as the Dean of Admissions of the University of Pennsylvania, and from 1996 to 2004 as Executive Director of Admissions of Columbia University, two Ivy League institutions that are among the nation's most selective colleges and universities; Steinberg is the author of Viking's New York Times bestselling The Gatekeepers.POPULAR ADMISSIONS BLOG: Furda writes a blog for applicants to UPenn known as P.217 (the code name for the legendary and occasionally dreaded essay which was once a mainstay of the UPenn application) that drew 92,000 page views in a six-month period.