Soundbite: The Admissions Secret that Gets You Into College and Beyond

by Sara Harberson Narrated by Sara Harberson

Overview

Crack the code to college admissions and help students craft the ultimate statement of self-identity and get into their school of choice with this groundbreaking guide from America's College Counselor.

On average, an admissions committee takes seconds to decide whether to admit a student. They must sum up the student in one sentence that will tell them if a student is going to be a good fit for their program.

What is the best way to transform this admissions process from a stressful, pressure-cooker arms race into an empowering journey that paves the way to the best individual outcome?

Written by a college admissions insider turned consultant, Soundbite guides parents and students through the admissions process from start to finish. Armed with her knowledge of how the system works, Sara Harberson shares tried-and-tested exercises that have helped thousands of students gain admission to their school of choice. The soundbite, her signature tool, presents an opportunity for students to take the reins to craft their ultimate statement of self-identity and formulate their own personal definition of what is best. With this soundbite in place as their foundation, students achieve maximum impact when they present themselves to colleges. In doing so, the tables are turned: the student's fate no longer rests on a soundbite composed by an admissions officer. Instead, the student employs their own soundbite to define themselves on their own terms. Soundbite shifts the way we talk about the admissions process-from "Getting You In" to "Getting the Best You In."

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"High school students coping with anxiety and insecurity over college applications will be relieved to know that they have a secret power that differentiates them from everyone else. Soundbite is an immensely readable and practical guide to discovering that secret. Sara Harberson has years of experience helping students from all different backgrounds run the admissions gauntlet. She has distilled her insights into wisdom that applies well beyond the college years: ‘know thyself and know thy strengths.'"—Bill McGarvey, author of The Freshman Survival Guide: Soulful Advice for Studying, Socializing, and Everything In Between

“The college admissions process can be complicated and stressful. It’s why every student needs a ‘Sara Harberson’ as their college counselor and Soundbite allows them to have it.”—Gretchen Carlson, acclaimed journalist, Co-Founder LiftOurVoices.org, and female empowerment advocate

Library Journal

04/01/2021

In the crowded field of "how to get into college" guides, Harberson sets herself apart by pitching a unique strategy: the "Soundbite," a brief, flashy elevator speech that captures a student's identity and strengths. Drawing on her experience as a former admissions officer at the University of Pennsylvania, a private consultant, and owner of the subscription-based program Application Nation, Harberson is, according to her own Soundbite, "America's College Counselor." Though students shouldn't include the Soundbite on their application, Harberson says, creating it will help them define themselves and stand out from the crowd. In addition to providing concrete advice on how to select colleges, recommending which skills and interests to emphasize, and sharing real-life examples from her clients, Harberson gets inside the mind of the admissions officer. Sidebars show whether students were admitted, denied, or waitlisted based on information from their applications. Laying out the admissions decision-making process, the author uses the stories of her own former students to instruct readers on how to best present themselves. VERDICT Occasionally the author's promotion of her approach comes across like an infomercial. Overall, however, the inclusion of exercises, examples, and Soundbites from real students results in an extremely useful guide for parents, students, counselors, and educators.—Jacqueline Snider, Toronto

Product Details

BN ID:	2940177016252
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	04/06/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged

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