5.0 out of 5 stars: For the parent who is serious about getting their child into the right college

Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2024 by: Carly

This guide is for the parent who is serious about getting their child into the right college for them in the United States, whether that child is from the US or elsewhere. Those preparations can sometimes begin early in the child’s life and that is where this book begins. The author goes on to explain the teachings and expectations of U.S. high schools, in detail. At this point, the potential student themselves could also make use of this guide. She delves into the ins and outs of standardized testing, as well as its importance in university acceptances. 

Next comes a breakdown of types of colleges, from community college to ivy league. The author includes special information about the California university system. She also shares some behind the scenes wisdom, the things beyond grade point average that can count heavily with university acceptances. At the end, there’s a handy checklist. 

I recommend this book for college-bound students and their parents, and the earlier, the better. Most could probably learn a useful thing or two from it and some would no doubt learn a lot more than that.

5.0 out of 5 stars: A valuable resource for students and parents!

Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2024 by: Fred O.

First of all, Christine Hees knows her stuff. The book is well-written and structured into bits of information that take you through the process of getting admission to your college of choice. I highlighted much of the text because it’s information I wish I’d known when I was applying to college in the U.S.; stuff I wish some of my family members had known as relating to financial aid so that they wouldn’t now be burdened with debt. One of the simple ideas in this book that makes it exceptional is to do your due diligence before enrolling in any college, and don’t get stuck on the prestige of a school but treat your education as an informed investment because an undergraduate degree—no matter the prestige—doesn’t necessarily guarantee anything in this current job market, not to mention all the loans you might have to pay back with interest if you don’t cut your cloth accordingly.

Mission: Accepted! is exhaustive and provides valuable information to both international students and students graduating from high school in the U.S. Parents should read this book to get a head start on how to guide their children through the college experience. The book highlights various requirements of universities and their acceptance rates; standardized testing and college applications, how to make yourself attractive to your dream school, College Essays and where to go for help, Early and Regular Decisions, and for international students, it details the application process from initial application to getting your visa to arriving in U.S. to start your degree. I recommend this valuable resource to any parent or student wanting to understand the admission process for U.S. colleges.

5.0 out of 5 stars: Provides valuable guidance

Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2024 by: Balroop S.

‘Mission Accepted’ by Christine Hees is a valuable vault for the students who want to get accepted in the universities of the U.S.A. It acquaints you with the minutest details and the requirements that students need to fulfill to get admission in the college of their choice. Based on recent studies, it highlights the significant changes, which have been introduced regarding how standardized testing is handled by colleges. At the same time, it warns that it is important to research all prospective colleges, as their policies may vary or change over time.

From types of colleges to acceptance rates, from costs to competition and the value that is attached to “brand-name colleges,” which are considered to be prestigious and whether they are worthwhile - all the topics have been brilliantly handled. College Essays, which is the requirement of almost all colleges, finds a special mention along with letters of recommendation and what kind of questions are asked in the interviews. Medical schools and law schools too have been discussed from the point of view of international students. It warns international students to verify that a potential college is approved for sponsoring the visa.

The book also provides valuable guidance about how you can improve your application profile to increase your chances of acceptance in the college of your choice. Chapter - 11 is my favorite, as it calls upon the students to identify their needs and wants, introspect and assess their potential and interests. It is an organized and well-written book, which provides a holistic view of the admission process in the colleges of the U.S.A.

4.0 out of 5 stars: Explanation of American education.

Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2024 by: Eric G.

The first hundred pages describe the American school process from birth to high school, I suppose to assist immigrant parents no matter what age their child might be when enrolled in the system. Chapter Six gets into the college admission process, including evaluation methods used by most. This is equally informative and depressing as it is portrayed as having less to do with student merit than with benefitting the schools themselves. The more prestigious the institution, the more one's GPA is nothing more than prerequisite. Chapter Seven goes over what's needed to pass holistic college admissions, like awards, auditions, and essays. Chapter Eight covers the considerations not having to do with academics, like being the child of a politician, celebrity, or school alum. This chapter explains that most of a college's criteria will remain unknown, like diversity, finances, and athleticism, but can be extrapolated from press releases and the college website.

I suspect the remaining chapters to be the most useful part of the book for both international and American-born students. This is where the reader gets advice on actually writing those essays and answering those personal interest questions, as well as developing a strategy for application.

All in all, this was a comprehensive overview of U.S. school systems, though as the title suggests, primarily for use by international students. Everyone else will find the specific guides more useful than the in-depth explanation of American education. The book is well researched, organized, and free of obvious errors.

5.0 out of 5 stars: Very Helpful Book!

Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2024 by: L. E.

Reading this book, I found a treasure trove of useful information that parents of students either from outside the U.S., or inside of it, would find extremely valuable in planning for their children's university experience.

I appreciated that the book was so well-organized, and divided into 13 straightforward chapters that follow in a logical order, from what students and parents can do to prepare for university from the early years, on through choosing which university is best for that particular student. And these chapters were further divided into easy-to-understand sections.

The inclusion of citations at the end were very helpful as well, showing more reading that parents and students can access in order to make the college search simpler.

Readers would find the layout professional and easy to access as well, the text assisted by graphics and highlights here and there.

Parents and students from outside the U.S. would find this book a very helpful tool in finding the right university, but native born U.S. citizens could find it helpful, as well.

5.0 out of 5 stars: Perfect Guide!

Reviewed in Germany on July 7, 2024 by: Klaus A.

Very helpful description of the american education landscape, valuable hints and complete to-do-lists.

Definitely makes getting accepted a lot more likely...