Publisher's Synopsis
The vast majority of high school students write the wrong college admissions essay the wrong way in their respective applications. In fact, many admissions officers use the number 90% to describe how often applicants fail to write an essay that makes an impact in the admission process. Keith Berman, in this strategic piece in his The Way There series, explains why college applicants start on the wrong foot. He then provides straight-forward direction on how to avoid the pitfalls that plague other applicants, ultimately resulting in better admission results. Mr. Berman's essentially peels back the curtain on the first conversation he has with his private clientele at Options for College, where has been a leader in providing private college advice since 2005. About the Author, Keith Berman, Ed.M., M.S.Ed.Keith Berman has been providing premium private college advice since 2005 when he founded Options for College in Harvard Square before moving to New York City in 2007.Mr. Berman has appeared on MSNBC, CNBC, CNN, PBS, Fox Business and Lifetime. Mr. Berman is quoted numerous times on issues related to school selection in US News & World Report's America's Best Colleges, the Boston Globe, Yale Daily News, Harvard Crimson, Boston Magazine, the Chicago Tribune and Columbia Spectator among many others. He was also quoted in "The Portable Guidance Counselor: Answers to the 284 Most Important Questions..." by the Princeton Review, and "Life's Little College Admissions Insights: Top Tips From the Country's Most Acclaimed Guidance Counselors."He has spoken at a number of venues, including Yale, Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Wesleyan, the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, the Davidson Institute, the Yale Club of NYC, the NYU Center for Family Life, the Parents Network at Merrill Lynch, Ernst & Young Working Families Network and the Young Presidents Organization.Keith's entire career has been dedicated to knowing real students in real schools. He was the creator and instructor of Johns Hopkins University's CTY College Prep course. He has worked as the staff trainer in the Rochester City Public Schools (NY) and the staff trainer for The Princeton Review - India. His in-school guidance positions include running the college guidance departments at the Rudolf Steiner School and the Yeshiva University High School for Boys. He also was a New York City Teaching Fellow in the New York City Public Schools. His other professional activities have included consulting with the American Museum of Natural History and the NYC Department of Education.Mr. Berman has held several admissions positions at Ivy League institutions. He worked for Yale University as a Senior Interviewer, and a three-year member of the Undergraduate Recruitment Office. He also held an Interviewer position at the Harvard College Admissions Office, where he interviewed prospective students and participated in undergraduate admissions committee meetings.In his career, Mr. Berman has won awards from Harvard University, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, AmeriCorps, and the New York City Teaching Fellowship.Mr. Berman earned his B.A. as a double major (music, linguistics) at Yale University and his M.Ed. from Harvard Graduate School of Education. His other experiences include being a school teacher in the New York City public school system, earning an M.S.Ed. at Bank Street College, and being a researcher at a Washington, D.C. education think tank, developing a national testing project and working on technology and special education issues of national importance. Mr. Berman grew up in Irvington, NY (Westchester County), and has lived in Washington, DC, Cambridge, MA, and New Haven, CT. His office is in New York, NY.
