<div>There are hundreds of books available that coach kids on writing college application essays, improving SAT scores and trying to beat the admissions system. <i>Admissions Confidential</i> is a definitive look at why those books don't work. Toor lifts the veil on a process that anxious parents and high school students have never had decoded before. And they may be shocked to find out:<br><br>--that elite colleges spend thousands of dollars recruiting students they will never admit<br>--why some students at the bottom of their high school classes are admitted to top schools when the valedictorians are rejected<br>--how pricey independent college counselors can hurt an applicant's chances<br>--why admission to a top school depends on who reads your application<br>--why the top of the class at a high-performing high school may end up at their second and third choice <br><br>Written in engaging first-person and covering the entire admissions process--from recruiting to enrollment--<i>Admissions Confidential</i> is a year in the life of a college admissions officer.<br></div>