WHAT OTHERS SAY

Excerpts

The following quotes are excerpts from book reviews requested from guidance counselors. You can read the entire book review by clicking on the reviewer’s name, then return to excerpts by again clicking on the reviewer’s name.  As with all reviews, there are pros and cons and I have presented both in the complete reviews.

Please note that references to an interactive version refer to a format of Going to College . . . Without the Stress on disk that is available only from CERR.  Click here for ordering details. 

From time to time, other reviews will be listed as they are received.  Email your review.

“Going to College…Without the Stress delivers its title message in a refreshingly user-friendly format and style.  Tedd Kelly’s book challenges the widely-held belief that selecting a college is a life and death decision, but in doing so remains respectful of the importance of the selection process.  This is a tough line to walk, but his book does it beautifully.”
Alison Forbes, Independent College Counselor, Portsmouth, NH

            “It is obvious that Tedd Kelly is a veteran in the college admission process . . .”
Judith Quest, College Counselor, Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, Omaha, Nebraska

“I found this book to be a very thorough overview of the college admissions process.”
Kate Walker, Counselor, J.K. Mullen High School, Denver, CO         

“You have created a "friendly read" for students and families entering the college search process.”
John Boshoven, Counselor for Continuing Education, Community High School, Ann Arbor, Michigan & Director of College Counseling, Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit, West Bloomfield, Michigan

“I have just finished reading Going to College…Without the Stress, and I was very impressed. Even though I have been counseling students for 20+ years, I found useful information that I did not know.”
Randy McKnight, Advisor, H-B Woodlawn, Arlington, VA

“Seeds of sanity trying to germinate among the thorns of the unacceptable, Tedd Kelly’s Going to College  . . . Without Stress makes occasionally successful efforts to weave common sense into a process that has, for many, gotten completely out of hand–-college admissions.”
Mary Ann Willis , Bayside Academy, College Counselor, Daphn, AL

“Going to College …Without the Stress by Tedd Kelly is a useful addition to the current roster of books designed to guide high school juniors and seniors through the college admission process. Where it differs from its counterparts is in its focus on the increasing power of the Internet, both as a tool in admissions and a source of information.”
Joan Graviss, College Counselor, Crossroads School, St. Louis, MO

“Going to College … Without the Stress is a unique asset for students and parents to use as they traverse the unknown waters of the high school to college transition. Very readable, the book can be used at any point of the transition process.”
Mike Homza, College Counselor, St. Edward High School,  Lakewood, Ohio

“Overall, there is good information in this book.  I feel as if it is more geared towards parents than students.  Probably because of the way the information is presented.  It gets better as it progresses.”
Robin Weinberg, Admission Representative, Washington, DC

“I just finished the reading Going to College ... Without the Stress by Tedd Kelly.  The message is what every college counselor wants the student to do:  start early and plan ahead!”
Sue McCullion, Director of Guidance, Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, NJ

“The “one-step-at-a-time” approach to dealing with the college selection process, as outlined in Tedd Kelley’s interactive book, is just the ticket to help students and families approach this stressful and anxiety-producing process sanely.”
Marsha Gardner, College Counselor, The College Preparatory School, Oakland, CA.

“First, I applaud your efforts to get information out to students. So often we hear that counselors are overwhelmed and kids don't know where to turn. Your approach puts the kids in the driver seat. They have a checklist and can be proactive-great approach. . . .”
Pam Appleton, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH

“Since I have not read your work before, I was confused by the concept of The Dunce.  As I continued reading, I felt the concept was negative and began to wonder if by eliminating it, you could still deliver the same information in the same way.”
Debbie Cossey, Henry M. Jackson High School, Mill Creek, WA.

In Going to College…Without the Stress,’Tedd Kelly and The Dunce advise students about the college process in an organized and down to earth manner. Utilizing practical wisdom, The Dunce and the “hints” easily guide students and parents through the college maze. This is a great college-planning tool.”
Adrianne L. Jones, College Consultant, Broussard Jones Consultants, Baltimore, MD

“A great deal of the objective hard data that is needed is well constructed in your book.  Given that it is especially difficult to advise the whole spectrum of college bound students at once, and with the diverse nature of your readers needs, you touched on many matters of great importance.”
Jodi Specht & Dawn Stiles, Nashoba Regional High School, Bolton, MA 

“Let me preface my review with two comments.  First, I admire what you have tried to do and, as an experienced counselor, I know how much time and effort you have put into your guide.  Second, I work at a school where a large percentage of the students are not particularly interested in the "80% of the colleges in America ... looking for ways to attract students."  They are primarily interested in the most competitive colleges."
Carl Schulkin, Associate Director of College Counseling, Pembroke Hill School, Kansas City, MO

“Written in a breezy style, Going to College without the Stress, with its combination of FAQ's, letters from students, and clear exposition, takes readers from the college search, through the quest for financial aid, to the final decision making once all the acceptances are in.   The month-by-month checklist for juniors and seniors is particularly useful.”
Elizabeth F. Zucker, Independent College Consultant, Arlington, VA

“The series of questions that are asked throughout the book are ones that students have asked for years during what can be the most trying time in their lives and the lives of their parents.  The answers which  are extremely thoughtful with a sense of humor tend to demystify the stressful nature of this process.” 
Bill Tracy, Counselor, South Mountain High School, Phoenix, AZ -- Formerly a College Counselor at the University of Chicago Laboratory School

“The tone [of Going to College . . . . Without the Stress] is helpful and informative without being overwhelming.”
Jannis Livingston, retired College Counselor, Los Angeles Unified School District

“One unique feature is the series of highlighted "hints" scattered throughout.  The book also contains useful website references throughout, and carries the narrative through matriculation issues, as well.”
Pam Saunders, Independent Counselor, Step Into College LLC, Deephaven, MN

“But the best aspect of the book is the extensive list of questions and answers with numerous examples. Going to College . . Without the Stress, if followed religiously, will create confidence for both students and parents. It will also contribute to students’ successes in college acceptances, accompanied by a realistic and more informed final choice of college.”
Jami Pillasch, Counselor, Ruben S. Ayala High School, Chino Hills, CA

“The [Dunce’s] HINTS are perfect!  They are exactly what you want the students to know and are seldom seen in other how to books such as the "roll over" of mailing lists. Going To College . . . Without the Stress is an outstanding resource for students and their families whose high schools may be under funded or whose counselors are overworked.”
Mrs. C. G. Morrone, Guidance, Woodson HS, Fairfax, VA

“I particularly enjoyed the hypothetical situations or frequently asked questions. “Do I take a test preparation course?” “Does it really matter where you go to college? Or is it OK just to get a four year degree?” The questions were exactly the ones I typically hear everyday from the students and parents with whom I work. The advice showed a genuine understanding of the college process and some of its problems.”
Mike Holbach, Counselor, Edina High School, Edina, MN

WHAT OTHERS SAY

Full Reviews

The following reviews are in their entirety, except for an occasional deleted personal comment. Please note that references to an interactive or diskette version refer to a format of Going to College . . . Without the Stress on disk that is available only from CERR.  Click here for ordering details.  From time to time we will add other reviews as appropriate.  Email yours, if you would like.

To go back to the excerpts page, click the reviewer’s name and you will return to that reviewer’s excerpt.

Going to College…Without the Stress delivers its title message in a refreshingly user-friendly format and style.  Tedd Kelly’s book challenges the widely-held belief that selecting a college is a life and death decision, but in doing so remains respectful of the importance of the selection process.  This is a tough line to walk, but his book does it beautifully.

Kelly begins by asking students to discover first what they want and need in a college and to discover next what colleges want and need in their applicants.  This book returns the power of the process to the student.  Isn’t this the way college advising should be rooted, given that 80% of colleges are actually looking for students?

There are no “Best” schools, Going to College…Without the Stress proves, only what’s best for the student. Kelly creates a fictional applicant who moves through the admission process.  Through the college selection process, he learns not only about schools but also about himself.  This tenet, sadly, is what has become lost in our admission process.  What could be wonderful opportunity has become miserable anxiety.    Kelly turns it around, however, by asking students focused questions and by talking to them as an experienced friend or ideal guidance counselor. 

There are checklists and calendars, even a dictionary to explain the many confusing acronyms in college application lingo.  Going to College…Without the Stress gives students all the tools they need to move through the process at their own speed.  Exercises such as listing five colleges that don’t interest you, five that possibly do, and five that definitely do ensure any high school student a starting point in the selection process.

Going to College…Without the Stress is like having your own private guidance counselor who gives sage, encouraging advice any time of day or night you need it.  This will be required reading for all of my clients.
Alison Forbes, Independent College Counselor, Portsmouth, NH

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I am most impressed with the very clear layout of the junior and senior years with the assignments by month.  A person could either enter this process at the beginning of junior year or enter at any time during the process and gain valuable tips on what should be happening.  There are Internet links to every possible resource that would help in searching for colleges, finding out about specific colleges, getting help with such things as the college essay and accessing financial aid.  I am wondering if these links will be updated in the PDF version as sites change and become obsolete.

The only thing I found a bit confusing for people new to this process is the layout of the first chapter.  The author goes from telling students that 80% of colleges are actively seeking students to a discussion of early decision plans without much transition or preparation.

As a high school guidance counselor, I found the discussion of “the money game” fascinating.  Often parents play all of the games described with coaching from other parents who tell them stories of their tactics and results from older children.  I found this section so concrete and insightful from the college perspective.  I probably can’t stop them from trying to make some obvious mistakes but I can now give them something in writing to think about.

I would certainly recommend this book to parents and students who are embarking on this ever more complicated process of college admissions.  If students would follow this timetable they would most assuredly experience much less stress and feel more confident in the process.

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Personally, I did not like the continued references to the “Dunce”.  I think that the word Dunce carries negative connotations.  There is a wealth of useful information in this book; however, I feel that the “Dear Dunce” is a waste of space.  The information contained in this column is repetitive, as it is included in other areas of the book.

Overall, this is a great resource to guide juniors and seniors through the college application process.
Kate Walker, Counselor, J.K. Mullen High School, Denver, CO

Oh that applying to college could be simple like the good old days! Like Sid Dalby's book, yours comes along side of the reader with an arm to grasp and a shoulder to cry.
John Boshoven, Counselor for Continuing Education, Community High School, Ann Arbor, Michigan & Director of College Counseling, Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit, West Bloomfield, Michigan

            Here are the features that I particularly liked:

• The links to web sites and other pages—excellent idea—all of the ones that I used worked quickly and well. (Just for reference I used a Mac iBook with airport and a cable modem at home. At work I tried it out over an Ethernet LAN with a T1 connection. I mention this, as I do not know how it performs with dialup access.)
• The checklists at the end of each month
• The compiling of a year’s checklists
• The month by month format
• The appendix with the glossary
• The friendly, almost avuncular tone with a sense of humor
• The hints

Overall, I believe that students, parents, and counselors will find this an excellent resource.

Here are some other comments and reactions.

• At first I was put off by the use of the word “Dunce.” Then I thought about the success of the books entitled “…for dummies,” and I decided to give the Dunce a try. By the end of my reading I no longer found it objectionable, and I read that you have used it before.
• I found the first section, “Thoughts about going to college,” somewhat out of place. Pages 20 through 26 seemed to belong in an appendix.
• Other parts in the first section seemed appropriate as an introduction but some, such as “early decision plans,” struck me as belonging in the months' section or in an appendix.
• I wasn’t completely clear on the purpose of the section entitled “The Web and College Opportunities.”
• While pages 7 and 28 are different, I was confused to read “Introduction” on page 28.
• Small thought on format: right after you print the month heading put “Junior Year or Senior Year.”

Once again I want to say that I think you have provided students with a wealth of information and resources in a format not found anywhere else. Randy McKnight, Advisor, H-B Woodlawn, Arlington, VA

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Seeds of sanity trying to germinate among the thorns of the unacceptable, Tedd Kelly’s Going to College  . . . Without Stress makes occasionally successful efforts to weave common sense into a process that has, for many, gotten completely out of hand–-college admissions. His book, while giving a start-anywhere, choose-your-own-ending approach to the process for everyman, flies in the face of NACAC principles in some ways that make its useful parts less appealing. An obvious faux pas is seen when Mr. Kelly advises those undecided seniors to double deposit–a flagrant no‑no as far as NACAC’s Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Mr. Kelly does add to the notion that college admissions is a business and that parent and student should act more like consumers–not a wholly unwarranted concept. Truly, nothing will totally eliminate the stress of visiting, selecting, applying and going to college–but stress isn’t always bad. Maybe the title should be Going to College with Less Stress. There is some merit in his notion, shared by many college counselors, that the longer a student puts off the college search, the more difficult it will become.

Again, contrary to Mr. Kelly’s advice, some essays can and should be reused. While the general concept of a large initial list is a good one, no specific number of schools can be identified universally as a recommended number of places to apply. For some students, the list will be small, for others it will be larger. Every applicant should know the specifics of application for each of his colleges and the procedures that his own guidance counselor suggests. Mr. Kelly does recommend that students always double check with their own college counselor if there is any doubt as to procedures or policies that he recommends–sage advice. However, each possibly positive notion is closely followed or preceded by some totally unacceptable concept. I like neither the phrase “college tripping”, nor do I like the concept of college as a “half‑way house to life.”  Let’s see–more than $20,000 or $30,000 a year for a “half-way house to life” experience. I don’t think so.

Many people, Mr. Kelly is no exception, use the concept of the right college for an individual. I would maintain that there is no “right” college, but rather a series of possible matches, any of which would be sound choices for a given student. Knowing what really matters to an individual in selecting a college environment can be most useful in finding those possible matches. Therefore, some sound advice can be gleaned from the statement: “have firmly in mind the priority of college preferences before decision letters arrive.”  And, the importance of having a “successful completion of the senior year” cannot be underestimated.

The book provides information that should be double checked with both colleges and high school counselors. In an admissions world crazed by a public starving for information on how the system works, Going to College . . . Without Stress could have lessened the stress by providing more universally accepted notions about the process and procedures. Too bad. Some of those germinating seeds should have made their way further up through the weeds and stones of over simplified and misinformed notions.
MaryAnn Willis, Bayside Academy, College Counselor, Daphne, AL

Going to College . . . Without the Stress by Tedd Kelly is a useful addition to the current roster of books designed to guide high school juniors and seniors through the college admission process. Where it differs from its counterparts is in its focus on the increasing power of the Internet, both as a tool in admissions and a source of information. Designed to be “interactive”, it allows the student to go directly to a suggested website if he/she is “reading” the book on-line. A conventional soft-bound edition is also available. Advancing the theme of utilizing the Internet, several references to existing websites are made. A compilation of admission and financial aid websites is particularly helpful, along with the suggestion for feedback to continually update the information.

            The central format of the book takes the reader through junior and senior year month by month with advice on all the aspects of college entrance including essays, visits, testing, recommendations, and finances. The writing style is breezy and informative interspersed with questions and answers, such as “Is there a way to keep colleges from sending me so much information?”- the answer suggests that students not always check the box on standardized tests that allows colleges to receive mailing lists. Many of the observations made by the author reflect current trends-targeted mailing, negotiations with financial aid officers, the proliferation of on-line applications- which the prospective student might not find elsewhere. I found that the suggestions for dealing with admission office personnel and financial aid officers were right on target.

            Going to College Without the Stress would be most appreciated by the high school junior or senior who is comfortable with computers and regularly uses the Internet for class projects or personal use. The ability to jump quickly to a designated website helps speed up the process. There is so much information on the Internet, some of which is useless and sometimes downright incorrect, that a filter is always a constructive piece. Kelly’s book provides some of that necessary filtering, as well as a carefully written general overview. I will look forward to hearing student comments since they will be the primary users.
Joan Graviss, College Counselor, Crossroads School, St. Louis, MO

Tedd Kelly’s Going to College … Without the Stress is a unique asset for students and parents to use as they traverse the unknown waters of the high school to college transition. Very readable, the book can be used at any point of the transition process. Sage advice is offered whether the student is just entering high school and wishes to get a head start on the process or is a second semester senior ready to hit the panic button.  The wisdom of the “Dunce” does indeed take the stress out of going to college.

Going to College … Without the Stress is on the cutting edge of how college guidance books will be written in the future. Timely and interactive, it doesn’t just tell students where to go on the Internet, but takes them there.

I plan to recommend it as a “must have” resource to the families I counsel.
Mike Homza, College Counselor, St. Edward High School, Lakewood, Ohio

I have a tendency to be critical, please don't let this taint the good points.  Overall, I believe this is a useful book.  Here goes. . .

I think you might be significantly dating the book by talking about the new millennium.  Especially because it was in everyone’s vocabulary from 1998-2001 but it’s a little old now.

I don’t think of a dunce as having generous knowledge, quality advice, or valuable insights.  I don’t think of a dunce as having anything useful to tell me at all.  I really dislike reading about the dunce constantly throughout the book.

The words/phrases that are bolded throughout the book (especially in the beginning) are inconsistent.  I expect the really important stuff to jump off the page.  Instead, it seems to be somewhat random.  I don’t know how many people want to read a novel about college admissions.  I do like how you eventually begin to break up the paragraphs with more “Hints” and key info.  I can read the bold heading and if I care about that topic, I read the rest.  If I don’t, I can move on.

I really like the “Hint” part.  This jumps out at you.  It gives information that isn’t well-known general info.  Example - the ED info is general and well-known.   The Hints contain good information.  By the way, what about EA?

The headings for the different topics are sometimes more amusing as opposed to informative.  It might help to have all the headings give more information about what you’re about to read.

I really like the pages where you ask and answer questions.  It covers a lot of the concerns that students might have.  It also breaks up the information on the page.  I would love to see the beginning of the book look like this.

I also like how you break down activities into a monthly schedule.  The checklists at the end of every month are helpful also.  It’s good to have a short summary.

As far as the interactive part of the book goes, I can see how this might be helpful and also see not taking real advantage of it, just from being lazy. If I spent the money on the book, I’d want the information in front of me. However, being able to find more information can be very useful.  However, what is the possibility that each site rearranges their information and the link becomes useless?

Good appendices of the book in general.  I like at the end that you reiterate the checklist. The glossary is also helpful as is the comparison chart.

Overall, there is good information in this book.  I feel as if it is more geared towards parents than students.  Probably because of the way the information is presented.  It gets better as it progresses.  I almost stopped reading after the beginning.  It just wasn’t well-presented. However, the book does get significantly better as it progresses.  The reason why I would buy a book is if it presented information that I couldn’t get elsewhere (especially online for free).  The more of this, the better.

I just finished the reading Going to College ... Without the Stress by Tedd Kelly.  The message is what every college counselor wants the student to do: start early and plan ahead!  Mr. Kelly provides a month-by-month planning guide for junior and senior year and the best part is that there are internet links to lead the reader to even more information.  Having never purchased a

" _______ for Dummies" publication, I almost did not read on when the "Dunce" was introduced.  However, I found the "Dunce" had a lot of helpful advice for the college-bound (as well as learning about the origin of the word).  Mr. Kelly provides practical information, helpful hints and an excellent glossary of terms along with valuable Internet resources.

Sue McCullion, Director of Guidance, Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, NJ

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The “one-step-at-a-time” approach to dealing with the college selection process, as outlined in Tedd Kelley’s interactive book, is just the ticket to help students and families approach this stressful and anxiety-producing process sanely. Students can start at whatever point they need to begin the process and find instructions and some excellent advice about how to proceed. Students of the "click-on-links" generation will enjoy being able to hop around in the text and get the information they need as they need it. (The links from the Index made accessing information particularly easy.) I found the tips on magazine rankings and writing essays, along with a very comprehensive glossary to explain the college admissions jargon especially valuable.

I probably have a very different population (in my small, very rigorous private prep

school) than the general college-bound population so a few of the things you suggest run counter to my advice to my students. The use of the "dunce" would not be something positive in this environment despite the success of the "Idiot's Guide" or "Dummy's Guide" books that abound. I

found some of the financial aid advice a bit too tongue-in-cheek for me and I would never advise them to double deposit. But I loved that you told students: "When my advice differs from that of your counselor's, go with the counselor." (A big thank you for that.)
Marsha Gardner, College Counselor, The College Preparatory School, Oakland, CA.

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I do, however, wonder about some of the statements I have read. For example, in the excerpt that I read, it appears to approach the college search from less of an academic point of reference.  For example, in the excerpt you offer the Right College Finder questions and the first

question is "how close must the closest major shopping mall be to the campus?"  I assume it is a student employment question(will you need to hold a part time job while in school?) because clearly, a student who has a priority about shopping is NOT ready for four years of undergraduate study.           

Also, the checklist for a junior year does not mention that academics, academics, academics should be a priority for the year. I believe that if kids stay focus on their work, the college piece will come into the picture soon enough. I guess I see that kids need to experience the rigor of the junior year before assessing that experience in relation to their thoughts for college.

Again, I may have missed these themes in other places but admission to college begins with the academic fit and I always see that as a central theme from which to build a college list.
Pam Appleton, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH

Second, in your first chapters, you define who the book is intended for...sometimes quoting 80% and other times quoting 75%. That is confusing for the reader.  Also, although I do not think you intend it to be so, the 75 or 80% are left feeling like they are the dunces and do not need the "instructive" information, but more intensive assistance. 

Third, since I have not read your work before, I was confused by the concept of The Dunce.  As I continued reading, I felt the concept was negative and began to wonder if by eliminating it, you could still deliver the same information in the same way.  So, every time you used the wording "The Dunce", I practiced eliminating it and actually felt the book was just as helpful and much less demeaning to the new parents and students who might pick up your book..

Fourth, the monthly information is excellent and just exactly what my students want.  They would be very likely to go online, should you choose to put it in this format, and click on the month and follow, probably exactly, what you recommended.

Fifth, I do not know half as much as you do, so you can take my comments with a smile and/or a sigh.  However, I very much appreciated your willingness to receive comments from high school counselors and for sharing your book.
Debbie Cossey, Henry M. Jackson High School, Mill Creek, WA.

In Going to College…Without the Stress, Tedd Kelly and The Dunce advise students about the college process in an organized and down to earth manner. Utilizing practical wisdom, The Dunce and the “hints” easily guide students and parents through the college maze. This is a great college-planning tool.

This interactive guidebook links the resources of the college search process and allows students unlimited access. The best part of Going to College…Without the Stress, is the ease with which the user is able to pick up at any point and work to get as organized and gather as much information as the person who has read the book from start to finish.  Applying to college is stressful, Going to College…Without the Stress, is a viable guide for counselors to help parents and students organize the chaos of the college search. 
Adrianne L. Jones, College Consultant, BroussardJones Consultants, Baltimore, MD

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Strengths

Among the greatest strengths of this guide are its comprehensiveness and attention to important detail, especially in regard to finances.  It clearly identifies its target audience and major objective of focusing on applying to those colleges which are competing for students rather than the most competitive colleges.  The author's sense of humor works well as a stress relieving technique, and his attention to Web-based resources is a significant and helpful innovation.  The guide helps students and parents focus on what really matters--the quality of undergraduate education, not the prestige or name-recognition of the school.  As an experienced counselor I was particularly heartened by the author's repeated encouragement to the student to seek the counselor's advice.  Finally, the overall month by month organization should prove very helpful and will appeal particularly to those parents who want to keep their teenager organized.

Weaknesses

One of the important weaknesses of this guide is an outgrowth of one of its strengths: its extensive use of Web resources.  Because Web pages come and go and URL's change so frequently, embedding links in a PDF file on a CD-ROM or even a diskette is not without its pitfalls.  Of the links that I clicked on, only about 60% were still active.  One of the ones that is no longer valid is the highly recommended article on college essay writing which is mentioned on three separate occasions (pp 26, 40 and 98).  A second weakness, not withstanding the author's protestations to the contrary, is the guide's repetitiveness (my previous example being one of several instances).  Correlating advice with each month during the junior and senior year is a very good means of staying organized, but it makes it more difficult to avoid repetition.  It will also mean that a large number of high school juniors will not have the staying power to continue to follow the author's advice. 

Finally, I found that there were too few specific recommendations of resources that would be helpful to the target audience.  For example, the list of College Guidebooks on page 153 is not annotated, nor could I find any reference to either of Loren Pope's helpful books (Looking Beyond the Ivy League, Colleges that Change Lives) which are addressed to the guide's target audience.
Carl Schulkin, Associate Director of College Counseling, Pembroke Hill School, Kansas City, MO

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Going to College... Without the Stress by Tedd D. Kelly is advertised as the first Interactive Internet guide for going to college.  The book is a procedural, systematic step-by-step approach to the college application process that will benefit counselors as well as students and their parents.

The guide has a month-by-month calendar for juniors and seniors who are in the "throws" of applying to college and provides the most comprehensive list of resources and websites to assist in the process that I have ever seen.  The series of questions that are asked throughout the book are ones that students have asked for years during what can be the most trying time in their lives and the lives of their parents.  The answers which  are extremely thoughtful with a sense of humor tend to demystify the stressful nature of this process. 

By following the step-by-step approach offered in this guide,  students will have a good handle on the procedural nature of the college search.  The monthly calendar approach, although not new to college publications, offers some new insights into getting ready for the process. Chapters titled "Don't Be a Sucker" and "Is There Hope for You?" offer concrete suggestions on how to deal effectively with scams and financial aid incentives. As a high school counselor, Going to College...Without the Stress will be high on my list of recommendations for my students and their parents (and I'll be using it as a terrific resource!!)
Bill Tracy, Counselor, South Mountain High School, Phoenix, AZ
Formerly a College Counselor at the University of Chicago Laboratory School

Going to College...Without the Stress is user friendly and thorough.  It is especially useful with web sites for all occasions.  A student may begin the book as a junior or senior with ease.  The tone is helpful and informative without being overwhelming.  The preparation thinking process through applications, letters, financial aid is carefully enumerated.  This is a fine resource.
Jannis Livingston, retired College Counselor, Los Angeles Unified School District

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Going to College...Without the Stress is a useful guide to the monthly tasks necessary to the college application process, written from the student's point of view.  It is presented in a lively manner, often jumping from topic to topic, with humorous asides from a fictional character called "The Dunce", which is designed to engage high schoolers at their level.  One unique feature is the series of highlighted "hints" scattered throughout.  The book also contains useful website references throughout, and carries the narrative through matriculation issues, as well.  Other useful features are a glossary of terms and handy lists of resources.  The online version of "Going to College...Without the Stress" provides one-click real-time links to any website cited, which should prove useful to any reader from the Internet generation.
Pam Saunders, Independent Counselor, Step Into College LLC, Deephaven, MN

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Tedd D Kelly’s Going to College . . . Without the Stress is definitely worthwhile reading and would be a great addition to every high school counseling center. It clearly delineates the essential activities for the junior and senior year, provides an exhaustive list of questions and answers, and attempts to put students and parents at ease in preparing for the college selection process. The innovative concept of an interactive college guide will certainly attract the “net set and the month-by-month description of activities will comfort parents while keeping everyone on task. The Hints inject humor along with wise thoughts. But the best aspect of the book is the extensive list of questions and answers with numerous examples. Going to College . . Without the Stress, if followed religiously, will create confidence for both students and parents. It will also contribute to students’ successes in college acceptances, accompanied by a realistic and more informed final choice of college.
Jami Pillasch, Counselor, Ruben S. Ayala High School, Chino Hills, CA

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I have served as a high school guidance counselor for twenty-one years.  During that time span I have read countless articles, pamphlets, and books on the college selection process.  I have reviewed Tedd Kelly’s book Going to College . . . Without the Stress, and I think it would serve as an excellent source for parents and students to use.  He offers practical and easy-to-follow steps in making the college selection process less frightening and less daunting.  Tedd uses different methods of delivering the information: lists, paragraph descriptions, question/answer format, and Dear Dunce letters and responses.  I am not sure I care for the use of “Dunce” as a character, but the reader will have decide that for his or her self.  Overall, I found the book to be well written and thorough.  The month-by-month suggestions for both junior and senior years, I believe, would be well worth the price of the book. 
Dan Weiss, Guidance Department Chairperson, Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School, a suburb of Cleveland, OH

Going To College ...Without The Stress by Tedd D. Kelly is one of the most user friendly college "how-to" books out there and out there is exactly it. Going To College is an interactive guide to the college search/application process.  Tedd introduces us to Dunce, the quintessential high school student, through which we navigate the process.  We follow Dunce through each month of junior and senior year as he both demystifies the process while stressing that the college search is a family affair.  From the initial family conference of expectations and finances to the culminating conference of where to go, Dunce and his family follow Kelly's HINTS (links to internet helpful tid-bits on everything from essays to campus visits). The HINTS are perfect! They are exactly what you want the students to know and are seldom seen in other how to books such as the "roll over" of mailing lists.  Going To College is an outstanding resource for students and their families whose high schools may be under funded or whose counselors are overworked.
Mrs. C. G. Morrone, Guidance, Woodson HS, Fairfax, VA  

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            The only problems I saw were your references during the Junior Year, especially during December and January to taking the PSAT/NMSQT, which can only be done in October.  I think you meant SAT I & II.  Also, at least on my copy, pages 114 through 118 were gibberish.  Another suggestion I would make is that you need to look at the increasing diversity among our high school students, in terms of choices, money, documentation, and standardized test scores as accurate predictors of college success.
Peggy Butkier, Bilingual School Counselor, Ossining High School, Ossining, New York

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Reviewer’s note: I decided to just write some comments rather than a connected review.
1. I had one problem with the book. It tended to accelerate the college process. Do students really need to start doing practice applications in September of their junior year? (p. 39) This may be my personal prejudice. Parents seem to want to start the college process when the student is in 7th grade…and of course pay for hire counselors and those who write guide books also are invested in making the process larger, earlier, and more expensive…..so maybe I am off base on this. (Note: I did appreciate some of the lighter moments. Selecting a college isn’t a life or death event. It should be fun and enjoyable.)
2. Overall, I thought the book was a very comprehensive look at the college process. It provided very solid and practical advice for both parents and students. I particularly enjoyed the hypothetical situations or frequently asked questions. “Do I take a test preparation course?” “Does it really matter where you go to college? Or is it OK just to get a four year degree?” The questions were exactly the ones I typically hear everyday from the students and parents with whom I work. The advice showed a genuine understanding of the college process and some of its problems. (“Not to buy an essay…or not to have a parent or someone else write you essay.”) Mr. Kelly de-mystifies and simplifies the college process.
3. Another feature I liked was the monthly checklist. It has been my experience over the years that parents love the calendars that we give out at our college night. They are often so afraid that they will miss out on something. The calendars walk them through the process step by step. Students and parents can refer back to them time and time again. That takes some of the anxiety out of the entire process.
4. Finally, I enjoyed the interactive format of the book……with website recommendations readily available. The Internet has changed the role of the high school counselor. It has also changed the post-secondary planning process. The website recommendations are thorough and complete.
Mike Holbach, Counselor, Edina High School, Edina, MN.

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