College: Making The Complicated EASY: A New Guide For Parents And Students

FABULOUS!!! College: Making the Complicated Easy. What a wonderful, informative, helpful resource that provides amazing and valuable insights! Russ Vitale spends almost all of his day thinking about the clients he works with. It is an ongoing, never ending, all consuming, supportive, caring, nurturing job to make sure his clients have the absolute best possible college outcome! It is impressive to hear him share his thoughts and his actions. His voice is positive, entertaining and driven. It is admirable to have someone give that much direction to other individuals. The way that the information is presented is so clear, so straightforward, so direct. Parents and students feel comfortable, at ease, and confident, and if they follow this plan and follow the steps, they have done the best job possible for the best possible result. Well done and thank you for caring about families and wanting the most for them throughout this process!

This book was fabulous! There are so many ‘take action’ pieces. There are so many takeaway and life advice lessons! And there are so many times when the reader makes a connection with Russ Vitale! Russ’ voice and his ability to put you at ease, make you feel comfortable, make you feel that… you can do this, you can succeed, and you can get the job done, in a way that will be ... dare I say ... enjoyable! Some of the stories are so enlightening, and so refreshing to hear. The honesty, and the fact that he just tells it like it is, just puts you in a state of mind that is positive and relaxed. I would never have thought that a book about making the complicated world of college application easy – would actually be enjoyable to read.

College: Making the Complicated Easy. After reading this book, I feel I am able to make a connection to several of the feelings and emotions that Russ Vitale writes about. I feel that I understand what he was trying to say and the message that he is trying to get across. I think using this guide as a resource will definitely help families get through the college process with a significantly less amount of stress. In the end – what is important is for a child to be happy and find the right college fit! And I know that the author stresses this, and isn’t that what we all really want? I have so many friends whose children have gone through this process where the stress level has been unbearable. And the child is miserable. No one wants that. With this guide, I do not see that coming. I see us following this book and its path and, like the book says making a bridge to the best of my child’s life! It actually seems like it would be easy, like the title indicates. Not that I am looking for the easy way out of college – however, if I can find something that makes my life easier, I am not going to turn it down. In the world where we live, where there is always so much to do on any given day, I will welcome something that is easy. And I do agree that the college process can be complicated, so, this guide and resources is welcomed very much. Thank you again Russ for writing this valuable book.

This is a must-read for all high school students and their parents! It oozes with passion and experience from the book's author, Russ Vitale. Russ provides a healthy dose of inspiration, optimism, and realism, while being straight-forward, practical, and entertaining about the college process. I absolutely LOVED reading stories about his clients, which really drove his points home. His approach not only simplifies the overwhelming college process, he eliminates the anxiety associated with finding the "right fit" school for your child. You walk away knowing that your child will find their way, no matter which school they choose. And that is a BIG sigh of relief as the parent of a high school junior and college freshman! If you are not lucky enough to be able to work with Russ personally, this a definitely the next best thing!

Helpful, helpful, helpful! I actually feel after reading this book, that our family can do this! Russ Vitale is straightforward, honest, and his real life way of explaining the college process, makes total sense! The practical connections, (The Squirrel and the Manatee mindset) the real life stories (The squirrel at the tennis match), the facts and the truth (The horizontal versus the vertical college visits), give the reader a great understanding of what is ahead of them. And if they follow these guidelines, happiness, stress-free, and success can be achieved! This guide is a refreshing read that provides families valuable and expertise information in an area that is foreign to most.

Russ Vitale has definitely made the complicated easy! I cannot believe a book can provide such detailed and complete step by step instructions on the college application process. The way the information is presented, in a clear, logical, non-stressful way, puts the reader at ease, and provides an understanding. After reading this guide, I have a starting point. I know where to begin. My family is not under stress for not knowing where to begin. In addition, I thought the timeline of testing and the entire discussion of the fact that tests do not define you, was so valuable. My family took a lot of personal insight away from that particular topic. Thank you for shedding some light on a very mysterious topic.

Russ gets straight to the point and doesn't make this crazy process complicated. This book provides amazing and valuable insights--step by step, along with some humor. Russ recognizes that all kids are different and their approach to this process may be different, but at the end of the day it's about your student making the best decision for the. There was a clear path on what to do and why! It was a simple as reading this, to get my family motivated to start the college visits. Follow the steps, guidelines and advice, and you and your student will certainly be in the right mindset to get this job done and provide your student with the best future possible! Thanks Russ for keeping it real.

Russ has answered all the questions I had for the difficult, stressful college process. He even answered questions I didn't know I had. This book provides insight and knowledge in the ever changing college search process. He obviously has an appreciation for the process and he cares deeply for the students and parents going through the search. After reading this book, I feel more informed and more confident. I will keep this book as a resource in case I run into an unknown when I move on to my next child applying to college.

Thank you, Russ, for writing such a thorough, organized, informative, honest, open resource for families! The topic on the herding mentality really hit home! We are just beginning this process, but, we can see it already. Also, the concept of the bumper sticker mentality, I wish I could tell you that I wasn’t giggling as I read it. Because it is so true! And I myself am guilty of it. But I want to thank you for explaining it, rationalizing it, and putting it into words that help everyone understands. The honest approach was enlightening. Putting the reality of words into everyone’s thoughts is a gift! Your ability for everyone to hear and understand your voice is also impressive. Thank you again for writing such a valuable resource!

So nice to see Russ put all his valuable insight and information into a simple easy book! We have known Russ for many years! He promised to keep me a sane mom through the college process and he did! Successfully helping my first daughter find the right school for her and now working with my second. Reducing the stress in the college process and keeping families happy! He has a direct path for success and you can find it here in the book. Well done!

FABULOUS!!! College: Making the Complicated Easy. What a wonderful, informative, helpful resource that provides amazing and valuable insights! Russ Vitale spends almost all of his day thinking about the clients he works with. It is an ongoing, never ending, all consuming, supportive, caring, nurturing job to make sure his clients have the absolute best possible college outcome! It is impressive to hear him share his thoughts and his actions. His voice is positive, entertaining and driven. It is admirable to have someone give that much direction to other individuals. The way that the information is presented is so clear, so straightforward, so direct. Parents and students feel comfortable, at ease, and confident, and if they follow this plan and follow the steps, they have done the best job possible for the best possible result. Well done and thank you for caring about families and wanting the most for them throughout this process!

This book was fabulous! There are so many ‘take action’ pieces. There are so many takeaway and life advice lessons! And there are so many times when the reader makes a connection with Russ Vitale! Russ’ voice and his ability to put you at ease, make you feel comfortable, make you feel that… you can do this, you can succeed, and you can get the job done, in a way that will be ... dare I say ... enjoyable! Some of the stories are so enlightening, and so refreshing to hear. The honesty, and the fact that he just tells it like it is, just puts you in a state of mind that is positive and relaxed. I would never have thought that a book about making the complicated world of college application easy – would actually be enjoyable to read.

College: Making the Complicated Easy. After reading this book, I feel I am able to make a connection to several of the feelings and emotions that Russ Vitale writes about. I feel that I understand what he was trying to say and the message that he is trying to get across. I think using this guide as a resource will definitely help families get through the college process with a significantly less amount of stress. In the end – what is important is for a child to be happy and find the right college fit! And I know that the author stresses this, and isn’t that what we all really want? I have so many friends whose children have gone through this process where the stress level has been unbearable. And the child is miserable. No one wants that. With this guide, I do not see that coming. I see us following this book and its path and, like the book says making a bridge to the best of my child’s life! It actually seems like it would be easy, like the title indicates. Not that I am looking for the easy way out of college – however, if I can find something that makes my life easier, I am not going to turn it down. In the world where we live, where there is always so much to do on any given day, I will welcome something that is easy. And I do agree that the college process can be complicated, so, this guide and resources is welcomed very much. Thank you again Russ for writing this valuable book.

This is a must-read for all high school students and their parents! It oozes with passion and experience from the book's author, Russ Vitale. Russ provides a healthy dose of inspiration, optimism, and realism, while being straight-forward, practical, and entertaining about the college process. I absolutely LOVED reading stories about his clients, which really drove his points home. His approach not only simplifies the overwhelming college process, he eliminates the anxiety associated with finding the "right fit" school for your child. You walk away knowing that your child will find their way, no matter which school they choose. And that is a BIG sigh of relief as the parent of a high school junior and college freshman! If you are not lucky enough to be able to work with Russ personally, this a definitely the next best thing!

Helpful, helpful, helpful! I actually feel after reading this book, that our family can do this! Russ Vitale is straightforward, honest, and his real life way of explaining the college process, makes total sense! The practical connections, (The Squirrel and the Manatee mindset) the real life stories (The squirrel at the tennis match), the facts and the truth (The horizontal versus the vertical college visits), give the reader a great understanding of what is ahead of them. And if they follow these guidelines, happiness, stress-free, and success can be achieved! This guide is a refreshing read that provides families valuable and expertise information in an area that is foreign to most.

Russ Vitale has definitely made the complicated easy! I cannot believe a book can provide such detailed and complete step by step instructions on the college application process. The way the information is presented, in a clear, logical, non-stressful way, puts the reader at ease, and provides an understanding. After reading this guide, I have a starting point. I know where to begin. My family is not under stress for not knowing where to begin. In addition, I thought the timeline of testing and the entire discussion of the fact that tests do not define you, was so valuable. My family took a lot of personal insight away from that particular topic. Thank you for shedding some light on a very mysterious topic.

Russ gets straight to the point and doesn't make this crazy process complicated. This book provides amazing and valuable insights--step by step, along with some humor. Russ recognizes that all kids are different and their approach to this process may be different, but at the end of the day it's about your student making the best decision for the. There was a clear path on what to do and why! It was a simple as reading this, to get my family motivated to start the college visits. Follow the steps, guidelines and advice, and you and your student will certainly be in the right mindset to get this job done and provide your student with the best future possible! Thanks Russ for keeping it real.

Russ has answered all the questions I had for the difficult, stressful college process. He even answered questions I didn't know I had. This book provides insight and knowledge in the ever changing college search process. He obviously has an appreciation for the process and he cares deeply for the students and parents going through the search. After reading this book, I feel more informed and more confident. I will keep this book as a resource in case I run into an unknown when I move on to my next child applying to college.

Thank you, Russ, for writing such a thorough, organized, informative, honest, open resource for families! The topic on the herding mentality really hit home! We are just beginning this process, but, we can see it already. Also, the concept of the bumper sticker mentality, I wish I could tell you that I wasn’t giggling as I read it. Because it is so true! And I myself am guilty of it. But I want to thank you for explaining it, rationalizing it, and putting it into words that help everyone understands. The honest approach was enlightening. Putting the reality of words into everyone’s thoughts is a gift! Your ability for everyone to hear and understand your voice is also impressive. Thank you again for writing such a valuable resource!

So nice to see Russ put all his valuable insight and information into a simple easy book! We have known Russ for many years! He promised to keep me a sane mom through the college process and he did! Successfully helping my first daughter find the right school for her and now working with my second. Reducing the stress in the college process and keeping families happy! He has a direct path for success and you can find it here in the book. Well done!

This book is definitely an amazing resource for those about to embark on the college admissions process. This book offers value to both parents and students and what I love is that its an EASY quick read! Theres already so much involved in the college admissions process that this guide will help you navigate through your own process and in a doable efficient manner. Russ Vitale nailed it out of the park....Just Sayin....

Russ's book offers insights to both parents and students. It gives clear and concise explanations of the different aspects of choosing the right college for your child. The book is a step by step guide that gives great examples and helpful timelines. I found the details on areas such as the college visits to be very enlightening. I will be recommending this book to all parents and students as a tool to guide them through this very important time in their life.

This book was well written, cuts to the chase and synthesizes all that you need to know regarding the college process. Russ’s matter-of-fact writing style makes it easy for any reader to help formulate a plan on how to navigate the college process. Highly recommended!

Wow! A definite for all parents and students getting ready for college and for the college journey. Thank you for letting us know where to begin and mapping out the way. You have gotten rid of a lot of our stresses and are making this complicated process easier to manage and with much humor!

As a student this guide helped me get ready for the process of college and taught me what I need to do to be successful. After reading many guides to a successful college process this is by far the best one! A big thank you to the Cool College Guy for his expertise and do’s and don’t’s of the college process.

How refreshing to finally read a book about the college process that is realistic and practical. Russ brings his many experiences to the reader and eases the anxiety and stress of an otherwise daunting and overwhelming procedure. He has a way of giving the reader realistic expectations and uses his vast expertise in this field to guide the parent and student through the college application process. How I wish this book was available when my two sons went through this , but am so grateful that I have this book now to use with my daughter as she begins the college search. Any reader would be hard pressed to find a more valuable, realistic and pragmatic approach to beginning the college application process. As a school librarian, I will recommend this book to all my upper grade students as well as family and friends.

What a wonderful helpful resource for parents!!! The information presented in this book is such a valuable asset for newbie parents tackling the process of college application. The topics covered, such as doing college visits horizontally versus vertically. I cannot believe how much this topic opened my eyes up to the proper way to do a college visit. I am so glad that we read this at this stage in the process. Because I think we would have gone about visiting schools in the completely wrong manner. The advice and the information will be put to excellent use! Thank you for writing this!

This book is a must read! It is filled with valuable easy to understand facts and ideas about how to take the stress out of the college application process. The author Russ Vitale has a way of getting the most important points across in the easiest way for students and parents to understand. He has many years of experience with hundreds of students helping them find the best possible fit for each student. His knowledge advice are realistic and creative always considering the individuals academic strengths and social interests in finding the ideal set of colleges to apply to. College; making the complicated EASY is exactly that. Who doesn’t want that?

Excellent, educational, effective! This book is all three! Russ Vitale’s voice and his ability to entertain and engage the reader is terrific! He takes the guesswork out of this entire process. He provides concrete, strong, truthful knowledge and insight into the world of applying to college. One of the best parts of this book is his honesty. The topic when he discusses test scores and how they are perceived, by you, by your peers, by family, by friends, and everyone, the honesty in the presentation of material was wonderful! Thank you for this approach, it is refreshing and relieving. And greatly appreciated by this parent and family.

Finally, a comprehensive "real life" guide to the ins and outs of getting your child into the RIGHT school. Matching a student to a college is a process loaded with variables and stress. The Author lays out a step by step guide on how to make the best possible choices for both parents and student. Having previewed this book and having used Mr. Vitale's consulting service for both my children, I can honestly say this book is invaluable to anyone considering college and its a practical step by step road map to College success. OUTSTANDING!!!

College: Making a Complicated Easy. What can I say about this book, FABULOUS, TERRIFIC, WONDERFUL. Such an informative tool and resource! I am so glad that out of all of the books out there, I choose to read this one! It is a full step-by-step guide, literally almost holding your hand, telling you what to do, to get through this process, as easy as possible. And… I have to tell you, the author has such a great way of communicating it, that your stress level just seems to go away the more you read. I enjoyed the author sharing personal stories. The story aabout the squirrel at the tennis match was hysterical! The more I read, the more I understood, and the more I felt that Russ Vitale is truly trying to support, encourage and help families who want the best for their children.