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Michael Muska is one of the co-authors behind Getting In!, and is currently completing his first decade as Dean of College Relations at Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn, New York. He previously spent six years at Brown University in Admissions and Athletics and in a similar capacity at Oberlin College in Ohio. We took a few minutes to chat with him about some of the top issues parents with a college bound child face and how some of these concerns are addressed in Getting In!

How has the role of parental involvement changed since the first edition of the book came out? What are some new facets of the college process parents should be aware of?

We read all the time about the helicopter parent – hovering over their child in every aspect of their life. This has become true in the college business too. Respect the process as that of your child – be helpful and supportive, but remember when you arrive on campus, you’re there for their interview and visit, not yours. Back when we applied to college (yes, we authors are similar in age to you parents) most of us applied to only a few schools, most local, and were happy with our choices. College admission today is a big time business, and schools all across the country have utilized the internet to market themselves and reach out to students. The Common Application (which we discuss in detail in the book) allows a student to apply to multiple colleges with the push of a button. This has greatly increased the competitiveness of college admissions today, particularly at more selective schools, with many more qualified applicants for a limited number of admission spaces. In addition, many schools have made a commitment to diversity and greater international appeal, and this has taken admission spots away from their earlier traditional class they used to admit. Technology has changed the face of modern college admission.

How can parents today better support their child onto a college pathway?

It’s important to respect your child’s choices and not set unrealistic expectations of where they might get in. Schools that were easy admits when they applied to college are often now increasingly selective. A great example is New York University (NYU), a school that now appeals to a whole national and international pool of students who want to spend their college years in New York. Support your child as they begin the process – help to collect information, do some of the busy work – but respect their ability to make choices for themselves. You won’t be there with them on campus. Make the college visits fun too – think of ways to turn the trip into great bonding time to learn more about what your child really cares about and is looking for in a college.

Finding a way to pay for everything is the biggest concern for parents with a college bound child. How can parents take advantage of financial aid opportunities available today?

My co-author, Steve Cohen, is our resident expert on this. His chapter in the book is extremely helpful to families. This fall, however, colleges are expected to help families establish what the cost of an education at their school will be earlier with a calculator mandated by the federal government. Finding this out early in the process can be helpful in deciding what schools make the most sense. And remember many schools have lots of merit money separate from financial aid. For many middle class families, looking at schools that offer this can help reduce the financial burden on a family.

What messages in Getting In! are you hoping parents will take away after they’re done reading it?

Our goal with the book is to reduce the stress and give a thoughtful, common sense approach to the process. Many people we have talked with say Getting In! is the most complete, easy to understand book about the college process. We try to take the mystery and misconceptions out of the process and give advice about how to best present yourself to the colleges in the application process to maximize your chances of admission. If we’ve done that, we’ve accomplished our goal.

For more info on Getting In! and to download Chapter 1 for free, become a fan of the Getting In! Facebook Page. If you’re looking to pick up a copy head over to Amazon where the book is currently available and in stock today!

Steve Cohen is one of the co-authors of Getting In! and has been a publishing entrepreneur, author, and teacher for more than 25 years. He is also the founder and CEO of Brainquest.com, Multimedicus—created with Harvard and Dartmouth Medical Schools—and iCollegeBound. We took a few minutes to talk with him about the kind of roles parents should play in their child’s college process, and how some of these issues are discussed in Getting In!

How has the role of parental involvement changed since the first edition of the book came out? What are some new facets of the college process parents should be aware of?

Parents are still the most important influence on where kids go to college. Kids really do want to hear their parents’ opinion. But then it is important for parents to take a step back. This really should be the kid’s choice.

College admission has gotten tougher than it was when parents applied. It is even tougher than it was five or ten years ago. There are more kids each submitting more applications per kid. And with the college’s freshman class size remaining the same, that pushes down the acceptance rate. Plus more and more kids are becoming more sophisticated about what colleges are looking for: i.e. the well-rounded class, not the well-rounded kid. So the well-prepared kid is figuring out how to make his or her “hook” clearer and more appealing to the admission office.

How can parents today better support their child onto a college pathway?

Start early! Visit as many schools as possible. Listen to your kid, give your opinion and then back off.

Finding a way to pay for everything is the biggest concern for parents with a college bound child. How can parents take advantage of financial aid opportunities available today?

College is unbelievably expensive. But there is financial aid available – even for middle class families. But you have to apply for it. That means filling out the FAFSA – the federal government’s online form. And it means filling out each individual college’s own financial aid form. (Many colleges use a common financial aid form called the CSS Profile, which is administered by the College Board folks.) Completing these forms is not pleasant. It is sometimes compared to root canal without anesthesia. But you have to do it. And you’ll probably be surprised: there is money out there. But if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

What messages in Getting In! are you hoping parents will take away after they’re done reading it?

It is more important to find the right college than it is to try to get into the so-called “best” school. Rankings have a use: they say something about a college’s brand recognition. But they are all subjective and inherently flawed. So use them with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Your kid will get in – hopefully to a college that is a good fit. And your child can do things to improve his or her chances of getting in. Start early, support them, and try not to go crazy pinning all your hopes on getting into one particular school.

For more info on Getting In! and to download Chapter 1 for free, become a fan of the Getting In! Facebook Page. If you’re looking to pick up a copy head over to Amazon where the book is currently available and in stock today!