Who Is This Kid? Colleges Want to Know! - Crew Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Who Is This Kid? Colleges Want to Know! from The Critical Thinking Co. gives high school students writing exercises for winning applications. Students will use these writing exercises to discover what kind of student they are and they will use what they learn about themselves as they search for colleges, write college applications, write essays, take college tours, and as they interview online or in-person. These writing exercises help students separate themselves from other students who are applying to the same college or university.

Part I is a student self-assessment. In the part, students are given writing exercise that really make them stop and think about who they are as a person and as a student. They begin by writing five adjectives that describe them according to their mother, father, friend, and self. Students will write about three important events in their life and why the event is important to them. They will list their favorite band/musician, book, video game, TV show, movie, quote, and word. They will write about three people who have influenced them the most. They will list their student interests and write half pages giving examples from school or out-of-school activities. As you can see from the pictures below, there is plenty of writing space for the student.

After going through these self-assessment writing exercises, students take a 10-Step Campus Culture Quiz to think about what kind of college would be the best match for who they are.

Part II provides college search worksheets. Throughout these pages (23-82) students fill-in the blanks as they search colleges.

Part II also provides college fair worksheets, college preparation worksheets, and campus visit worksheets. After completing these worksheets, students make a list of their top ten colleges.

Part III provides an application organizer that helps students keep up with application deadlines, essays, and interviews. This part includes five essay exercises and a list of example questions for the college interview.

After graduating two daughters from our homeschool, I can tell you, after the dean has read high school transcript and test scores, students are in the group of “qualified” students who have met the necessary academics to do the work; but their application is the first thing the college reads from the student. The purpose of a college admission essay is to help the admission dean get to know the student. No matter the question, the college wants to know the student’s personal opinion. They want to know to know if that student is an interesting person, a good student, and a hard worker, who will bring their own way of thinking to the college campus.

Part IV provides college admission calendars to help the student throughout their Junior and Senior year in high school. This is a great resource for every high school student pursing college!

When I completed the Vendor Interest Form for this review, I thought it would help me with Kaylee; but after flipping through its pages, I was not be able to use it with her because she has been accepted to her first college choice. So, I will be using this book with Isabelle as she begins her freshman year because we are seriously considering dual-enrollment and this book will help us determine where to begin dual-enrollment and where to pursue her degree.

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