theHighlighter Matriculating Class 2031  ·  Bulletin No. 04  ·  September 2026

The Library

The shelf.

A small, opinionated collection of books we keep coming back to on selective American college admissions. Reporting, scholarship, and a few confessions.

Reading list · Class of 2030

Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You Dream SchoolJeffrey Selingo · 2025
Who Gets In and Why Who Gets In and WhyJeffrey Selingo · 2020
Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll BeFrank Bruni · 2015
The Years That Matter Most The Years That Matter MostPaul Tough · 2019
Excellent Sheep Excellent SheepWilliam Deresiewicz · 2014
The Price of Admission The Price of AdmissionDaniel Golden · 2007
Colleges That Change Lives Colleges That Change LivesLoren Pope · updated 2012
The Truth About College Admission The Truth About College AdmissionBarnard & Clark · 2019
A Is for Admission A Is for AdmissionMichele Hernandez · 1997
Acceptance AcceptanceDavid Marcus · 2008
Fiske Guide to Colleges 2027 Fiske Guide to Colleges 2027Edward Fiske · 2026–27 edition
The Chosen The ChosenJerome Karabel · 2005
Crazy U Crazy UAndrew Ferguson · 2011
The Hidden Ivies The Hidden IviesHoward & Matthew Greene · 2016
Fiske Guide to Getting Into the Right College Fiske Guide to Getting Into the Right CollegeEdward Fiske · 4th edition
There Is Life After College There Is Life After CollegeJeffrey Selingo · 2016
On Writing the College Application Essay On Writing the College Application EssayHarry Bauld · 25th anniv. ed., 2024
The Tyranny of Merit The Tyranny of MeritMichael Sandel · 2020
The Privileged Poor The Privileged PoorAnthony Abraham Jack · 2019
Creating a Class Creating a ClassMitchell L. Stevens · 2007

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More titles added each issue.