This is a very helpful book for a very specific type of parent for a very specific area. The book offers in depth advice to middle or upper class parents of teens who have been accepted to college and will be leaving for college for the first time, living away from home in dorms and working very little if at all.

The author worked extensively in colleges and seems to have had quite a lot of experience with helicopter parents who were trying to help their kids through their first semester of college, and that's really what this is for.

Rinere clearly has experience working on many campuses (including Ivy Leagues) and has helped parents who have tried to help their kids for years. She touches on topics like why kids shouldn't work much if any, what to do if your child has medical or psychiatric needs that you want to stay involved in since they will be 18 and you're suddenly out of the loop (there are lots of examples of kids who went off meds, had breakdowns, etc.), how to help your kid renegotiate a better grade, why your child should regularly meet with professors, how to handle roommate issues, etc. There is a great deal of very specific information on all the details of what your child should do in preparation for moving into the dorms, how they should handle time management, etc.

I found myself cringing at much of it, and so glad that none of my kids have chosen this kind of college path. Rinere talks about parents who take out second mortgages to pay the outrageous cost of their kids' tuition and put off their own retirement, talks about discussing with kids how much of their lives you're going to finance for the next 4+ years (Will you be paying for all of their tuition, books, food, clothing, shopping, recreation, etc. or just the majority? What standard of living will you be supporting for the next 4+ years? Ski vacations are mentioned.)

This is not a book for kids who want to take care of their own planning, or for kids who will be paying their own way through college, living at home and going to community college, doing distance learning or part time enrollment, going back to school later in life, balancing family and college, none of that. It's for young people whose parents will be paying for them to live at college and whose parents want to hold their hands as well as possible "launching" them there. The book does an excellent job of all of this for people in this situation.

My rating system:
1 = hated it
2 = it was okay
3 = liked it
4 = really liked it
5 = love it, plan to purchase, and/or would buy it again if it was lost

I read a temporary digital ARC of the book for the purpose of review.

A good book for any parent having a high school student prepare for college. Whether college is right for the student or not. How to prepare for the applications, filling out forms for finical aid and many other questions that come up. Once your student is accepted the book goes over classes choosing them and such. This I can say my daughter starting college this year just went to her freshman orientation and saw her advisor and she was given classes and found out that her sophomore year she will be able to choose her classes, so each school is different. The author talks about campus life and meeting with their advisor and professors. Also speaks of the parents and being empty nesters if that is the case for some. Overall a very good book and great information.

Parents of high school juniors and seniors will benefit greatly from reading this book, especially if this is their first child going to college. The author has a multitude of information about many aspects of preparing for college, and presents helpful lists of questions to ask. She highlights aspects of college that most parents would never think to ask about, but that may greatly enhance their student's experience. She explains the REAL cost of college and how not to be caught by surprise, as well as how to help your child find the best college fit for them. After the college has been chosen, she explains all the things that will come up in the summer before your student leaves, and helps the parents think about how to step back at the appropriate time and let the student find their place. She even provides support for the parent who is being left behind! And finally she addresses what to expect when that college student comes back home for the holidays. It is a very through and useful book. Rinere has convenient summaries at the end of each chapter to remind you of the main points, which I found very helpful.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an e-copy in exchange for an impartial review.

COUNTDOWN TO COLLEGE by Monique Rinere has a subtitle which says it all: the essential steps to YOUR CHILD'S (emphasis added) successful launch. And it is definitely geared to parents with suggestions like this (from a section titled "What if your child didn’t get in ..."): "They [admissions office] may say that they will only speak to applicants themselves, so be sure to engage your child in the process. If they want to initiate the call, all the better. But if they won't, they can hop on the phone if needed." With all of the recent news about college admission scandals, the emphasis on student involvement needs to be stronger. The same chapter as the one quoted above actually does a better job with an informative, non-judgmental discussion of gap years – our high school annually hosts one of the largest gap year fairs and the review of this option is helpful as interest is increasing.

Overall, COUNTDOWN TO COLLEGE is a pretty straight-forward resource. Certainly, many parents could benefit from more and better information about the college selection process in general. This title and similar guides could help to build knowledge about the system and how it works, but their appeal may be strongest for a fairly narrow set of parents. Many students, first generation ones in particular, need something which is more geared to the them.

As my son is a junior in high school, I cannot seem to read enough books looking at colleges, studying, etc. I am trying to soak up as much info as I can to help him prepare for everything that goes along with college and applying. This book has lots of great info that I made notes on to be referenced back to in the coming months.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Many books exist that espouse various ways to make sure your child's college application stands out so they get into their dream schools and how to ensure your child aces the scholarship competition. These books seem to stop at the application stage and do not address the important questions of how to navigate the time between receiving acceptance letters, move-in day, and even through the end of the first semester. Countdown to College: The Essential Steps to Your Child's Successful Launch by Monique Rinere tackles these questions and so many more. Monique Rinere speaks from experience as she has served as dean of advising, residential dean, and a myriad of other positions at Ivy League schools. She is currently Associate Vice President at The New School in Greenwich Village, New York City. Her experience with countless students allows her the opportunity to share first hand the questions that you never thought to ask but now will know are important to consider.

Countdown to College is divided into three parts. Rinere begins with the questions of how to choose the college your child will attend after the acceptance letters have been received. She proposes numerous questions to explore to help you decide between choice A and B or more. Questions include items about financial aid and deciding whether a college is a good "fit" for your child. After deciding on the one school, Rinere then turns to the questions and concerns that arise over the summer such as housing, medical, registration, orientation, and more. She also provides helpful hints on how to prepare your child for the changes in schedule they will find when heading to classes that meet a few times a week instead of the day-in and day-out schedule of high school. The final part focuses on the all important first semester. Rinere does not advocate helicopter parenting at all but does raise items that you as a parent can suggest your child look into or do on campus, particularly if they hit a snag. My favorite part of the book are the wonderful lists of questions and summaries that pepper the pages. In addition to addressing concerns related to your soon-to-be college freshman, Rinere does a wonderful job of exploring not only the questions pertaining to your child's future but also including questions and suggestions concerning what you as a parent, and potentially an empty nester, will do with all of the new found time you have. She encourages parents to use this time to re-engage in previous hobbies and discover new interests or to further dive into your professional life.

Countdown to College is a great resource to guide parents through the send-off time period. While not quite there yet, I look forward to having this book handy during that time period. This is a book I highly encourage purchasing as a print copy instead of digital. You will find there are sections you wish to underline or highlight or add a post-it note to so that you can find a portion when needed.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book Countdown to College via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

This book is really aimed at parents of high school seniors, who are wanting to go off to college. We already know that this generation is greatly unready for the rigors that they can can face both in class and out of it, living alone, without mom and dad to take care of day-to-day items. But getting your kids ready starts BEFORE they've graduated- and this book helps parents along the way, to see what skills your child will need both in and out of school, AND how to self-advocate for their self with advisors and teachers- no more helicoptering parent to the rescue! The book is unique in that it comes from one who has SEEN the issues affecting freshmen, and who knows what they colleges WANT from freshmen, for a different perspective, that will help YOU as parents see what skills your child may need work on, NOW. If you have a child about to start high school, I really would recommend reading this book now, so that you can help your child plan the next 4 years, to make the entry into college for all of you.

I have a daughter starting the College application process. This gave a lot of info I did not know. I am very glad I read this book.

My daughter is a junior in high school and we are evaluating colleges to find the best fit for her. COUNTDOWN TO COLLEGE offered exactly the right kind of advice to help me get a picture of what each school is really like and other strategies to make sure my daughter has a happy and successful college career. so glad I read it!

Countdown to College includes lots of useful, valuable information about the college application process and the beginning of college life. As I read I found myself wishing there were bullets or checklists at the beginning of each chapter to highlight the key points coming. I enjoyed the examples of real students used to illustrate many of the ideas in this book.

One thing that bothers me some is that Countdown to College is geared towards parents. I know that the parents will most likely be paying for at least a good portion of their child's college education, but I think the student should be one driving the process. Maybe each section could include student and parents to do lists.