Listen up! There's a new blog in town called “The Choice” and it's designed just for you…and your parents… and your high school guidance counselor… and your college admissions officer.  “The Choice” is a 360° view of college admissions with advice that is right on target for every player in the admissions game.  Jacque Steinberg, the blog's lead writer, says the goal of the new project is "to demystify and illuminate an American rite of passage that typically occurs behind closed doors, whether it’s the doors to the university admissions office, or those of the homes of the applicants themselves.”

In reading “The Choice”, you'll gain much-needed perspective, instead of scary headlines and insider details, instead of sensational statistics. For instance, Steinberg goes against the grain to discuss how admissions is super competitive, but only at the nation’s top “four dozen” colleges and universities. He points out that there are literally thousands of colleges that admit more students than they reject and some of them admit nearly everyone that applies.

I'm so excited to have a new kind of resource to share- one that promises well-rounded advice from students like you, parents like yours, and admissions experts who present facts behind the statistics.

What’s in it for you and your family?

• “The Envelope, Please”: Six real college applicants share their college selection experiences from acceptances to rejections to waitlists. You'll see how each of these students makes their big decision. If you want to share too, you are invited to post a comment or email your story for a chance to have your post published on “The Choice."
• “Your Money”: Students and parents learn how to plan for the costs of tuition and receive timely articles related to paying for college in the “Student Loan Guide” drawn from the “Times Topics” business section.
• A “Question and Answer” section: You and your parents can submit your burning college admissions questions to an expert panel. Get your questions ready about financial aid, the college selection process, how to improve your chances of getting off the waitlist and popular college admission advice and tactics. The expert panel will also talk about recent college admissions headlines and the latest news in higher education.