The harvard admissions office states it plainly: "There is no formula for gaining admission to Harvard." Maybe not. But with the admission rates to top schools so daunting―10% at Harvard and Yale this spring―parents jump at anything they can do to improve the odds. Can they? The bottom line, confide former admissions officers who've had an inside view, is yes. Scads of ambitious parents believe that if there is a magic formula, it involves spending big bucks. So they shell out for $33,000 college placement services, $300-an-hour SAT tutors and $l,000-a-week summer enrichment programs, and ramp up giving to their alma mater. Prudent investments or wastes of money? Here are our tips for spending your pre-admission dollars wisely.
展开▼
