Faith Middleton Show: How To Find The Right College

In an age when some parents will pay more than $45,000 for college admissions counseling, and even some elementary schools host college fairs, Gwyeth Smith has made a national reputation by ignoring the conventions of the application ritual.  As a guidance counselor at Oyster Bay High, a diverse public school in Long Island, New York, "Smitty" (as he's known) urges students to see college not as an end, but a start.  He encourages "his" kids to view college not as an admissions prize, but a path to becoming a pediatrician, teacher, YouTube engineer - whatever their dreams may be.  Smitty's unorthodox approach is grounded in the principle that getting into college shouldn't just be about getting in; it should be a kid's first great moment of self-discovery.

This book about Smitty is an eye-opener and a lesson in how to match a young adult with the right school.  It's called Acceptance.

Author David L. Marcus, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and former education writer for U.S. News & World Report, watches Smitty work his unique magic on his students' applications and their lives.