LI principal breaks down top college admission tips from the pros in new book

He really gets an A for effort.A Long Island principal is helping students land their dream schools, with a new book that offers the best tips and tricks for the admissions process as gleaned from interviews with staff at nearly 300 colleges.John Durante, who has worked at the nationally top-rated Syosset High School for 30 years, first realized how much help students need navigating the university entrance process when he and his daughters went through it themselves.In his new book, “Straight From The Admissions Office: Insider Strategies for College Applications,” he gives insights, such as impressing schools with your work experience, making sure to show leadership in a few activities instead of joining every club, and no matter what, let your personality come through.“I felt the stress first hand that parents feel with their kids,” said Durante.The book — which is a compilation of Durante’s audio series, “The College Admissions Process Podcast” — compiles what he’s gleaned from talks with representatives from universities such as Notre Dame, Emory, Duke, Brown, and hundreds more.He’s also aware that Long Island offers some of the most competitive schools in the nation.In 2024, US News & World Report listed eight Nassau public schools among New York’s top 50.Durante said the difficulty of such college competition really hit home during his daughter Julianna’s efforts to get into Connecticut’s Sacred Heart University, where she is now a senior.“High school didn’t come easy to her,” he said.

“So I was one of those parents that would help her by reaching out to the reps, asking the pointed questions.They gave me great tips, great insights.

And I thought maybe I’m on to something to help other families.”He stressed that involvement and leadership in extracurriculars — beyond just academic performance — is the key to standing out for kids, as “so many opportunities” are offered.“[Colleges] want to see the type ...