Editors at The New York Times asked a handful of college-admissions counselors for summer reading suggestions and the responses generated an interesting list.
Among the recommended books...
For students: The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids by Alexandra Robbins and Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting Into College by Sally P. Springer, Jon Reider, and Marion R. Franck.
For parents: The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness: Five Steps to Help Kids Create and Sustain Lifelong Joy by Dr. Edward M. Hallowell and How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough.
For everyone: The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College by Jacques Steinberg and The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore.
For the complete list of suggestions, see The Times article here.