About Jon

Jon Reider’s distinguished forty-year career in education includes serving for fifteen years as an admissions officer at Stanford University and eighteen years as Director of College Counseling at San Francisco University High School. After earning his PhD in Social Theory from Stanford, he co-founded and taught Stanford’s Structured Liberal Education Program and received the Walter J. Gores Award for Excellence in Teaching. A nationally known speaker, author, and essayist in the admissions field, Jon is widely cited in the media for his trusted, candid opinions and willingness to speak hard truths. He is a member of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling and has served as the chair of its Committee on Current Trends and Future Issues. Jon’s book, Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting into College, is widely considered the gold standard book for guiding students and parents through the college admissions process. Jon remains actively engaged in the college admissions field through advising educational groups and institutions. He continues to teach his popular “Admissions 101” course for Stanford’s Continuing Studies Program.