The summer after graduating from high school, Douglas Barry had a sudden realization followed by a pang of fear: In three months time, I am going off to college — and I don't know what to expect of the experience or of myself!

Not able to find the answers to these mysteries, he began collecting quotations from notable commencement speeches. He then sent letters to hundreds of accomplished people in a wide variety of fields asking them a set of questions that boiled down to this:

"What should I get out of college?"

What followed was a stunning surprise, and in the end, an extraordinary inspiration.

In Wisdom for a High School Grad, a diverse collection of accomplished individuals share their most candid memories and thoughtful advice on what it takes to make the most out of college, and out of yourself. Their compassionate and refreshingly personal guidance is truly universal in appeal. It is an inspiration to anyone, at any point in their academic career, who has a dream and a desire to make the most of college, and of their lives.

This amazing collection of personal letters and quotes from a wildly diverse group of accomplished individuals — George W. Bush, John Kerry, Regis Philbin, Ken Burns, John Travolta, The Dalai Lama, Harley Jane Kozak, Arthur Hiller, Chief Justice John Paul Stevens, and many more — provides an invaluable resource of real-life experience from those who've risen beyond their higher education.

With sincerity, humor, candor, purpose, encouragement, and delightful enthusiasm, over 100 successful individuals reveal their most important lessons and secrets for success — in college and in life.

Douglas Barry is a freshman at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. He maintained a 3.9 GPA throughout his four years at St. Joseph's Preparatory High School in Philadelphia, PA, where he contributed to the school literary magazine and ran track. He also surfs and plays the piano. Between semesters, he lives with his mom, dad and sister in New Jersey. This is his second book.

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