Rating: 
Summary: Buy this book and follow the advice to the letter!
Review: How does an average dude get into Harvard and MIT? By following Richard Montauk's advice to the letter. I'm not exaggerating, this is a money guide full of great insight and advice on all phases of the B-school application process. I didn't buy any other book, b/c the other ones I thumbed thru were basically crap (stating the obvious, boring, etc). Try this book. If you follow Richard's advice to a T you will not be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: Extremely Helpful
Review: I had prepared several essay responses before I was informed that help like this book existed. I purchased 2 books on preparing applications and read them both. After reading them, I scraped my first set of essays and started over. By the end of completing my 4th application, I found that I was relying exclusively on this book as a guide. I have been accepted and will attend Kellogg. I had considered this school a "stretch" school before applying. This book definitely helped in this achievement.
Rating:
Summary: Everything you need to get into a top ten
Review: I know 4 people who've used this book. Harvard, Wharton, Columbia, and Columbia (myself). What more evidence do you need of its efficacy?
Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: If you use this book, you will never need to even use your brain to get into the top programs. I know three people who've used this book. They got into Harvard, Columbia, and Columbia (myself). What better evidence of its effectiveness do you need?
Rating: 
Summary: Outdated book
Review: I have applied to about 10 MBA programs. A lot of work and stress to complete all the requirements (essays, GMAT, letter of recos, interviews..). Indeed, I am so glad to be done...let's wait for the results! This book has been somehow disappointing. First of all, I bought it since consumer reviews were quite positive..but most of them dated 1998 or 1999. This book has been written almost 5 years ago and some of the perspective are quite outdated since competition for admission is now even harder and Admission offices have changed some of their requirements. Second, this book has been written by someone who has never completed an MBA dossier. While reading it, I have missed a lot of insights that will probably make the difference in the application process. Anyway, good luck to all of you.
Rating: 
Summary: Good start point
Review: I found the book very helpful in two stages of the MBA application process. First, when I wondered about what's an MBA all about and the basics of how do you get in. I found excellent advice in the book and I consider it as the best review in the subject I have read (and beleive me I read a lot...). Finally, when I wrote my essays, I found extremely useful the last section of the book, where you could find several examples of essays from people from the most diverse backgrounds. I have been recently admitted in two fine MBA program in the U.S. and I think that this guide helped me to get started and to know better how to approach the essays. I think though, that the book is just a start and a support for the process. Don't think that the book is going to do the job for you! If you are serious about seeking an MBA and you would like to hear an opinion on the process from some other than your friends, you MUST buy this book.
Rating:
Summary: It is NOT a must buy
Review: I bought this book to prepare my application to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton and Columbia. I have to admit that I was very disappointed since I found a lot of obvious advice. There are a lot of sample essays but no in-depth analysis and comments were provided. Last, this book is a bit out-of-date. Also, it does not provide any information on school specifics so that I could position differently my application for each targeted school
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This book is now outdated and not very helpful. Looking forward to get my money back!!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent with few reservations
Review: This book is excellent. It helps you from square one. It gives you worksheets to help you get your plan of attack together. Very insightful and detailed. My copy is completely tatered! My only reservation about this book is it didn't cover enough of the schools and the essays chosen were from people who seemed to have exceptional experience - or maybe that's the point! Still, I don't work on my essays without referring to this book.
Rating:
Summary: The definitive source for MBA wanna-be's.
Review: Make no mistake about it a poor GMAT and an undergraduate GPA below a 2.5 put a candidate at a disadvantage to getting into the top MBA programs. However, for those who have taken the steps to become successful in life will find this an excellent source for conveying what makes them an outstanding candidate. I would recommend buying and reading this book far in advance of the time which a student is going to apply, due to the wealth of data on making you a much stronger applicant when you still have time to do so and before those horrible applications, complete with essays, are due. And yes more than enough help can be found as to how to pick a strategy, construct clear and concise essays, and to exhibit who you really are to the admissions committees. (They really do want to know!!!). I was accepted into several schools, and my top choice. One caveat, the book will show you the way to success, but the road is a long arduous one. Travel with this map (Montauk's Book), you will be glad you did.
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