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Summary: Great examples of winning essays and applications
Review: I highly recommend this book because of all the examples taken from Mr. Kaplan's winning scholarship appications. Without seeing those specific examples and reading about the thought process that went into them, I would have made a ton of application mistakes without even realizing it. But after seeing the examples, I really understood what Mr. Kaplan means by painting your own portrait, and showing who you are, not just what you've done. The library of winning essays and applications alone (including many examples from scholarship winners other than Mr. Kaplan) makes this book well worth the cover price.
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Summary: This book is awesome
Review: I was skeptical at the beginning (my mom got the book for me), thinking that scholarships were only for Ivy League, student government types. Since I haven't gotten particularly good grades or test scores, I didn't think I had a chance. But what I like about this book is how it showed me exactly how to take my record, build upon it strategically, and make my scholarship applications something that really gets noticed. I thought I had no hope of winning scholarships, but I've already won two scholarships, and I'm hoping more are on the way! This book totally saved the day!
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Summary: What about the run-of-the-mill kid?
Review: Mr. Kaplan does a good job at describing the methods that worked for him, and certainly communicated the persistance that is necessary to garner awards of the level he received. However, the real secrets aren't really articulated, just hinted: first, have the grades, test scores and recommendations which qualify for Harvard admission. Second, be a ranked athlete. Third, lead, as editor, a high-school newspaper which has national-level recognition. Fourth, have remarkable writing skills. It's clear to me that superlative skills such as his are prerequisites for the types of awards he received. Most of us need a practical guide for the 'pretty good student, pretty good athlete, all-around-good-kid'. Is there any help for us?
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Summary: Perfect Book For Parents and Students
Review: For the sake of your college bound child, don't say that you 'almost' read this book--your child could be missing an important lifetime opportunity for higher education! Take advantage of Mr. Kaplan's research and personal experience, written in a highly readable format that both you and your child will navigate with confidence. The book is simply a great reference tool that my daughter refers to regularly in her scholarship search and preparation.
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Summary: Do not get this book if you are a grad student
Review: I have been researching ways to find grad school scholarship money, and this book was not helpful. The author did give some helpful tips, but they were mainly common sense strategies. This book is aimed mainly for high school students, so I do not suggest buying it if you are looking for money for grad school.
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Summary: Great, user-friendly guide!
Review: I first read about Mr. Kaplan's book in the New York Times and USA Today. The articles correctly identified Mr. Kaplan as America's Leading Authority on winning scholarships. Kudos for a well written guide to financing college--a must buy for any high school student looking to get ahead.
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Summary: Get This Book
Review: This book is totally useful. It's definitely NOT one of those books that you put on your shelf, and never look at again. I refer to it all the time when filling out scholarship applications because it shows me exactly how to put myself in the best light for scholarship judging, and has lots of examples that help me figure out what to write about and emphasize. Get this book, and you won't be disappointed!
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Summary: Worth Every Penny
Review: Ditto to the other reviews. This book is definitely worth every penny--and more. It's extremely informative, and is simply the kind of book you can't afford not to have. Me and my daughter have been working through all the examples, and the book is written in such a straightforward and relaxed way that it's actually fun to read. You can tell that the author has experienced first-hand everything he writes about. The book also has an excellent section on how parents can help their children with scholarships.
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Summary: A Terrific Resource
Review: How To Go To College Almost For Free is really a terrific book. I had no idea that so many college scholarships are out there, let alone how to win them. The book is especially well organized. It's like you're learning a sport, and the author takes you through the "rules" of the game, the key strategies, and the details of how the game is played by scholarship winners. It also has tons of examples from actual winning entries. I totally recommend it!
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Summary: The only scholarship book you need.
Review: I'm a college student who doesn't qaulify for a lot of financial aid from my school, so I've basically seen every type of scholarship book out there. I can tell you that "How to Go to College Almost for Free" is the ONLY scholarship book you need to get. The book has everything you need, including how to find scholarships, how to fill out winning applications, and how to avoid the common pitfalls. Before I got this book I thought I was going to have to take a term off from school to earn money. But after following its step by step instructions, I won 4 scholarships in a matter of months and not only paid for my tuition but had money left over to cover my books and fees.
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