Rating: 
Summary: Superb Book - 5 Stars
Review: As a senior who just got into college this year I read a bunch of books on admissions. Most were outdated (as in the authors had graduated 10 or more years ago) or contained mostly common sense advice. However, "Get Into Any College: Secrets Of Harvard Students" was neither dated nor uninformative. In fact, of the half dozen books I read "Get Into Any College" was the only one that provided me with actual advice and strategies that I could use to create a knock-out application. The book reads like a manual and when I was done I felt as if I had learned a whole new skill. The book reads so well that I finished the whole thing (over 250 pages) in one day - of course I didn't sleep until 4am! "Get Into Any College" was my constant companion for most of this year. I'm just glad I found it in time.
Thomas Sweeny
Rating:
Summary: very helpful
Review: As being an International student, I didn't know much about college application. In the past summer, I got three books on college application and essays. This is the one that I think the most helpful. I believe no matter who you are, there are so many tips that you might not know. The teachers' recommandation for example, it teaches you how to "help" your teacher to write an excellent one. Also, it has essays that worked and didn't. So you can see the difference between them. From reading this book, I've gained more confidence about the whole college application process. If you don't know much about what to do, get this book as soon as you can and you will find out that it is actually not that hard.
Rating:
Summary: This book really works!
Review: Dear Readers, This book really works. I was skeptical at first since I have bought books before and was disappointed at the results. But Get Free Cash For College is different. The list of awards are up-to-date and it's easy to find scholarships that fit. The strategy guide is simply indispensable. There are a lot of good tips on how to make a strong application. I used the guide while applying for 10 awards that I found in the book. Last week I won my 4th award and still have yet to hear back from 4 others. This is simply a great book and I recommend it to anyone who needs money for college.
Rating:
Summary: What a Lucky Break!
Review: Dearest nervous, jittery, college applicants, I'm the living, breathing proof that one need not be an academic superstar in order to make it into the college of their dreams. .... Who would have thought that someone like me would end up among the academically elite of Harvard? If I had relied solely upon my highschool grades, as I believed every college would, then I might never have known the potential I possessed to excell. I didn't realize that a bad home life was affecting my grades, and I was convinced that the C-'s I got would overshadow the 1540 I received on my SAT's. I owe a lot to this incredible book and it's practical advice, because the first thing it pointed out to me was that grades aren't the definitive deciding factor for <I>any</I> college. Personal essays, recommendations and SAT scores (though, the latter isn't always important), are often what allows students with ho-hum grades to get into the most prestigious colleges in the country. At the time my measly 3.4 convinced me that I was bound for DVC or some other junior college, but the moment I began reading the book(on the recommendation of a friend)I realized there was hope for me yet. I highly recommend going out and buying this book, which will shed light on avenues you may have thought were closed to you forever.
Rating:
Summary: A book full of top notch advices!
Review: I am a parent of three college-bound high schoolers. This book is extremely practical. I highly recommend it. The best parts are chapters 5 through 7 on the essay writing. Chapter 4 on getting the right evaluation letters is also excellent. Get a copy. You won't regret it!
Rating:
Summary: My bible throughout this year -- really!
Review: I have both Get Into Any College and Get Free Cash For College and I also heard Gen and Kelly speak at my school last month. I highly recommend both books. I used their admissions book to finish my applications and I have just started using the scholarship book to find awards and apply. The advice is clear and easy to follow. I also like the fact that there are a lot of examples of applications and essays. The scholarship book is also helpful since it lists awards and has many chapters on how to write a strong scholarship application. Overall, I am very happy with both books and recommend them to any senior who is going to college or needs scholarship money.
Rating: 
Summary: OK
Review: I haven't throughly read through the book. However, I have breifly examined most of the chapters, but have not come across any amazing, new, or non-explicit information. Most of the advice is simply common sense acquired by most high schoolers through different programs, lectures, seminars, etc. If you are new or not currently preparing for admissions, the book would probably help direct you in a proper direction. However, after recently finishing my sophmore year in high school, I was impressed. I have read a few colleges-admission books, and I strongly, emphaticaly, and rigidly recommend "A is for Admission" by Michele Hernandez. She worked, as an admissions officer or director (not sure of the exact position), for around twenty years at Dartmouth. She takes you into the highly-selective Ivy League admissions office. The book provides sample applications, sample discussions of admissions officers, and other valuable information. Buy it! PS: I am not "A is for Admission" for monetary reasons ;) Also, if you are really interested in admissions, check out the collegeconfidential.com discussion boards.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: I've read the book and heard Jim and Lisa speak at a free seminar in southern California. I can't even begin to explain how insightful and useful the information in their book is to college admissions. My daughter Jen kept this book on her desk the entire time she completed her applications. What makes this book so useful is the philosophy of Jim and Lisa which is rather than approach admissions from an admissions officer's point of view they do it from the student's point of view. Showing how students HAVE gotten into college and distilling their successes and failures into solid principles proved invaluable for my daughter. This is very different than other books written by former admissions officers and I don't know of any other like it. Jim and Lisa are real pros and it's nice to know that students can turn to their book for guidance. I don't know how Jen could have finished her apps without it. Highly Recommended
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Resource - 5 Stars!
Review: My name is Robert Forsgard and I am a recently retired admissions offer from a private university on the east coast. I have read nearly all of the books on college admissions and have found most to be helpful (a few harmful) but none more useful than this book. Let me first say that I was interviewed by the authors of this book during their initial research. However, I am not otherwise affiliated with the book, its authors, or the publishing company and I have never received any payment from them. One of the most frustrating aspects of my job was the fact that we received so many poor applications from otherwise good students. You could tell from the transcripts and grades and recommendations that these were bright young men and women. But, when it came to completing the application they utterly failed. As an educator I am a firm believer that the more you know the better you'll do. Just like studying for a test, putting some effort toward learning how to present yourself in a college application can make the difference between acceptance and rejection. There are few books like this one that show you how to create a strong application. By showing what a well written application and essay look like this book is an effective tool for helping students navigate the admissions process. This book shows you what a model application looks like, which common mistakes to avoid, and how to fit your best qualities into the format of the application. Frankly, a large number of the applicants we reject are fine students who would do well in our school. However, because they could not compose an application that showcased their strengths we had no choice but to reject them. If every student who applied to our college had read a book like this my job would have been a thousand times more difficult. Robert Forsgard
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Resource - 5 Stars!
Review: My name is Robert Forsgard and I am a recently retired admissions offer from a private university on the east coast. I have read nearly all of the books on college admissions and have found most to be helpful (a few harmful) but none more useful than this book. Let me first say that I was interviewed by the authors of this book during their initial research. However, I am not otherwise affiliated with the book, its authors, or the publishing company and I have never received any payment from them. One of the most frustrating aspects of my job was the fact that we received so many poor applications from otherwise good students. You could tell from the transcripts and grades and recommendations that these were bright young men and women. But, when it came to completing the application they utterly failed. As an educator I am a firm believer that the more you know the better you'll do. Just like studying for a test, putting some effort toward learning how to present yourself in a college application can make the difference between acceptance and rejection. There are few books like this one that show you how to create a strong application. By showing what a well written application and essay look like this book is an effective tool for helping students navigate the admissions process. This book shows you what a model application looks like, which common mistakes to avoid, and how to fit your best qualities into the format of the application. Frankly, a large number of the applicants we reject are fine students who would do well in our school. However, because they could not compose an application that showcased their strengths we had no choice but to reject them. If every student who applied to our college had read a book like this my job would have been a thousand times more difficult. Robert Forsgard
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