A Is for Admission : The Insider's Guide to Getting into the Ivy League and Other Top Colleges

Michele A. Hern㌻dez

1 Excellent Depth, But Somewhat Limited.
I loved this book. It fully put Ivy League Admissions into perspective for me. However, I found it only be of limited use. For one, it assumes that you are still in high school or that you at a point in high school where you can make significant changes to your GPA. It seemed like a book geared toward freshmen who are just getting started in their goal setting. It can still be useful to juniors and seniors, but in this respect, I'd consider it more of in the category of something parents should read PRIOR to senting their kids to high school. In fact, they should probably start in elementary school, since middle school should be practice for high school.

The section on transfer admissions was terrible. I'm a transfer student and nearly completely left out. So, I had to do my own researching to supplement this gap. You see, for the elite among the California state schools (UC Berkely, UCLA, UCSD, etc.), transferring from a community college is easier than freshman admission as UC's give preference to qualified community college grads. However, with this Ivy League the exact opposite it true. If you want to transfer to an Ivy League school, it's pretty much a far reach and can be more competitive than even freshmen admissions as there are an even larger number of freshmen competing for an even smaller number of openings.

The idea of getting a counselor recommendation was also a bit off-course, as not all school use the personal counselor system and some use "educational advisors" instead. And if you're already in college and far from your hometown, it's pretty hard to get in touch with a retired high school counselor to write you a letter of rec.

Still, overall, the book was pretty good. It gave an honest take on the nature of affirmative action, sports, and legacy in admission decisions and it provided a good starting point in assessing whether or not one has a real chance and how to improve one's chances. I'd recommend it, but I'd also recommend reading other books in addition to this, especially for the part on the admissions essay.

2 Best college admissions book yet
This was the kind of book that motivated me and had me taking notes as soon as I started reading. It demystified the process that most books only make more confusing. Michele Hernandez's background in college admissions and her generous will to share her secrets help to make the book seem believable and trustworthy. She is clearly an excellent writer and keeps the mood of the book light, making admissions seem less intimidating. The organization is easy to read and understand, especially when the author goes through an application step-by-step. The book dispels common rumors and shows kids that they don't have to be legacies or academic geniuses to get into competitive schools, giving them the confidence they need to shine in the application process. The author gives specific advice to "average" kids to give them the edge they might need to get in to a competitive school. She even includes a list of guidelines, starting in freshman year, to help future applicants plan to feel good about their applications and accomplishments by the time they get to senior year and the sometimes frustrating admissions process. By using the AI formula and statistics included, one will have a better idea of the probability of their acceptance into a top school or what they need to do to get there. Overall, I thought the author covered all topics of admission well, from both the admissions officers' and students' points of view, and invoked confidence in high-school readers in a straightforward fashion. A is for Admission was easily the best college admissions book I've read.

3 Well written and well organized; useful and informative
This book struck me as being just as advertised. An admissions officer who also has the benefit of being a graduate of the school that employs her, Dartmouth, set out a road map for anyone interested in understanding how highly selective schools evaluate prospective students. She was careful to point out which of the rating formulas and techniques were specific to Dartmouth or the Ivies and which were generally used by most or all of the highly selective schools. She explained the philosophy behind various subjective rating factors without being strident about their social engineering purposes. She covered all the major topic areas concisely and in a well organized fashion. The writing style was straightforward and easy to read.

If you're interested in this topic at all, this book is well worth reading.

4 College Admission Secrets Revealed
This book claims to reveal admission secrets of the ivy league colleges, such as the so called "Academic Index" they use in evaluating an applicant's academic strength. Although most of the "secrets" do sound convincing, whether the they are definitely true or not, I do not know. Nontheless, the book contains plenty of useful and valuable tips on college application process which make it almost a MUST buy for a high schooler shooting for the top colleges in the nation. Some informations are slightly outdated.

5 Let us read the GOOD book
This book is a must read for high school students or even jr high kids who want to have a vice grip on their college admissions. As a high school senior who read this after most of my applications were already turned in, I realized there was so much I could have done to organize my entire high school career and even stuff I could have done in jr. high to streamline the college admissions process. I've made lots of mistakes but after reading this, I understand better what colleges are looking for.

For all of those hopeful prospective college students, best wishes.

For the best book on writing college essays and writing in general, another bible to get is, On Writing the College Application Essay by Harry Bauld. The most unique way to shine above the tens of thousands of applicants is your essay. Take heed and delve into the wisdom of this book.

For the actual steps in handling an actual college application with meticulous detail that goes far beyond the general guidelines, also get Michele's Acing the College Application. Having an excellent academics and passions is worthless if you can't present it in an attractive manner. That's what this book is for.

6 Demystifying, informative look at the application process
College applications are a mystifying process. With directions often never exceeding a sentence or two, students are often left with the question "Well, what exactly DO they want from me?" Well, this book tells you.

Mrs. Hernandez's brutally honest look into the application process lays everything out crystal clear for the reader to see. As they say, knowing is half the battle, and knowing how top colleges look at your application let you tailor your application so that the best qualities of you are shown. It also offers plenty of good advice on what to do if you're a NKB (Nice kid, but...) and aren't one of those people with a 1600 and have published their own bestselling novel.

The only warning I would have is that college admissions has gotten exponentially harder over the past 5 years since this book was published, and what is said in the book about Academic 7, 8 and 9's (i.e. the most academically qualified)isn't as true as it was five years ago. Current academic 7 8 9's would do well to take a look at the advice given to 4, 5, 6's as nothing is guaranteed in today's crapshoot that we call college admissions. Particularly, I feel the essay has become more and more important in differentiating between top qualified students.

Parents ought to start reading this book before their kid is in high school, so they can sort of guide their children in the right direction, but please please PLEASE don't give this book to kids until the start of their summer before senior year. I would shudder to think of a kid whose entire four years of high school were spent scheming about how to get into Harvard; high school is simply not a stepping stone into college, it's a time of learning to be taken in it's own right.

Overall, this was truly a wonderful book written in a straightforward, easily readable fashion that did loads for me in taking much of the guesswork out of college apps. Combine this with Harry Bauld's book on writing the college essay to truly make your application stand out. Also, if you plan on doing the Common Application, check out her other book on the Common Application. I haven't read it, but any little advantage you can get will only help you into getting into your first choice school.

7 Very Informative
I am an assiduous student who is working to get into Princeton University. This book is mostly for those wanting into Dartmouth, but it can surely be applied to other colleges as well. The thing that was best was an explanation of the AI (Academic Index). Ms. Hernandez, however, was a less than adequate writer. Her writing was not very good, as is testified by other reviewers before me. Still, it was a good book, well worth 4 stars.

8 Excellent book with more insights than any other I have read
Many reviewers indicated this is the best book on the subject. I agree. Why is it better than the other ones? There are several reasons, as described in the following paragraphs.

The author is a true insider, as she was an admission officer at Dartmouth for four years. She uncovers many insights about Ivy League admission that the other books do not.

By reading this book, you will get an in depth knowledge about peculiar formulas used by the Ivies, including the Academic Index, and its subset the Converted Rank Score (CRS). The CRS indicates that the Ivies do not care so much about GPAs, which at the top level does not differentiate between candidates, but they care instead about class rank.

Another factor that is key is the strength of your curriculum (honors and AP classes). If you took easy classes to get As, forget it, your 4.0 GPA will be discounted accordingly.

According to the author, test scores are crucial. They account for 2/3 of the Academic Index points. And, academic factors account for 70 to 85% of the overall admission decision. Also, the SAT IIs are as important as the SAT Is. This is a fact most ignore by over preparing for the SAT Is by spending big bucks on prep classes (Princeton Review, Kaplan, etc...) , but not spending much energy on preparing for the SAT IIs. This is a major strategic error.

It goes without saying that the Ivy League is incredibly competitive. The average SAT score of the Dartmouth freshman class is 1415! So, to distinguish yourself as a better than average applicant you have to score over 1430 on your SATs and do equally well on your SAT IIs. Obviously, this is no small feat for common mortals.

What makes the admission game even harder is that so many applicants get accepted under preferential treatments. About 39% of the freshman class at Dartmouth got in under such favored status. These include athletes on scholarship, legacy students, VIPs, and minorities. If you are among any of these groups, it will be significantly easier for you to get in; otherwise, refer to the paragraph just above.

The acceptance rate between applicants coming from public schools and private ones is virtually the same. So, save your money for college tuition. Expensive elite private schools do not have an inside track to the Ivies, regardless of what they say in their ads.

If you are on the Wait List, or are a Transfer applicant, unless you are very idealistic and bounce back well from setbacks, you better forget it. Both situations stack the odds against you big time.

A much more favorable position is to be a strong candidate and go the Early Admission or Decision route. The author shares excellent data indicating that in all cases with all the Ivy League schools the acceptance rate during the ED period is nearly double the one during the regular period.

Another excellent characteristic of this book is that the author shares a most balanced perspective on extra curricular factors, including: community involvement, essay, letter of recommendation, and interview. Essentially, if you are a top-notch applicant, these factors will really not matter much. If you are a not so good one, it won't matter either. You will not make the cut. But, if you are in the grey area, then a brilliant essay, great letter of recommendations, out of this world interview may be tipping points in your favor. Yet, all of those intangibles may not even help you out if you are Wait listed.

In conclusion, this is an excellent book that gives you a most realistic assessment of what the admission process is like at Ivy League schools. There are really no tricks, no short cuts, you just have to be a world-class student. As described, you will get much insight about this mysterious admission process. But, better awareness does not mean you can crack the game. In this respect, this book is a cut above other ones who convey that an excellent essay or excellent letter of recommendation can make up for relative mediocrity in the more important academic areas. This is just not true. And, this book tells you why.

9 High grades do not necessarily indicate intellectual curious
Michele Hernandez makes certain assertions that are important:

Some admissions officers are not representative or equal to the candidates they are admitting and do not reflect the values of the faculty at their Ivy institutions.

Some admissions officers are biased against children of well-educated, upper class parents.

Key lessons include the reality of how the regular admissions process works backwards from how many spots there are available after early decisions, legacies and athletes. She uses real results and real numbers to show how pools of applicants from certain high schools fare.

One assertion that I find troublesome is that the Ivies are looking for intellectually curious people. Observing the graduates suggest that most do not emerge as intellectually curious. Most Ivy graduates do not become Ph.D.s and many do not seem to work hard during college. So have the admittees fooled the admissions officers? Or have the Ivies turned the intellectually curious into burned out students who are not intellectually curious? Some other schools such as Chicago and Reed are easier to get into but the average graduate of those institutions is generally more intellectually curious than the average Ivy Leaguer. Do Chicago-Reed undergraduates self-select? Do Chicago-Reed undergraduates become more intellectually curious during their college years?

While she spends a fair amount of space on Ivy athletes and clearly communicates how athletes must be able to do the work, she does not differentiate among athletic gradations. She asserts that some Ivy individual athletic teams are comparable to or superior to those at other schools. She suggests that athletes are now unable to get in who would have been admitted in the past. Most Ivy athletic performance levels are below those of other Division I schools. To the aspiring Ivy athlete who is a legitimate Division I athlete elsewhere in most sports in most Ivy League schools this individual could make the team and play, assuming they could handle the academics. Compared to other schools few Ivy Leaguers play beyond college.

10 Straight As may not prove intellectually curious
Michele Hernandez makes certain assertions that are important:

Some admissions officers are not representative or equal to the candidates they are admitting and do not reflect the values of the faculty at their Ivy institutions.

Some admissions officers are biased against children of well-educated, upper class parents.

11 A Book Truly Giving Insight
If you are looking into the elite schools, this is the perfect book to have. Granted, some of the ideas in it are now outdated because colleges have become so much more selective over the past few years, but this book gives you the tools to get into the college that you want to go to. It gives a TRUE insiders prospective on what makes the difference in an application, specifically those things you haven't thought about in the past.

12 Everything you could ever want to know!
This book answers every trying question in a young college bound person's mind. Every small thing that is looked for and other things that are not liked are let known to the public. Simply brilliant!

13 still the gold standard for college admissions
As a parent who not only just went through the admissions process but who also read almost every book ever written on selective college admissions, I can say that this book is simply the best. I was surprised at the immature review that cited weak verbal skills -- not true and an unwarranted ad hominem attack that makes me think the author wrote a competing book! Hernandez keeps her style chatty/breezy which is a good thing considering that many of the issues about standardized test scores, test norming and rank can be maddeningly complex. What the book is is READABLE and CLEAR. Hernandez manages to make even subjects like the history of the SAT interesting and once you realize how crucial standardized testing is in Ivy admissions, you'll realize why she spends so much time on the subject. For those who claimed the book doesn't give you a blueprint for applying, that's not the goal of this book. A is for Admission clearly lays out the admissions process at the Ivies from the day your file arrives to the day your file is evaluated and commented upon. For those who want to actually write winning applications, Hernandez' new book Acing the College Application covers that subject as does Bauld's book on the college essay. Those two are the finest "how to" books on actually filling out applications. Or you could do what we did and hire Hernandez who just guided us personally through the application process and helped our son fulfill his life long dream of attending Dartmouth College. I'm happy to say that the author's personality matches her clear and helpful writing style. A must have book for all students and parents even considering the Ivy League schools.

14 INFORMATIVE BUT UNHELPFUL
Demystifies the admissions process but can't help you at all with admission. Anyone considering applying to a selective college should read this book to understand the admissions process, but the book lacks examples to help you judge your chances. And reading this book can't help you at all with admission.

15 Verbal Skills in the Second Quartile
This is not a bad book. To hear any "inside" account of the admissions process is illuminating. As an outsider, I can only credit the author's arguments when they seem to have the ring of truth. For example, the importance of standardized test scores is argued convincingly. She explains the difficulties of using other metrics (high school transcripts, essays, etc.), and the angst felt by admissions officers who juggle these imprecise and contradictory pieces of information.

Hernandez also makes a wonderful point about the weak and clich仕 application essay. Her examples of stand-out essay subjects, like an essay about the killing and eating of a squirrel, provide interesting examples of originality. (Though one wonders whether they would appeal to all admissions officers.)

Sadly, it's not the well-written book one would expect from a Dartmouth graduate. This undercuts the author's credibility (as well as casting doubt on the value of a Dartmouth education). It does bolster the author's own argument that admissions officers are not the cream of the Ivy League crop.

I got off to a bad start with this book early in Chapter 2 (p.12), where I learned that "Those who are gifted in math but who are weak readers and writers will ultimately stand a lesser chance of acceptance at top colleges (unless they apply to ... MIT)". Oh, MIT has no standards?

In criticizing the pre-1995 SAT scoring, the author says, "...ETS had to extrapolate at the extreme ends of the scale based on their own judgment, one that seems not to have been based on hard data. I do not mean to criticize their procedures, but there seems to be a disturbing lack of mathematical method...it almost sounds as if they had to fudge the data..." Well, if this were true, it would be a fascinating story, and criticism would be in order! But Hernandez does not explain sufficiently. Perhaps she assumes the reader can't handle the logic involved, but one suspects she doesn't understand the issue herself.

Be prepared for informal and chatty writing, like this sentence: "Besides, Dartmouth is the only Ivy League college that I know of that even asks for a peer letter" (p. 141). Yikes! Is that how they write in the Ivy League? Or: "I can say without a doubt that academic 4s are usually not weak students..." (p. 82). Huh? Run that by me again?

Her writing is heavy with use of the personal pronoun. The useful description of the process (what you want to know) is mingled with personal opinions about how the process ought to work, and it takes some effort to disentangle the two. While her criticisms are sometimes interesting, they don't form a coherent theme, and often come across as random, flippant complaints.

If the author's verbal skills are lagging, what about her math? We learn (p. 65) the interesting fact that .0458 = 67. The discussion of the "academic index" computation (ch. 6) may or may not be correct, but it's written with a lack of grace and clarity, putting this reader to sleep.

The book reads like a rough draft. But if you know little about college admission, you will benefit from this inside view.

16 An Excellent Guide to the Process
Michelle Hernandez wrote an excellent guide to the college application process. It is by no means the only book that one should buy, but it does provide a worthwhile glimpse into the mind of an admissions officer. Seeing what admissions officers value (not simply tennis or football, but questions of attitude and the like) will enable applicants to think about their applications and make changes to them before sending them in. Additionally, having just completed the process (successfully, I might add), I cannot agree enough with the idea that much of the desperation that surrounds the college application proces must die down. Nevertheless, a well written and informative work that will not get you in on its own, but will help you understand how to help yourself.

17 Good guidance but a little discouraging
This book provides expert guidance and useful tips, but as a 15 year old sophomore looking to go to Stanford (or likes of), it's a little discouraging. I'm a straight A student and I am involved in lacrosse and volunteering, but some of the featured examples were of students that were nearly perfect that got rejected. But like I said, the guidance she gives is useful and very goal oriented. I hope that by using this book I can get into a great college.

18 College, Here I Come!!
I found this book extremely helpful in my quest to get into an Ivy League college. It explains what the colleges are looking for in your class ranking (The higher to the top the better), the truth about minority students (They have to meet a certian quota of them), The truth about AI (Used to figure out if you will be accepted into an Ivy league), and many more helpful hints. This book also gives you sugestions on what to do on those high school years leading up to college that look good on your application. A is for Admission tells you the dos and don'ts of essays and interviews. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

19 Disappointed.
I've heard many good things about this book, but I was disappointed. First, it focuses mostly on Dartmouth (90%), somewhat on the other Ivies (9%), and very little on other colleges (1%). If you're interested in Dartmouth, this book is all good. If you're interested in any other college, then this book isn't very helpful.

Second, this book focuses on admissions numbers-statistics, indices, and so forth. Not a lot of advice is given for the non-number areas of the admissions process. If you have great numbers (class rank, test scores), then you'll read this book and be happy. Everyone else will say "but what about me?" and "what should I do?" Hernandez doesn't really answer those questions.

Third, the book isn't incredibly well-written-it can be VERY BORING and gets bogged down in obtuse explanations. Some of the facts are off and some of the stuff just seems irrelevant.

Hernandez has some very specific experience and very specific advice-this book is best used to see if your class rank and test scores match up to Dartmouth's numbers from the mid-90s-or you can just buy a college guide (Fiske, Princeton) from this year and get better info. I read two other books, both of which were BETTER. Bill Paul's book (Getting In) gives a better overview, but it lacks details-it's a nice book to skim through quickly. Andrew Allen's book (College Admissions Trade Secrets) also gives a better overview and provides TONS of details and it applies to lots of schools. Of course, Allen shreds some schools, so he might annoy you. Either way, those books were more helpful to me than A is for Admission.

20 Excellent book
This book is excellent and really provides an inside look at getting into the top schools. I am the author of The ABC's of College Life, which is a hip, street-smart guide for college bound students and I highly recommend A is for Admission!

21 A Valuable Resource
As a high school sophomore, I dream of attending a top-notch east coast school. I've read many books regarding admission to college, but none as insightful as Michele Hernandez's. A is for Admission really puts everything from test scores, to grades, to community service into perspective. Hernandez tells it like it is, and exposes all of the Ivy League admission rumors. If you are looking to attend a Ivy League level school, you are cheating yourself if you do not read this book.

22 Good Ivy Insights
Hernandez's book certainly reveals many of the insider secrets of college admissions, and this book is helpful in understanding many of the things that go on in Dartmouth's admissions office. This book is certainly more helpful than Princeton Review's and Greene's college admissions books, but not as good as College Admissions Trade Secrets by Allen. Sometimes Hernandez's knowledge of college admissions seems a little too narrowly focused on Dartmouth. If you're applying to Dartmouth, this book is a must read, but if you're applying elsewhere, it may not be as helpful as those other books.

23 Admissions by the numbers
As a tutor who helps prepare students for high-stakes admissions exams, I found A is for Admission extremely useful, particularly for students aiming toward the Ivy League. In an illuminating appendix, Hernandez breaks down the formulas that admissions officers use to rank candidates. She specifically explains the importance of SATI and SATII performance, showing how the difference between scores of 500 and scores of 700 affects a student's chances for admission. Likewise, she gives the formulas used to weighh class rank, grades and the difficulty level of high school courses. The information is especially useful for sophomores and juniors trying to chart their high school careers with college in mind. Her thoughts about personal essays also are useful.

24 A lot not being told here -
I didn't find this book that revealing or scathing to be honest. In fact, it still felt like the author was working for Dartmouth Admissions and was actively recruiting. I found the book to be very biased and self-congratulatory towards those exactly like the author. Not at all did I encounter any expression of compassion towards the students, it all seemed like a big dog and pony show so each college could out do the other. How does the college change or improve students once they arrive? I feel like there's much, much more that wasn't revealed here, she's not letting on to the dirty little secrets and compromises that go on everyday. I just don't believe the admissions process is an objective and honorable as what's she's making it out to be. It sounded like meat was being processed. Truth be told, anyone who has worked in admissions knows it's all about the body count. Makes me want to read "The Admissions Mystique" by Bill Mayher for a more honest appraisal.

25 A lot not being told here -
I didn't find this book that revealing or scathing to be honest. In fact, it still felt like the author was working for Dartmouth Admissions and was actively recruiting. I found the book to be very biased and self-congratulatory towards those exactly like the author. Not at all did I encounter any expression of compassion towards the students, it all seemed like a big dog and pony show so each college could out do the other. How does the college change or improve students once they arrive? I feel like there's much, much more that wasn't revealed here, she's not letting on to the dirty little secrets and compromises that go on everyday. I just don't believe the admissions process is an objective and honorable as what's she's making it out to be. It sounded like meat was being processed. Truth be told, anyone who has worked in admissions knows it's all about the body count. Makes me want to read "The Admissions Mystique" by Bill Mayher for a more honest appraisal.

26 Further To This Book
This book was a good read. Then I got hold of "West Point" by Norman Thomas Remick which enlightens the reader on the REAL significance to America of higher education. "A Is For Admission", and college in general, took on a whole new meaning to me. The picture of my future goals definitely came into much clearer focus. So, further to this book ("A Is For Admission"), I recommend getting, right here on Amazon.com, "West Point" by Remick, and reading it as a companion book that even further embellishes the excellent guide by Michele A. Hernandez.

27 Finally someone willing to cut the cr*p
I'm applying to Ivies and finally someone has decided to not be vague and attach numbers and ratings to things that every one else just describes in terms of good and bad. I am happy that not everyone is a stuck up beauracrat and is willing to tell the full truth, at least from her point of view. Right on Michele!

28 THE book on college admissions
This book is THE book to buy if you are looking to find out more on the admissions process at all the highly selective colleges. Even though I'm a freshman in high school, this book has helped me greatly in explaining all the factors that truly impact whether or not you will be admitted. It gave me all the answers that I had been searching for, and cleared up many myths. In fact, I strongly urge parents or students to buy this book as soon as possible, because that way you can begin implementing some of the suggestions that are in this book early, rather than later, in your academic career. By the end, you feel like you've sat in the meeting room with the admissions officers and watched them in action. My dream is to one day attend Harvard, and I can say without a doubt that this book has equipped me with the knowlege to reach that goal. A must buy.

29 THIS BOOK GOT ME IN
I was accepted to Penn early admission. I believe I got in because of the helpful tips I learned from reading this book. Luckily I read this book two years ago and was able to start setting myself apart from the rest as Ms. Hernandez recommends. I was a good student with very average college board scores. Through my own dedication and Ms. Hernandez' advice, I was a competitive applicant. This book is an honest account of the admissions process through someone who knows. If you have the motivation to do what it takes to get into a great school, this book is a MUST!

30 A step by step guide book
I purchased A is for Admission in my son's freshman year of high school and followed it every step of the way. The step by step advice was extremely valuable and kept him on the right track. He is now a senior and was accepted to an Ivy League College. Thank you Ms. Hernandez.

31 A book that reveals the mystery of the admissions process
Michele Hernandez's book, "A Is for Admission," is a great piece of literature that gives high school students the opportunity to test their chances at a very selective institutions in the US. Being a high school senior actively involved in the process of application filling and essay writing, this book serves as the perfect guide to aid every part of the process. "A is for Admission" also provides the applicant with the most closely guarded secrets of the IVY Leaugue, such as the Admissions Index, the truth about legacies and minority recruitment. Beside the fact that Hernandez's writing sometimes seem a bit mediocre for her level of education, this book provided me with the utmost satisfaction and I'll never regret buying it.

32 It?s like having a friend in the business
This book arrived at the ideal time to help my family with the college application process. High school students who dream of attending an Ivy League or other highly selective college need to understand the real selection process. Michele Hernandez let the cat out of the bag when she wrote this book. The insider knowledge she provides is like having a friend in the business. If you are new to the college application process and have a starry-eyed high school son or daughter, do yourself a favor and read "A Is For Admission". It can help you and your student set realistic objectives and improve chances of acceptance.

33 Save Yourself Hours of Research
As a parent with a son who wants to attend an ivy league school, I've done a ton of research. After all, we all want our kids to have every opportunity to pursue their dreams. The information found in this book summarizes most everything I've had to find the hard way. It also contains the information everyone wants to know; that being, the real criteria used for admissions, and what can be done to present an application in the best possible light. Additionally, the book presents a realistic view of an ivy league education. It explains that the value of an ivy league education is largely in the exhilariting educational environment, rather than the status it lends or the economic benefit it may (or may not) bring. I wish this had been the first book I read, instead of the tenth. If you are applying to highly selective colleges right now, I guarantee this will help you.

34 Great Information
I'm a freshman in high school, and I have always wanted to go to an Ivy League college. I read this book, and I learned a lot. It told a very large amount about the admissions process. This past summer my family and I went on a tour of 4 Ivy Leagues. The trip's purpose was to show me the schools aren't that great, and that they're really far away (I live in Ohio). At the end of the trip though, my parents fell in love with the schools. So now my dad is reading this book and loves it also.

ATVER1@zoominternet.net

35 This book makes me break a sweat
Every time I (who will be applying to college soon) open this book, my hands shake and my pulse quickens. According to Ms. Hernandez, getting into "highly selective" colleges such as Dartmouth, her pet school, and others like it is virtually impossible. Furthermore, she paints an extraordinarily bleak picture for the "average guy" type of high school student- a person who is NOT the captain of the football team, the editor of the school newspaper, and/or a refugee from a destitute foreign country. Sorry for being so cynical, but if she's right, most people have got to log off and hit the books.

36 Helped demystify Ivy League admissions
As a college counselor and parent of two, A is For Admission was a great help in understanding what happens when someone applies to Dartmouth (and other Ivy League schools). I was able to help my children and students write strong application essays to differentiate themselves from other applicants. Both my children are now at Brown U.

37 One of my favorite all-time books!
I learned such valuable insight from "A is for Admission" that I truly believe it was a crucial factor in my daughter's early acceptance to an Ivy League university this year. It clearly delineates what the top schools are looking for, and illustrates that acceptances are not as random as many people believe. And, not only is it informative and well-written, A is for Admission is enjoyable reading as well. Warning: once you start reading the book, it's hard to stop!

38 Satisfied customer
The book offers a much-needed dose of reality for anyone approaching the competitive world of college admissions. While the author relies on her experience on Dartmouth's staff, general concepts can be gleaned and applied to other competitive schools. The book is particularly helpful to those unfamiliar with the subject and gives an idea of what to expect from the mysterious and uncertain selection process.

Hernandez' book is specifically designed for ivy-caliber schools and does not purport to help unqualified students gain admission to highly selective colleges. It is more of a common-sense manual that helps candidates within range improve their chances by maximizing their attributes and submitting flattering and reasonably polished applications.

Helpful suggestions are offered, such as pitfalls to avoid in personal essays and strategies for tackling wait list purgatory. Complicated statistical tables and analyses are provided; interpreting the data may require some degree of sophistication.

"A is for Admission" is written in a chatty, informal style that is highly entertaining. The humor should help relax even the most anxious of readers.

39 Painfully honest
This book does an extremely good job in explaining what goes on behind the scenes of Ivy Colleges admissions, but at the same time, gives an extremely hard time to the student with a solid, but not exceptional academic record. Let me give an accurate synopsis of a few pages in the book. Setting: 4 admissions officers are together, looking at admissions and discussing them. When one admissions officer opens the file, he says "Oh boy. This must be the thousandth newspaper editor we had today. Pfff." Another admissions officer then says "And this is also the zillionth applicant today who is strong in science/math but has bad verbal skills." (700V/800M!!!) Just an example. This book gives a painfully honest view of what really goes on behind Ivy colleges admissions. It shows that it's not true what the officers at the Ivies say: On the contrary, only the top (and I mean top) have a chance of making it.

40 Must reading for would-be Ivy Leaguers
My wife and I are parents who have gone through the elite college admissions process once, and will do so again with our second child who is now in the eleventh grade. This book explains the inner workings of an admissions office. Some things you already know, plus many very important things you were probably unaware of. Practices that have never been acknowledged by the schools. It contains a wealth of useful suggestions for applicants. I have long believed that SAT and Achievement test scores are more important in the admissions decision than the schools acknowledge, and Michele Hernandez makes that abundantly clear. Her suggestion to reduce the relative importance of test scores is intelligent and compassionate. This book is must reading for anyone who is considering applying to Ivy League or other elite colleges.

41 Straight Talk from a Pro....... And it 's all true!
Hernandez tells us what goes on behind those Ivy Halls when dedicated, but weary, admissions professionals weed through thousands of applications. Each student file holds over twenty pieces of paper, some objective and some subjective. Ms. Hernandez gives us a thorough glimpse of how "readers" make those decisions. I have been in the admissions business for twenty years and know that many colleagues are miffed at her honesty. But students and parents deserve to know just how they are "rated" in this process. Hernandez's writing is easy to understand, even to the layperson. One comes away from the book with the knowledge of how the system works, how to approach the challenge of selective admissions, and how to understand that rejection letter, if it comes. It wasn't personal, it was a strange rating game! A Is For Admission... may have been written from a Dartmouth frame of reference, but the book's message is absolutely portable to the offices of other lofty institutions. A must read for all who seek to knock on those doors! I see that she now teaches English. A noble move for such a fine writer.

42 A Wind in the Ivy!
The words of Sra. Hernandez blow like a strong wind ruffling the leaves of ivy and exposing the vines. She has given her readers a tool which is invaluable in college choice and the creation and management of realistic expectations.

I found the book to be well written, clearly organized, and generally on point. The world of college admissions has changed rapidly and it is often difficult to know where and how to guide our kids. This book gives us real direction in and understanding of a process that so many of us beleive is the beginning (or the end) of the future of our children. I would highly recommend this book to all students and parents who are considering the more selective colleges and universities.

43 poor grammar and syntax makes information seem dubious
This book is interesting but frustrating. It explains in excruciating detail the admissions process at ONE Ivy League school (Dartmouth), and purports to offer this as a general guide to admissions at the ten or fifteen most selective colleges in the country. It is questionable whether (a) any such analogy is really valid and (b) this is a true glimpse of even Dartmouth's process. Ms Hernandez's biography states that she has an advanced degree in English but you could never tell that from her grammar and syntax. Even my 17-year old son threw down the book in disgust at the sentence structure and the childish prose.

I know that many parents view this as the Bible of admissions books, but I think it is more like the Apocrypha or the Book of Mormon--a pretender or a fake, or, at best, an adjunct to more serious and intelligent books such as Bill Paul's Getting In and Bill Mayher's book on the admissions process.

44 a real downer...
This book made it seem like if you didn't have a 4.0 GPA and a 1600 on your SAT that you didn't have a chance to get into the top colleges in the US, which is not true! She DID explain the admissions process, but didn't give any tips on how to increase your chances. the book was also poorly organized. Try another book besides this one.

45 This book is a must read for serious applicants!
I highly recommend this book - it was very readable and includes invaluable information about the college entrance process. If you really want to figure out your chances of getting into a school or even just want to find out what kind of essay to write, read this book! There were some seriously eye-opening parts to this book. I even think that those who are not going for an Ivy League school would get a lot of useful information from this book.

46 AN ADVICE BOOK THAT REALLY WORKS
This book allowed my daughter to assess her chances and create an application that put her assets in the most positive light. It also gives one the real low down on the impact of legacies, athletics, minority status, VIP status, and the like.

It will show you who must or should use Early Decision and exactly what sort of school it should be used at.

It explains who goes to highly selective colleges, who works in their admissions offices and how the application is judged.

As a national merit finalist at one of the most competitive private day schools in the country (in New York), she just completed the college admission (and rejection and waitlist) process. Read this book and you will understand why the credentials just listed do not guarantee admission to the top schools.

She was admitted to one liberal arts college that is always in the USNEWS top 3 and was one of her top choices, and at another that is always in the top 5 or six. She was waitlisted at two of the college's that have among their initial HYPS. She was accepted at all her "safeties" and "ball parks." She was rejected and waitlisted at some colleges that are not in the same "tier" as where she was accepted.

Yes, she applied to a lot of colleges. But these colleges get a lot of applictions. You can tell from this book what your chances are in the Ivy League and at other highly selective schools. Take actions to improve your chances (however modestly), and assess your prospects.

If you are trying for a top tier school, this is the book for you.

47 Excellent insights into how it really works.
Getting your kid into a good college is a nerve-racking process for most parents. It certainly has been for us. We have found the customer reviews in Amazon very helpful. That prompts us to distill our ratings of the various guidebooks.

The best short reference on each college is the Princeton Review of The Best (311) Colleges. It gives ratings of academic quality, difficulty of admission, percentage admitted, etc. There is also a brief summary of college life and what each place might be looking for.

Peterson Guide is comprehensive, and has long write-ups for each school. There is a front section for each school, listed alphabetically within each state, and a back section with detailed profiles of selected institutions.

Fiske's guide is interesting, but he basically has something good to say for each school, so careful reading between the lines and for "damning with faint praise" is called for.

The Yale Insider's Guide is extremely subjective, with different students writing various reviews. We did not find it too reliable, except in conjunction with other books.

Likewise for Barrron's Guide to the Most Competitive Colleges. Recent alumni write of their (invariably positive) experiences. Take it with a grain of salt, or read carefully between the lines.

Choosing the Right College by ISN was extremely helpful. Some readers criticized it for being allegedly right wing. We did not find it so. Rather, knowing the point of view of the authors helped us evaluate their observations. Other books do not make their biases explicit. A feature of the book we found particularly helpful was the naming of excellent professors and departments in each college.

Antonoff's College Finder was interesting only in conjunction with other books.

Three books written from the perspective of college admissions officers were very interesting and helpful. They are The College Admissions Mystique, by Mayher, Getting In, by Bill Paul, and most of all A is for Admission by Michelle Hernandez. We strongly recommend that parents and the kids who are the applicants read at least one of these.

Another very helpful book was You're Gonna Love This College Guide, by Marty Nemko. It takes the student through the decision process of big vs. small, urban vs. country, elite vs. the level just below, geography, and so forth. That really got our daughter unstuck in her thinking process.

Loren Pope is another helpful author for those who think that not getting into Harvard is the end of the world.

Three books we did not find to be particularly helpful are Getting Into Any College, by Jim Good and Lisa Lee, The National Review College Guide, by Charles Sykes and Brad Miner (too out of date), and The Real Freshman Handbook, by Jennifer Hanson.

One book we found to be unexpectedly useful was Getting Into Medical School Today, by Scott Plantz, et. al. Even if your child is not interested in medical school, this book puts college in perspective for any post-college program.

We hope readers find our review helpful.

48 Fair with some good insights
Although A is For Admission is a revealing book in some sense, it is probably more useful for the Dartmouth applicant than the general ivy pool. Readers should be wary that although Dartmouth, UPenn, and Cornell might follow the AI as a guide, Harvard Yale and Princeton always look at applicants more holistically than a simple number. But as said before, it does have some good insights as far as classifications.

49 very helpful in dealing with admissions process
This was the best of many books on college admissions I read. It was very helpful in understanding how to design college application including essays. Our child was admitted to Harvard, and this is first book I would recommend to parents and students with similar goals.

50 A book for talented writers
Mr. Bauld gives some of the best advice on writing I've ever read. He tends to be sharp and even sarcastic, but for talented writers he can be a great help. He certainly gives an accurate description of the type of college admissions workers who read student applications. For most students applying to most colleges, however, Bauld's advice is intimidating. Most colleges put essays on their apps for two reasons: to see if the applicant can write a simple essay, and to learn something new about the applicant that may not appear or be fully explained on other parts of the app.

51 This book is AWESOME
I'll be terse: this is a must-read for everyone planning to attend a good college. Even if you're not planning to go to the Ivies, there are SO MANY useful tips that apply to ALL. I'm only a sophmore, but the novel's title caught my attention right away, as did the author's impressive background. And I'll go so far as to say that no one who reads this book will be disappointed.

52 She's Right !
As a former admissions officer at Dartmouth from 1989 to 1993, I would like to congratulate Michele on finally exposing and explaining the process by which students are evaluated and admitted. She has put forth in a very controlled and lucid way the intricacies of highly selective college admissions, as well as touched upon the concepts of affirmative action in its entirety.

Having worked with many of the unnamed co-workers in the office, I expect that many were not pleased by the full and public airing of what has been for many years a cloudy secret: the very objective process of student evaluation. She has done a masterful job of making clear what could be quite confusing.

If you are considering applying to a highly selective college in general or Dartmouth in particular, you need to read and understand this book. She's right !

53 The bible of the college admissions process.
This is the only book available that interestingly tells you everything you need to know about the college admissions process. I am still a couple years off from graduating high schol and this book tells me things I can do to increase my chances of being selected to a highly selective college. It also tells me things I need to emphasize or devalue in a college application. I loved this book and am considering it my bible for my college aspirations. Anyone reading this book will be suprised at how the application process works and will be able to use the information to better their chances of getting into a highly selective college.

54 For parents and students, the best book on admissions
As an obsessed parent of a student who has just gone through the college admissions process, I recommend this book above all others. Nothing else comes close. It is the only one that takes you inside a college admissions office to truly understand what goes on. After reading this book you (as a high school student) and your parents will have a very realistic idea of the chances of getting into a highly competitive college. My son applied to seven highly competitive colleges, included Harvard, Stanford, Williams and Amherst, and I was able to predict ahead of time exactly what the responses would be. If you want to go through the process with as little anxiety as possible (not that you won't be anxious), this is the book for you. One tip: I think you can safely ignore her advice about the common application. Other than that, a gem.

55 The only college admission guide worth reading!!!!
Kudos! A Is For Admission is the only college entrance reference book that has shed any light on the actual process. The book is informative and entertaining all in one. Michele's bright personality shines through her writing and makes this book easy to read and comprehend. Eventhough the book is focused on freshman applicants, a transfer applicant like myself can get as much use out of the book as anyone else; there is a very brief chapter on transfers, but the info in the other chapters is abundantly more useful. Many books only discuss the essay, or the SAT, or the grading system, but Michele's all-encompassing book sheds light on every aspect of the admisions process. Even those not planning on applying to Ivy's can use the books section on the essay; Michele's discription of the "slice of life essay" really helped me get a grip on exactly what it was that I was trying to show ("not tell")those shadowy figures behind the admissions office door. If you ever have one bit of confusion, doubt or curiosity about the admission process, A Is For Admission is the book for you.

56 A book that is shaking the foundations of higher education
With the release of her first book, A is for Admission: The Insider's Guide to Getting Into the Ivy League and Other Top Colleges, former Dartmouth Admissions Officer, Michele A. Hernandez has broken the silence about what actually takes place behind closed doors in McNutt Hall at Dartmouth College and in other Ivy League admissions offices.

In a tale that reads like a gripping New York Times bestseller, Hernandez objectively and thoroughly reveals in a step-by-step fashion how the admissions process works and how to better one's chances for admission to not only the Ivy's but to other top colleges. In addition, she lays down the facts which finally provide the answers to such controversial questions as: Do minority students really have a better shot at admissions? Does the need-blind admissions policy really apply to all applicants? Does being an athlete or a legacy really increase your chances of being accepted?

Not only is A is for Admission a must-read for students, parents, and high-school guidance counselors who want to get the inside scoop on the admissions process, but anyone who still wonders about their own successes or failures in the admissions process will certainly get a kick out of reading this book.

57 Finally, the book I've been looking for!
My son is beginning his junior year of high school so I am naturally interested in learning as much as possible about college admissions. I volunteer in the used book sale room of our local library and, as a result, have read (or glanced at) most college admissions books (including the recently published books). In my opinion this book is the best I've read because it supplies the actual mathematical formula for comparing applicants with different academic histories. The author admits that not all colleges use the ivy ranking system. However, they all use similiar standards, so the weighting of grades, SATs, APs, etc. is very accurate. Even if you are not ivy bound, this book will give you background so that you can ask the "appropriate" questions when inquiring at the school of your choice as to their admission standards. Personally, I am distrustful of any professional making decisions in my life (or my child's)and I always doublecheck any recommendations from the experts. This books allows me to make a sanity check of the college advisor's recommendations.

58 A must-read for anyone applying to a competitive college
As its title suggests, this a practical, no-nonsense book on how to get admitted to a top college, with all the inside information that the author gathered in her four years as assistant director of admissions at Dartmouth (where she also went to college).

It's an awesome book! I highly recommend it for students (or parents of students) applying to any competitive college, or if you're just curious (as I was) about how this mysterious process works. There is lots of juicy stuff about who average admissions officers are (people trying to identify greatness, but not great themselves...), how they evaluate applicants, and how much of an advantage it is to be an athlete, minority, or legacy. There is also great advice about which essays work best, strategies for making your application stand out, etc.