Harry Bauld
1 NOT FOR GRAD SCHOOL APPS
I cannot comment on the utility of this book for applying to undergraduate schools. It may be fabulous. The author does use humor and lots of examples to help. However, I was applying to graduate school, and the essay style is completely different (at least it was for all of my applications).
The graduate essay requires a wealth of specific information to be included. Specific, biographical information including past jobs and relevant experiences. This book discourages such broad essays - the very ones required by most graduate programs (at least in psychology). For grad school applicants, I recommend "How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate and Professional School" by Richard Stelzer. Not only is it thought-provoking and well written, it includes sections for specific programs (medical, law, business, etc.)
2 Brilliant and inspiring
This is not only the best book on writing the college application essay, but one of the best books about writing, period. With amazingly fresh and funny examples throughout, it shows how bored admissions officers are by the pompous, self-congratulatory essays that students often think they're supposed to write--and how those students can do much, much better. It literally changed my daughter's life, not only because she got into the very competitive college of her choice, but because she now is a sharper, more interesting writer.
3 It is obviously a great guide for international applicants
First of all, I should mention that I am a Chinese applicant that is not so familiar with the application system in the U.S. but want to study in the Amercian colleges, so my suggestion will be effective to those international students.
This small book told me a lot about the details in the admission office of how they decide to admit or deny you. Furthermore, Mr. Bauld wrote like a tutor beside you to inform you how to present a great masterpiece that can affect in your application. What I have read are the methods to create the essays you wanna show to the officers. We often have a lot ideas in mind but do not know how to organize them and change them into an essay, that is what this book will help us to solve!
4 What not to do
As Bauld states up front, the proper question is not - "What should my essay be about?" - but rather - "What should I avoid?" Speaking from the position of someone who has had to endure the tedious job of reading college admissions essays, Bauld describes the process from *their* point of view to give the reader some insight into things that will immediately get you relegated to the "reject" or "wait list" stack. The list of cliches is short, easy to understand, and easy to identify in my own attempts at writing.
In addition to that invaluable service of pointing out the pitfalls, the book offers some basic guidelines on essay writing. Obviously, it can't replace years of slacking off in school, so most students should know some of these things before they begin the admissions process, but it doesn't hurt to have a concise list of what to do and especially what *not* to do. I liked having the refresher - sometimes we have to be reminded about little rules and annoyances.
5 Great Guide to Written Such Great Aplication Easy!
The book is so great for written such a great easy that I actually GOT INTO HARVARD because I did everything he says and I got in because of it. After all I was always a really good writer but I didn't think I had need to use an guide book after all, but I read it after all and look, it really did it work!!! My good written got even better and made me get into any really great school. So if you think you don't need help you are a good writer to, you might be actually surprized by you actually IMPROVE you're all ready good stile, but try it anyway and you will actually see just how many more easys you actually CAN write...do what he says and you to actually will get into the colege of you're DREAMS! Im so excited. Thank you mr Bauld.
6 Good but incomplete
As noted by many others, this is a very good book for helping applicants write their essays. But this book should not replace a guide to college admissions; in fact, while Bauld does a great job focusing on the essay, his does miss a few important tips and strategies that the more general guides include. I suggest buying this book along with books by Jay Mathews or Andrew Allen--two very good, general guides.
7 Understand essay process & write one that shows the real you
This book gives an excellent and easy to read look at writing your college application essay. If you are just going to read a book and not do the exercises, this is a great choice - it doesn't have any exercises. Instead, the emphasis is on finding your own voice and telling your story. For example, he gives a list of the most overused, deadly topics and then shows how you can write a really good essay on one of the "forbidden" topics. He also includes a number of sample essays with comments from real college admissions officers - so you can see for yourself the difference between good, bad and mediocre.
8 I got into B.C Today!!
I am writing this recommendation because I am on a high because I just got my acceptance letter in the mail. I had gotten deffered from NYU but I GOT INTO BC which is a better college. This is an incredible and undeniably the best guide in the world to writing an essay.
9 On Writing the College Application Essay
A hilarious, insightful, magnificent read. And a must for any applicant, high school student, or writer at-large. Bauld's writing is something itself to be emulated: a sprite, sweet blend of Charles Schultz... and Voltaire! Truly remarkable. Reading this has made a much better essayist (never mind this review!) and a more effective applicant.
10 Must have for essay writing
This is a great book for all who are about to or in the midst of writing essays for college admission. It is funny, honest and insightful. I also recommend this book to anyone who needs help with writing essays for any class. The advice offered applies to all essay writing, not just college application essays. I am a teacher, and I felt that it even helped me a bit. Buy this book or see if your library has a copy. All high school students would do well to read this book.
11 Awesome...and it really worked!
To anyone who is looking to give their college application a little something special, this book is a must. I was accepted yesterday to a top 50 school from a community college largely, in my opinion, because of this book. While other factors were involved, this book helped me to form and shape a really attractive and unique essay which made me stand out from others. He doesn't have any magical formula, and the applicant will have to work for it, but he gives you the right tools to craft an essay that is a work of art. Trust me, if you don't get any other book for college, get this one! It's well worth the money!
12 Excellent resource and easy to read
I've read several books on the college application process and it is clear that the essay plays a major role in determining whether or not an applicant is accepted. Mr. Bauld has written an entertaining, informative and very easy-to-read book that is also thankfully short. No long-winded, self-congratulatory filler here! It gets right to the point and is generous with excellent examples. In fact, this book is a great resource not only for those prepping to write a college application essay, but it contains great advice for writers in general. This book is well worth its reasonable price for the ideas, motivation and examples it provides. Now I need to get a clue from Mr. Bauld and keep this short and to the point. Bye.
13 Really Helpful Book
The book is short and very well written. It gives you the straight answers to a lot of admissions questions with a large focus on the essay part of the application. I'm convinced that the essay was one of the things that helped me get into Middlebury College. I'd encourage you to buy this book if you are going to be applying to college.
14 Hilarious and serious; useful for post college, too
Though it would initially seem aimed at applying to undergraduate schools, "On Writing the College Application Essay" is excellent for essay writing in general (including MBA applications :-).
The first half emphasizes the importance of knowing your audience. Although we're inclined to think nobel laureates will pore over our applications, the reality is they're screened by the Sarah Bleary and Henry Haggards of the world: real folks who see so many applications, that they struggle to differentiate them.
Knowing your audience is only one part of the equation. In the essay, you must convince the reader that you're YOU. Instead, many applicants portray themselves based on what they think the admissions committee wants, often to the extent of sweeping banalities. Bauld explores several of these with his sharp wit. Perhaps the funniest is Pet Death: "As I watched Buttons' life ebb away, I came to value the important things in this world."
In the second half, Bauld suggests you take a chill pill, then start keeping a notebook of any ideas an observations -- anything. Eventually you'll start to relax enough that your writing will come alive. However, before it can come alive, you must get something on paper.
You'll continuously refine and tighten your opus, and the author gives several suggestions of how to approach this, with examples of first, second and third drafts.
Finally, Bauld includes several different essays, a few from college applications, and most not. Each of these conveys a different style but illustrates the crux of the book: you gotta be you.
15 Highly informative book
This book is great to aid people when they apply to major colleges. The author include tips and things that he notices, when he was/is an admissions councelor, to help people be accepted into college. The book also teaches the reader on ways the reader could prepare themselves for letters of recommendations, interviews, *essay writting*, and obvious course that students may take in high school that will appear on their transcript. Will definately aid people with college applications.
16 harry bauld, great writer and teacher
harry is my english teacher and helped me complete my college essay. We are all given his book and it helped a great deal, along with reading it and his help my essay was fabulous and i was also accepted early decision to oberlin. this is a great book, the one you should buy if you are only buying one, it is written exactly as he teaches and "sounds" just like him and i strongly recommend it to all high school students. Its not just dry and boring he makes sure to add humor all through the book
17 A must have book for college applicants!
This is one exceptional and extraordinary book that I have ever read in the ever-eventful approach to climacteric college application essays. I have examined through 35 or so similar self-help related books with a "magnifier and a fine-tooth-comb," and all have particularly failed in comparison to Harry Bauld's work of art. Bauld's book is the quintessential of this topic. His book unquestionably stood out from all the other books (like an illuminated Eiffel Tower in a dark Parisian night). Bauld's book is that vital "compass" bewildered high school students ache for in order to get across that catastrophic hurdle of applying to colleges. Bauld teaches (with intense & witty humor) the reader to concretely compose for themselves (in an invigorating and upstanding technique-form) an essay that upholds the applicant's chances in getting into "The Dream" University, rather than have it end up in the "round file." Bauld's meticulous methods are fair and justified. He distinctly illustrates his accounts on the How, What, When, Where & Why, as well as the bloopers most writers have mistakenly included in their essays. One revelation that should catch an ordinary John or Jane Doe's eye is that Harry Bauld has been behind the admissions scene at Ivy League Schools (Brown and Columbia). In essence, he is not of the countless, clueless or ignorant high school college counselors that often misinform and misdirect students on the applicants' approaches to the "Field of Dreams." Bauld takes you to the Ballpark and coaches you through the entire game: from the initial thought process, to brainstorming of ideas, to the roughdraft stages of writing and to the finale of editing. He narrates on the "McGwirean-homerun-hitting-essays" as well as those critically "how-to-strike-out-essays." He includes inconceivable and exemplary essays that "got in," and model essays that "got tossed." Moreover, this book not only serves the solo purpose for high school students applying to colleges, but for college students applying to higher elite institutions as well. I am a living testimony to this. I had extreme difficulty drafting a convincing essay to Stanford University. After exercising the guerilla tactics by Bauld, I got accepted! Last but not least, this is one book that teaches you to write better. Indeed, Bauld's book is the super-octane gasoline any lost applicant needs to drive from Point A to Point B in the college application essay process. I give this book five stars and two thumbs up (way up)! Harry Bauld's winning book will lead you through the minefield! Remember: a winner picks a winner.
18 Helpful, and funny, too
This is a superbly-written guide to writing college application essays; one would be wise to apply the advice this book offers to everything one writes. I highly recommend this witty and informative guide to anyone going through the college application process.
19 Helpful and amusing advice on writing an original essay.
This book really helped me through the college application process. I was having a hard time trying to come up with a topic that wouldn't put admission officers to sleep, and this book did exactly that. Harry Bauld worked for a university and knows what catches the eye and what doesn't. I was able to come up with a clever topic for my essay. This may sound too good to be true, but my essays, with the advice and tips on from Harry Bauld, partially helped me get a full scholarship to college. I highly recommend this book to anyone having any trouble writing essays! Good luck!
