Do not apply to college without reading this book! At last something really different yet supremely helpful too on how to get into the best schools. Bravo Mr. Bauld, from far away Greece!

I teach high school juniors, and we have a unit on writing the college admissions essay. This is one of the best on the subject that I've read. It is short, which will appeal to the teenage reader, and it is humorous, which appealed to me and, I am sure, will appeal to them. My daughter, who is in the midst of writing the application essay, read the book. To me, that is high praise. I recommend it.

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.)

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.

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!