What It Really Takes to Get Into Ivy League & Other Highly Selective Colleges

Well I got this book with a bit of skepticism originally. The author does make a few errors such as labelling Duke and Stanford under the ivies but in general this book really helps when it comes to showing your strenghts especially with EC's and awards and what really matters. The emphasis on the essay is really good as its not something normally I would put much attention into. I read this along with A is for admission and the College Application books by M. Hernandez. Pretty much these books have really organised and helped me alot for the college process. Hopefully I'll be somewhere interesting in 2006!

With What It Really Takes to Get Into Ivy League and Other Highly Selective Colleges, Mr. Chuck Hughes has written THE book on college admissions. The bottom line is that you need this book if you want to be admitted to an Ivy League school or other competitive institution (Stanford, MIT, CalTech, Williams, Amherst, Duke, etc.). He knows college admissions. By presenting anecdotes from his days in the office as well as a series of case studies to show how you will compare to admitted applicants, Mr. Hughes sets out to achieve one simple goal: helping his patrons submit the best possible application in order to give them the best possible chance of gaining admittance to the college of their dreams. He succeeds masterfully and with a straightforward approach that is quite refreshing to the reader. While purchasing this book will not guarantee acceptance, it is the best step you can take toward getting into to the school of your dreams. If you read the entire book, you will learn the tricks of the trade and how to submit an application which will present you in the best possible light to the discerning eyes of the admissions committee. In fact, I would recommend purchasing two copies, one to read and mark-up and another to keep under your pillow in the hopes that an osmosis of information will occur overnight while you sleep. :) Good luck to all applicants and pick up this book today!

As a private admissions consultant, I've bought and read MANY admission advice books over the years."What It Really Takes to Get Into the Ivy League & Other Highly Selective Colleges" is my new all-round favorite! Mr. Hughes has distilled his years of Harvard admissions experience into an invaluable "how to" book. With statistics, facts, anecdotes and wisdom - he covers the range of issues that will face a student aspiring to a highly selective college. This highly readable, logically organized book gives college-bound teens and their parents the tools to guide their steps, make informed choices and optimize the likelihood of admission to the school of their choice.I particularly liked his: analysis and advice of what is required to be a competitive Ivy League candidateexplanation of how applications are read and evaluated by Admissionscase studies, applying those principles to 5 recent Harvard graduates.You can't take the challenge out of applying to selective colleges - but Mr. Hughes takes the mystery out of it.I will be recommending "What It Really Takes to Get Into the Ivy League & Other Highly Selective Colleges" liberally to ALL my clients - not just the Ivy league bound.

A gold mine of information. But the reader must mine the gold.The author is a Harvard graduate and a former admissions officer there. His writing and organization should have been better. Some of the sections are bloated and repetitious. He should have used more illustrations and less text. And his advocacy of racial ³diversity² was unnecessary and unpersuasive. His editor should have insisted that he condense the manuscript from 254 pages to 200 pages. Nevertheless, get out your shovels and start digging. Its worth the time and money.

Of the numerous how-to books purporting to provide the key to gaining admission to a prestigious university, this one stands above the rest. It is insightful, enjoyable to read, and provides sound, straightforward advice. The author has the appropriate credentials, and his case studies are very instructive. Bottom line is that if you (or your kid) wants an Ivy education, this book is an excellent investment.