Admissions Books

This is a small book that is a great asset to anyone taking the MCAT. I took Kaplan and the strategies in this book is better than any Kaplan verbal strategy.

This is a very good book when you want to start working on the MCAT's verbal section. However, it does not have enough passages to practice.

I bought this book because I had heard such good reviews about it from practically everyone that's used it, and I am now the first person I know to discourage the use of this book. The techniques that they offer are really basic reading techniques that anyone can pick up from a typical college English course (although EK writers claim otherwise). While they assert that their methods are different from other prep-course books intended solely to market rather than to raise your scores (which may be true), they are not all that different from another prep-course book that I'm using. I actually found that the techniques from prep-course book were more helpful. In fact, using only EK techniques and nothing else gave me a score lower than the one I got when I first started prepping for MCATs.
The book should at most be worth $5- the content is so sparse and basic that i can probably list the techniques offered by this company in a paragraph or so. If you can borrow this book from a friend or buy it for $5 or less, by all means do so and use it as a supplement- that is, if you are already scoring fairly well on the verbal section. For others like me, it may be detrimental to use this book even if you can get it for free, because your score will actually go down.

Don't waste your time reading other people's review. Just get this book and work with it.

I tried using the strategies of another large test prep company (the one I work for now, actually) and the best I could do after 3 months was a 9. After 2 weeks with this book, I was regularly getting an 11, and that's what I got on the MCAT. If I had just picked up this book earlier, I probably would've gotten 12+.

Bottom line: If you're taking a TPR/Kaplan course right now, forget what your verbal teacher says and just go by this book.

(About me: Current MCAT Instructor, 3 Med school acceptances, 35 MCAT

This book gives a behind-the-scenes look into the college admissions process from the eyes of the kids themselves. While much of the Ivy chasing is to be expected, there are many surprising moments here. The five kids in the book are so exceptional yet so human, making it heartbreaking and fascinating to get to know them.
I was hooked into this book from the moment I picked it up until I finished it a mere day later, a very satisfying read!

The format of the book looked promising: following a group of students through the college application and acceptance process. However, except for the math student, the characters came off as totally shallow. As a whole they seemed more interested in getting in a `big name' college than finding the right fit for their interests and abilities.

The author provided little additional insight into the application process than other books. Furthermore, when a student's paperwork was due "on April 31" I wondered how much fact-checking went into writing this book.

Interesting book about five young people trying to get into major colleges. All have their own ways and different backgrounds. You will find yourself hoping for the best result for all five. A must read for high school seniors, but I think anyone would enjoy this book.

--Gerard Zemek, husband of author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"

This book leaves me amazed by both the focused young ones out there and the rigorous climb to get into the right college. I started college in 1998 and even then, the desperation was evident. But today the process seems that much more saturated in complexity. Jager-Hyman has introduced a new era with her book-- she is a fresh voice of reason. Out with the books of plain old "How to" and in with this excellent documentary style "How to." Jager-Hyman gives us the real scoop. Any parents or would-be college students should be grateful!

Fantastic book! This book is so well written and engaging. I felt like I really felt like I knew the students whose college application journeys were portrayed. I even cried when one of them had (his or her - don't want to give it away) dream come true. It was also beautiful to read how their views of what will make them happy in the end changed over their senior year. I hope to share this book with other parents whose children are applying to colleges. Although my own children are presently at (and also looking at)state colleges, it's such an honest and personal portayal of the pressures of senior year. I hope the author will write a follow-up to describe the pleasures and challenges of college.

I bought this book and the Arco book for my son to prepare for the specialized high school test. He obtained a score over the Stuyvesant cut-off score. He said this book is far better than the Arco as the later one's questions do not match the real test's questions. However this Barrow book is very excellent. The explanations are good and the sample questions and tests are very close to the real test he took in 2007.

When my parents bought this book for me,I thoght that it wouldnt work because it was published so long ago. I WAS WRONG!! I used this book in combination of an ARCO book and took the test. I recently got my results and I got into Brooklyn Tech. I recommend this book to anyone that really wants to pass the exam.

My daughter and her two friends wanted to study and take the test for Bronx High School of Science. I researched the books on amazon.com and chose this one. They only had five weeks to study and they were very ambitious and got together four times a week until the test. When they finished the book, they had a few days before the test and then went through a little of the Kaplan book (the full-purple cover)and took the two tests in the Kaplan book.

I'm excited to say that they got their test scores back and all three of them got into Bronx Science.

Also, I should note that they all put Bronx Science as their 1st choice on the application--this gives you an advantage because the specialized schools go through the top scores of the students who put their school as number 1, and then if there are any slots left, they go to the students with top scores who put that school as their #2 choice.

Good luck to you!

This book was helpful. Its best 2 months before the test because there is alot to learn. I took the test last weekend. The barrons book gives most stategies that are going to be on the test. DON"T write on the test in the book. This was one of my mistakes. Make copies so that you go back and do the test over again. But the barrons book isnt the only book i also suggest you get the kaplan book. OMG this book helped me the most. But the best was from my teacher. It does not matter how smart you are GO to your teacher and ask for help even if you don't need it. They can give youlittle worksheets to take home for practice. I learned this a little bit. I hope you don't make the same mistake. :)

I took the GRF test preparation class and have the Barron's book. The material that we worked on in the GRF class was said to be 'harder' than the actual exam. In Barron's, some of the questions are so much harder than what we did in GRF, it scares me. Maybe GRF really is harder than the exam but maybe the exam is actually harder. I do not know since I have yet two weeks to take the exam but it seems to me like Barron's is much harder than the actual exam. Good luck everyone on the test! Hope I get into Bronx Science!

Bought this for my girlfriend who is going to MedSchool. She seems happy as a pup with two tails about this book. I don't know how, Med students creative writing skills are worst that a sloth, but I don't think they care much for creative so much as they look for factual data.

This book contains everything technical I needed to know to apply for medical schools. It gives you all the step by step guides. It also gives you detailed, necessary information according to how early or late you may be in the preparation process. This book was a great purchase! I absolutely recommend it.

I didn't have any contact with medicine before college and was in desperate need for good information. This is a great resource.

This book is a great resource whether you are interested in med school or already in med school. It delineates what to expect for next 4 yrs in med school with extremely helpful guides!

The problem with this book and those similar to it is that these books reinforce the idea of how wonderful it will be to become a physician. Here is all you need to know: After four years of grinding out top grades in classes like organic chemistry, you can look forward to another four years of no sleep, no social life, being humiliated and terrified by residents and attendings, and running up 100,000 to 200,000 dollars of debt, and then another 3 to 7 years of residency....all this to live in fear of being sued by a four-pack-per-day-smoker who will blame you for his myocardial infarction. Or better yet, be constantly second guessed by every high school drop out with an internet connection who someohow knows more than you and your expensive high-powered medical training because they "looked it up on the web". Do I have another 4 or 5 hours to tell you about managed care? Take it from a doctor who is living his "dream"...run, run away to something less stressful and more fulfilling than present day medicine...you know, like juggling chain saws.

I have not yet taken the LSAT, I've actually gone on a different path, but I did purchase this book when I was considering Law School and the book has a lot of practice tests in it which are very helpful.

I did not much enjoy the time I spent with this book, but it's exactly what it claims to be. In the end, I decided to take a low-end test prep course instead of studying on my own, and I didn't need the book anymore.

I've always used past practice exams as my primary study aids, from the SAT to AP to GRE. So I find these 10 exams (from Oct. 1999 to Oct. 2002) pretty useful. I plan to do the 2002+ exams after I'm done with these. The main reason I'm writing this, though, is to point out that my version (which I bought at the end of 2006) has a purple/red cover rather than the white/blue cover shown in the product image. After comparing the contents of the two, I'm pretty sure they're the same thing-- just in case anyone was wondering.

Without taking these official tests, my score would have been much lower. Practice, practice, practice. By the time I'd reached the last few tests in this book, my score on each test in the book was the exact same as what I ended up with for my actual LSAT score.

Ten practice tests provided variety for scheduling intellectual infrastructure sessions for students preparing for the LSAT. Format of the texts and availability of answer keys made for ease of switching from section to section as students honed academic skills.

A nosy, intelligent and bored heroine, layered plot and interesting setting combine to make this story well worth reading, despite a rather slow start. A few times, the heroine is terribly slow to catch on to clues the reader nailed 100 pages earlier, but all in all, very well done. Note to the author: A former copyeditor should proof her own books. Lots of typos, very distracting, especially when the heroine herself is an editor. All in all, however, quite enjoyable.

Five stars for humor and a good story. A good mystery and main character. A fun romp through copywriterdom and the saga of getting into a good NYC college.

I knew the author's name sounded familiar, but it took a while before I realized she wrote the children's book Fancy Nancy, which is wonderful.

Private schools can be deadly business.

I learned that last year when I wrote an article about the increasing numbers of parents who try to get their kids into private preschools and elementary schools so they'll have a 'leg up' when it comes to high school and college.

While many parents aren't going to say it outright, the competition to get a slot at the "right" preschool can be murder!

But not premeditated murder!

Author Jane O' Connor, better known for her Fancy Nancy children's books, has come up with a fast and fun read about the deadly serious business of Manhattan private schools and the dead-serious competition to get into the "right" colleges called Dangerous Admissions: Secrets of a Closet Sleuth.

Set against the backdrop of the tony, but fictional, Chapel School in Upper Manhattan, 40-something mother and editor Rannie Bookman finds herself at the middle of a murder investigation when A. Lawrence Tutwiler, the octogenarian college admissions adviser to the school, is found dead in his office.

Rannie had just visited his office hours before his murder when he offered her her first taste of single malt scotch.

Rannie's son had also stopped by to see "Tut" for a quick chat the evening of his demise.

And so the tension starts off pretty quickly as everyone tries to pin down a suspect, especially since a serial murderer has been terrorizing that same neighborhood in recent weeks. Could it be Rannie? Or her son? Or the ex-girlfriend? Or the catty co-eds?

What makes Rannie appealing as a character is that she is not the stereotypical Manhattan private school mother -- and the other parents and faculty don't let her forget it. It seems that Rannie's big publishing career came to a screeching halt because she left out the lower case "l" in the last word of the title of the classic Nancy Drew mystery, The Secret Of the Old Clock.

(When you're done snorting that Diet Coke out your nose, I'll continue!)

So in the eyes of most of the elite parents, Rannie is already suspect before they find Tut face down on his office desk.

What made this book appealing for me was the character of Rannie -- the one down-to-earth Chapel School parent portrayed in the book -- a harried working single mom, struggling to keep some semblance of a normal life for her kids. Many of the other adult characters were a bit stereotypical for me, but given that the plot itself was a leap of faith, I went with it.

Dangerous Admissions is written in an on-the-edge-of-your-seat style that makes you want to stay up past your bedtime to get in one more chapter to see what the next twist will be and who will try to point the fingers at others and away from themselves!

And who did kill poor "Tut" in that cut-throat world of Chapel School? Like you really think I'm going to tell you?!?!

This was funny, with a good story. A good beach, bed, or subway read. Really entertaining.

This book kept me reading far too late one night, but I couldn't stop. The humor is dead-on, the pace is brisk, and O'Connor's insights into the publishing industry and the world of prep schools lend a welcome authenticity. I can guess the resolution of the mystery in a book or film about half the time, but I didn't guess the ending of this one.

If you're a reader like me who enjoys clever dialog, twists and turns, and a solid mystery plot, don't miss this book.

Highly recommended!

This book gives an excellent overview of the college process from searching, interviewing, evaluating to financial aid. Very valuable is the "One hour college search" chapter which exposed us to many great colleges that we were not familiar with. I had checked this out from the library and then bought my own copy as it's definitely a great resource. If I only could read one book, this would be it. My college bound daughter will benefit from reading it.

This guide is more of the same. Basically tells you about the colleges you already know have good reputations-- ivys, and the ones just below them. Not helpful for kids who want to follow a non-liberal arts path. Not an in depth book, more just a glossary of colleges and universities. Big disappointment

Good Purchase? - Would be a Great Purchase if More Majors were included. Sort of a back and forth college match up of information. I am not certain if I would have purchased this book - knowing what I know.
It does have the Fiske bits of helpful information!

We are just beginning our college search, and based upon prior reviews decided to purchase this book. While I am not sure if I concur with the opinion of the author on how he categorizes certain schools, most of what is written is informative and actually, written in an entertaining way. Many of the other books on the subject are 100s of pages of statistics, in contrast, Fiske provides detailed information and resources in which to expand your search, while making the read entertaining.

For those just beginning the search, this is an invaluable book, cleverly written and informative. I would recommend it as well as other Fiske books on the subject.

I am finding this book very helpful in my college search. It is written fairly colloquially, which makes it easy to get excited about reading it. It provides "insider info" about college ratings, admissions, and searches, giving you the "big picture" and encouraging students to find a college that is a good match. Before I read it, I was uncertain/confused about "this whole college thing" and got overwhelmed often. The thoroughness of the book is helping me stay calm and feel confident, because it dispels the mystery behind every facet of the college search. I would recommend it to any college-bound student.

"Trophy schools are like trophy wives" writes the author of this practical and down-to-earth admissions primer. "They both turn your peers green with envy, they are both very seductive and expensive, and they both may put more energy into recruiting new prospects than they put into you." If you have, as I do, a really good, perfectly normal kid who wants to go to a good, perfectly normal school, this book's for you. It's like a "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff" for parents of the college bound. I enjoyed the style of writing and the infusion of humor into all the information. I have shared some of the best pieces with my son's SAT tutor and guidance counselor. I have also shared the book with other parents and friends who are going through the process or will soon. The author has offered a balanced perspective. My advice: read a very digestible chapter or two before bed each night.

Great book. Down to earth Author makes it a very easy
going read. Very humuors look at the college process, great. Thanks

This uplifting book offers not only great advice that helps you organize your time but also counsel that helps you get your priorities straight. College is "the cheese and cracker plate of life," says the author, nothing compared to the banquet that lies ahead. She advises that kids and parents keep it all in perspective, and reminds us that WE are the consumers who need to make a smart buying decision. Meanwhile, what to do? Ignore those flattering "invitations to apply" (they're about as meaningful and sincere as invitations to sign up for a credit card), focus on what it is you want to learn, and control your urge to barrage admissions officers with extraneous information and countless clever letters ("nobody likes a stalker and few will invite one to come and live closer"). Present yourself in the best light, craft an essay that offers a glimpse of your individuality (steer clear of platitudes about word peace and environmental correctness) and pay attention to detail. The book is liberally dosed with (much appreciated) humor, but if you really want to know how important it is for the whole family to handle this transition with grace, read the author's "Secret 100 -- The Ultimate Acceptance Letter." Hint: It's not from a college, but rather from a parent to a child about to be launched off to an excellent adventure.

The author mostly states the obvious--stuff you already know. Some of the information can be insulting or belittling. You don't need to spend your money on that!

As one of the aforementioned "overwhelmed" parents, I didn't find this slim book helpful at all. There's very little to it, first of all; I suspect the author wrote this in a weekend. Each "chapter" is about two pages long; the style is breezy, uninformative, and somewhat patronizing. I don't believe this author is as amusing as she thinks she is. The information provided isn't anything you didn't already know, haven't heard a zillion times before, or couldn't find out from the Internet or your child's high school career center. Finally, that's a hefty price tag for something so inconsequential.

Having used both "The GMAT Advantage with Professor Dave" and "The Official Guide for GMAT Review, 11th Edition," I have to say that Professor Dave is the best study guide for this test.

I initially purchased the "Official" guide because I thought it would have the latest test preparation sample questions and tips for taking the test. In actual use, the "official" guide lacks much of what really counts when it comes to successfully studying for this exam... practical test-taking tips.

As we all know, the most important things to study before taking any standardized test are the format and structure of the test, along with the way in which the test is scored. Most of the information on this test is learned over the past years of college and earlier schooling, not from any study guide. This is the main reason why I highly recommend "The GMAT Advantage with Professor Dave!"

Professor Dave is the ultimate study guide. A GMAT test-taker only has to sit down and follow this well structured guide in order to learn how to take the test and succeed.

Professor Dave introduces you to the GMAT at the beginning of the book in a calming and motivating way. He helps structure the next four or five days of studying by actually dividing the sections of the book into specific days of study and setting breaks during the day. My favorite part of the guide was that it felt as if I had an actual professor there assisting me with preparing for the exam.

Overall, this book is a complete study guide for the GMAT. It surpasses other books in so many ways. Most importantly, it is structured with a realistic schedule for studying, and comes with a virtual professor that both motivates and brings a sense of support to your preparation for this test. If you're like many GMAT test takers, busy with a full time job or college work and lack free time, the structure of this book is worth every dollar and time you put into it!

What are you waiting for? Add this book to your shopping cart and start preparing for your GMAT test!

This book has good explanation about different types of math problems. Book gives you KEY INSIGHTS information about various different math problems which will explain how to tackle a particular problem. Lot of help ful hints throught out the book.

Works as an additional good prep book for GMAT. Helped me in securing a spot in NYU, Stern. Thanks prof Dave.

I have attempted using many tools to try to crack the GMAT...but I was never fully satisfied until I found the GMAT w/Prof Dave. I love the style it's written in and the easy to learn tools that are given. I was very lucky that I had people recommend this book to me, and I, like them urge anyone who is going to take the GMAT to get this book!

This was the first book I picked up. I didn't know what to expect but I had
heard of the author from friends. I was a little intimidated by the exam but
this book was just what I needed to ease me into a study mode. The style is friendly and inviting, but don't be fooled by the classroom style, levity, and graphics. The material is very challenging academic stuff.

The professor is friendly and polite, then challenges you with some very
difficult math problems. But he shows you how to categorize problems and several techniques to use. It really opened my eyes to math problem solving. I must have worked 300 problems. This was the most help. The math tutorials were excellent. There is a section in the book on new types of math problems that have appeared on the most recent exams. I'm not sure how they got this information but it shows they do their homework.

Be ready to work hard. There are four 7-8 hour classes in the book (plus
extensive homework) but it took me a lot longer than eight hours per class because I read every explanation carefully.

They rated every question in the book as to easy, medium, or difficult. I
didn't get this at first but later I realized recognizing harder questions
indicated I needed more time with these. This little tip made me aware of timing which has always been a problem for me. My pacing improved markedly.

The critical reasoning questions were abundant in the book, broken into
categories which made them easier to understand. Many of these questions were related to business (with some business terminology) that can be tough for Liberal Arts majors.

All in all, I strongly endorse this book and the Official Guide which is another great study guide, but without the pictures.

N. Luett, a student from Arizona



  

This book is a mandatory guide for any B-school applicant.

The author, Paul, addresses each of the major questions that business schools ask. For each prompt, Paul organizes his thoughts in a structured manner and gives recommendations on "what to do" as well as "what not to do."

Sample essays are provided and include notes to show how certain aspects strengthen the applicant's essay and how everything in the essay supports the answer to the original question.

Before you apply to B-school, use this book as your guide!

Of the essay books, this does rank among the best in most categories. The advice is well thought out and gives you not only samples of prose but things to consider from the school's point of view. Items like word choice and essay style are also considered in detail.

As one of the other reviewers mentioned, most essays are unfortunately rediculous in length. If the essays could be infinite in length (as they are for basically only one top-25 school I can think of), these essays and the detail provided in them would be dead on. Once you begin writing however, you will realize that some of the detailed advice given and the rubrics to follow will quickly consume the 1-2 page limit and you'll need to start over and refine or completely rewrite. Use the essays for guidelines but be careful of all the prosaic fluff that the author recommends you put into your essay to create good "stories", sometimes using several double spaced pages just to set up a backstory in an essay-useless when you have only 2 pages to answer 3 subquestions!

The author spends alot of time saying, "Do X" and then within the same few pages or within the book will say, "Be careful of X," constraining you into an impossible writing situation. He will also do the opposite where he will scare you into the need to write too much by saying things like, "Make sure you talk about this aspect of your career. But don't forget this. And don't forget this. Oh yeah, and don't forget..." Again, if you have the common sense to get into business school, this book should be an inspirational outline more than the be-all-end-all of essay writing. The author should take care to give more examples of shorter essays which most top 25 schools want.

My advice: If you are looking to study multiple books, put this one on your list. If you are looking for one really great book, this may not be it (though I strongly advise you against using only one book.)

I used this in conjunction with the Princeton Review Book. They both had things I liked that were different from the other.

A real page turner! This book reads like a mystery novel, you can't put it down because you want to find out what's next! Bodine provides valuable insight into the mentality of admissions committees, guiding the reader on how to market oneself effectively, and how to create a compelling profile that differentiates you from the sea of applicants. I particularly enjoy the process of "data mining" my life -- part of which involves reflecting on my work experience and linking past achievements to future goals. This book made me realize that most people focus only on the GMAT, but B-schools are still looking for individuals, not scores. A compelling essay that connects with the admissions officer will go a long way in setting you apart and significantly improving your chances of getting in. A must-read for anyone looking to get accepted by a top school. And as another reviewer pointed out, a real steal at $12.

Almost all of the essays are WAY over the word count & page limit required. What he's telling you to include can NOT be included in 500 words or even 1000 in some cases. For example, the sample letter of recommendation is 7 pages long. No one is going to write you a 7 page letter.