Writing a memorable personal statement can seem like an overwhelming project for a young college applicant, but college essay coach Alan Gelb's holistic strategy and reassuring voice takes out the intimidation factor. Students will identify an engaging topic and use creative writing techniques to compose a vivid statement that will reflect their individuality. A much-needed supplement to other college entrance guides, this useful handbook will help students win over the admissions dean, while preparing them to write better papers once they've been accepted. A guide to crafting a meaningful and polished college admissions essay that expresses the applicant's unique personality, strengths, and goals. Step-by-step instructions lead students from idea to initial draft, through revisions, and to a final version ready for submission. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 69 percent of high school graduates enroll in college.ReviewsPublisher's Weekly, March 24th 2008: Included in test prep/college feature article
Conquering the College Admissions Essay in 10 Steps
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
ALAN GELB is a college essay coach and professional writer whose clients include colleges and universities across the country. He is the author of The Complete Student, A Survival Guide for Professionals, Most Likely to Succeed, and more. Alan lives with his family in East Chatham, New York.
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More About the Author
Alan Gelb's book Conquering the College Admissions Essay in 10 Steps has established itself as a leader in its field, ranking as high as #2 on Amazon's list of books about College Entrance. His novels and nonfiction have been published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, E.P. Dutton, St. Martin's Press, Dell, and Avon, and he has contributed articles to The New York Times Magazine and Parents Magazine. Gelb also works selectively with college-bound students, helping them to achieve their best essays. For more information on Gelb, his theories, and his select college essay coaching service, visit www.conqueringthecollegeessay.com.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 43 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Buy 'Conquering' and one other book before even writing the first word . . .
September 12, 2009
By just a mom
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
'Conquering the College Admission Essay in the 10 Steps', by Alan Gelb reviews basic high school composition and how it applies to the college applicant's personal statement. Developing the technical aspects of conflict, protagonists and timing are critical to an interesting product.
I recommend that the editing parent and student read 'Conquering . . ', then everyone is on the same page. Gelb crafts a great example of story telling by a classic 'mom', then injects the critical aspects of a successful essay. Very clever and interesting example for discussion between writer and editor.
Another great book is 'On Writing the College Application Essay', by Harry Bauld. In contrast, Bauld's book gives incredible insight into who is the recipient of the essay; how to fashion the final product to intrigue the decision maker and their panel; and the process of the application. 'On Writing . . ' is smartly written for the Ivy League applicant -- or the best prepared future state school attendee.
Together these two books will supply the writer with ammunition and the tools needed for a solid essay. Good Luck!
I recommend that the editing parent and student read 'Conquering . . ', then everyone is on the same page. Gelb crafts a great example of story telling by a classic 'mom', then injects the critical aspects of a successful essay. Very clever and interesting example for discussion between writer and editor.
Another great book is 'On Writing the College Application Essay', by Harry Bauld. In contrast, Bauld's book gives incredible insight into who is the recipient of the essay; how to fashion the final product to intrigue the decision maker and their panel; and the process of the application. 'On Writing . . ' is smartly written for the Ivy League applicant -- or the best prepared future state school attendee.
Together these two books will supply the writer with ammunition and the tools needed for a solid essay. Good Luck!
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
By N. Do
Format:Paperback
A friend recommended this book to me after weeks of being unable to focus on writing an essay. It's a relatively short book so I initially finished it in one day. The first thing I really liked was how the author assures us that procrastination and feelings of dread are a natural process of writing, and true to form, I prolonged writing my essay as long as possible. When I made goals for myself, like the author suggests, of writing a few words or a paragraph a day, I went back to the 10 steps and used it like a guide book. Every "step" that Gelb gives is an action that the applicant must take. For me, some steps took longer then others. I basically carried the book everywhere for six weeks while writing my essay, and would use the book to help me focus my thoughts and ideas, to edit better and cultivate my essay. I'm happy about the outcome of my essay. Also, at the end, the author inserts some full essays from successful applicants he has helped (he uses examples from them throughout the book to breakdown the steps as well), and reading these helped me form a voice in my essay. I'm really glad my friend pointed this book out to me.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Whether you're clueless or completely confident on how to write your college essay, this book will provide you with intelligent yet simple advice that will quickly make you feel like an expert on the personal statement.
I was very confident with my essay when I first wrote it, but as soon as I'd skimmed the first few pages of Alan Gelb's book I realized there were dozens of improvements I could make, and Mr. Gelb points out these improvements in a way that is clear and fun to read. Without the book my essay wouldn't have been nearly as great as it was, and I would have had a hard time writing it.
Another great thing about this book is it's flexibility of use. I've only just written my college essay and I already use Gelb's tips for all kinds of essays for school. If you read this book, or even just glance through it, you'll find that you use Alan Gelb's tips every time you put a pen to paper.
I was very confident with my essay when I first wrote it, but as soon as I'd skimmed the first few pages of Alan Gelb's book I realized there were dozens of improvements I could make, and Mr. Gelb points out these improvements in a way that is clear and fun to read. Without the book my essay wouldn't have been nearly as great as it was, and I would have had a hard time writing it.
Another great thing about this book is it's flexibility of use. I've only just written my college essay and I already use Gelb's tips for all kinds of essays for school. If you read this book, or even just glance through it, you'll find that you use Alan Gelb's tips every time you put a pen to paper.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Marginally helpful.
This book had a few helpful tips. However, I felt that it focused wayyyy too much on conquering procrastination which isn't really a problem for me. Read more
Published 10 days ago by hihellohola
5.0 out of 5 stars
I got this for my daughter but it's so inspiring it almost makes me...
Instead of creating a list rights and wrongs, Alan Gelb builds a framework layer by layer on how to write an essay. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Stina
5.0 out of 5 stars
Only Book You Need for the College Essay
We bought several books on the process of writing college essays. This is the only book you need. It is easy to read, easy to understand, direct, and to the point. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Kimberly C. Burke
1.0 out of 5 stars
Worthless
Not worth the price of the paper. Donated it to the goodwill box soon after it arrived. Don't waste your money - just write your essay from your heart. Read more
Published 1 month ago by George
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly recommend
Easy read for any age. Very helpful to give kids and parents an idea of what the writing process looks like and what a good essay looks like.
Published 2 months ago by MW Mom
3.0 out of 5 stars
ok
bought it to improve my writing skills.Good book, if you ain't got a clue on how to write an essay.
Published 2 months ago by alberto
5.0 out of 5 stars
Review
I really enjoyed using the book!
It was written in a manner that makes reading it enjoyable.
As far as its content, I rethought and rewrote my previous draft after... Read more
It was written in a manner that makes reading it enjoyable.
As far as its content, I rethought and rewrote my previous draft after... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Nic Mileti
1.0 out of 5 stars
an epic of a mediocre writer
'The first step to become a mediocre writer' is more suitable title than the actual one.
This author truly has a talent to make a whole book out of an handful... Read more
This author truly has a talent to make a whole book out of an handful... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Adam H
5.0 out of 5 stars
10 steps that really help
As high school seniors my children were receiving tons of advice about how to approach the college essay, but nothing helped them actually get the words down on paper like Alan's... Read more
Published 4 months ago by grateful parent
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Clearly-Explained Process to Write A College Essay
As a high school senior, I really benefited from this book. Through a clearly explained step-by-step process, this book has helped me write my essays into profound personal... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Jin-Woo Kim
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