What It Really Takes to Get Into Ivy League and Other Highly Selective Colleges [Paperback]

Chuck Hughes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 19, 2003 | ISBN-10: 007141259X | ISBN-13: 978-0071412599 | Edition: 1

The ultimate insider's guide to getting into the nation's most competitive colleges

Written by a former senior admissions officer at Harvard University, this book provides keen insights into what it takes to get into America's top schools. With the help of case studies of successful Harvard applicants, Charles Hughes II defines the goals and mission of highly selective schools. He explains the relative weight given to:

• Academics
• Extra-curricular activities
• Personal qualities
• Intangibles in the admission process

Hughes breaks down the components of the application, explaining the significance of each and how they are evaluated. And, drawing upon his extensive experience, he clues readers in on effective ways for applicants to improve their candidacy, including:

• How to prepare early in high school
• How to write a better application
• How to find the school best suited to their interests, personality, and goals

With this essential guide, students will be able to present their talents in the best light possible, and create a winning college application.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The ultimate insider guide on getting into the country's top colleges

Getting into the nation's leading colleges is one of the most competitive--and demanding--endeavors students face throughout the course of their education. Even the most outstanding students will benefit from having a knowledgeable guide walk them through every step of the nerve-wracking application process. This unique resource is that guide. Written by a former senior admissions officer from Harvard University, this comprehensive and easy-to-understand handbook provides keen insight into

• The goals and missions of the admissions offices at highly selective schools
• What the toughest admissions officers are looking for
• How to write an Ivy League application
• The importance of academics, extracurriculars, and "intangibles"
• How to read (and rate) your application like an admissions officer
• Finding the school that's right for you
• PLUS: Case studies--analyzed by the author, real Harvard applications help you determine if you're Ivy League material

Straight from the hallowed halls of Harvard, this invaluable guidebook offers an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look inside the bewildering college admissions process--giving you the tools you need to ace your application and join the Ivy League.

"Finally . . . the mystery that is admission to highly selective universities has been unveiled. At a time when acceptance to the nation's top schools has become hyper-competitive, What It Really Takes to Get into Ivy League and Other Highly Selective Colleges arrives to explain the inner workings of the process and does so in a manner that is clear and concise."--Steve Pemberton, Vice President, Monster and Former Admissions Officer, Boston College

"This book approaches the mysterious world of selective college admissions in a straightforward and down-to-earth way.  [The author's] use of actual case studies and admissions deliberations are particularly helpful, as prospective applicants can see how their credentials and experiences might compare to a national and international admissions pool."--Dan Drummond, Co-Director of College Guidance, University School of Milwaukee and Former Senior Admissions Officer, Harvard College

"Chuck Hughes's insights are of benefit to anyone involved in the college selection process."--James J. Mohan, Director of Guidance, Hinsdale Central High School, Hinsdsale, IL

About the Author

Chuck Hughes is a former senior admissions officer at Harvard University, where he spent several years evaluating thousands of undergraduate applications. Currently director of academic products for Monster.com, he is a Harvard alumnus and makes his home in Boston, Massachusetts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (March 19, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 007141259X
• ISBN-13: 978-0071412599
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #113,177 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

97 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sloppy writing..., November 15, 2003

By 

Jessica L Ferraro (Santa Monica, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What It Really Takes to Get Into Ivy League and Other Highly Selective Colleges (Paperback)

After reading the reviews already posted, I was thrilled to buy the book and dig in. Since I successfully braved Harvard's admissions process and I currently help high school students do the same, I was more than a bit curious about getting a peek behind the curtain. Well, call me a stickler, but I quickly and easily found many grammatical and logical errors that left me questioning much of what I read. I can excuse confusion of "affect" with "effect," but I have a problem with an ACT/SAT I conversion chart that confuses total scores with subscores: a 36 on the ACT equates to a 1600 on the SAT I and not an 800, as Hughes' chart indicates. And I'd expect a Harvard man to know that Duke, Northwestern and Rice are not Ivy League schools. Also, did anyone else notice that the praise on the back cover came from people I can only assume Hughes works or has worked directly with? Pemberton not only works at Monster with Hughes, they share Boston College ties. Drummond is a fellow admissions officer at Harvard. The last review was from a guidance counselor at a high school...What did the real critics think??

My point is that I couldn't put full trust in what I read because of these kinds of flaws. I'm disappointed to hear that this is the leader of the pack for "how to" books on college admissions.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining but frightening, November 25, 2005

By 

X. Chen - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What It Really Takes to Get Into Ivy League and Other Highly Selective Colleges (Paperback)

Basically, Mr. Hughes contends that if one has not won some international/award in some specific talent or is regionally recognized in many categories then it is very unlikely to expect a Harvard acceptance letter. A rather frightening thought. Most "Get Into College" books exude at least some sort of confidence rather than setting the bar so high that unless one abandons any form of a life since middle school to become a violin virtuoso or save Guatemalan chidlren while earning perfect test scores and a perfect GPA.

The author's writing style is rather aloof and disconcerting. Try a more friendly and encouraging author like Michelle Hernandez or the Tanabes.

And on one final note, getting into Harvard isn't everything. I would love to get into Harvard, but don't have this tunnel vision and ignore everythng else in your life. Take the time to enjoy the experience. Doing things to bulk up your transcript will only be painfully boring, try to find something you enjoy and dive into it! If you work hard (and are somewhat brilliant) good things will happen.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well-informed but wordy, June 13, 2006

By 

a writing teacher (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What It Really Takes to Get Into Ivy League and Other Highly Selective Colleges (Paperback)

This book is an asset to any student applying to "most selective" schools because it gives detailed and candid information about what Ivy League colleges are looking for.

Although the basic message here is unsurprising (like another reviewer says, it boils down to "be the best"), a lot of the details are helpful. For instance, it addresses a few perennial questions like "B in an AP class or A in a regular class?" and "Is depth or breadth more important when it comes to extracurriculars?" The specifics will be helpful to anyone who is already basically familiar with the Ivy League admissions process. More importantly, the book represents a real-life inside perspective on the Ivies.

At the same time, it's not a very well-written book. No grammatical errors, but it's quite wordy, full of weak verbs and obvious introductory remarks. This sounds like a minor problem, but it makes the book much harder to slog through than Michele Hernandez' books (A is for Admission and Acing the College Application), which are just as informative, much better written, and in general a better place to start.

If you are applying to Ivies and do not have an excellent college counselor, and you have already read Hernandez' books, I recommend this book as a highly informative inside perspective.