Acing the College Application: How to Maximize Your Chances for Admission to the College of Your Choice (Paperback)

by Michele Hernandez (Author) "I find it incredible that one of the most important components of the application is the one that many applicants don't bother with..." (more)
Key Phrases: supplemental essay, extra essay, alumni interview, Activity Years Active Position Description, Weighing Your Options Once You're Accepted, Ivy League (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Hernandez delivers some brisk, straight talk to teens with sights on high-profile colleges, and having worked in admissions at Dartmouth, she knows the territory. What's somewhat different about her approach is its focus on the common application, which, according to her, can give a talented student a way to stand out. She looks first at filling out the activities section, following with tips on writing the main and supplementary essays--including polishing the style ("eliminate almost every adjective and adverb"), selecting a subject, and injecting passion and enthusiasm into the work. Many sample essays illustrate her points. In addition, she includes a generous section on the personal interview, which not only takes some of the fear out of the process but also explains how teens can use the opportunity to best advantage. A useful addition to the college shelf, just in time for the fall rush. Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
?Want to scale the Ivy wall? Michele Hernández gives you the tools to do it. This brisk, no-nonsense book is built on inside dope, and Hernández?s experience allows her to challenge conventional admissions thinking.?
?HARRY BAULD
Author of On Writing the College Application Essay
-- Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1 edition (August 27, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 034545409X
• ISBN-13: 978-0345454096
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #335,127 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars B+ for Acing the College Application, September 16, 2003

By	Lee Mellott "www.mylilgolddress.com (Earn at ... (Frederick, Maryland) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Michele A. Hernadez the author of "Acing the College Application" is an expert in the field of admissions. With a doctorate in education and her own college consulting business she boasts that she has close to 100% success rate at getting her clients admitted to top colleges.

Sadly most of us can't afford a top notch counselor like Dr. Hernadez and often find ourselves floundering in piles of college applications overwhelmed by the daunting task of filling them out.

Fortunately, Dr. Hernadez has written "Aciing the College Application" to help you present yourself in the best light possible. Learn how to highlight skills, talents and passions in just a few pages.

And the book offers excellent information. It includes an indepth look at the common application. The truth about essays. How to ask guidance counselors and teachers for recommendations.
Which academic subjects, activities and work experience to mention and more.

Sadly the more college preparation books I read the more disagreements I have found. For example,
one issue she discusses is if you should type or handwrite the application. She suggests handwriting as it looks more like the student themselves completed it. Another book I read said that you should type it because studies have shown that papers that were typed were given better grades than handwritten papers. Thus good typing could make the difference between being admitted and being rejected.

She also suggests using blue ink. I was surprised by this as I have always been told black ink was the most professional. On a whim, I called an admissions office and asked (feeling rather anal) which color ink they would like the application written in. The woman who answered said definately black as it was the most professional.

The book also lacks an index. Thus looking for particular information can be time consuming.

Overall its a helpful book and a little fine tuning could make it one of the best.

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Single Most Helpful Book that I Have Read, December 30, 2004

By	Tyler B - See all my reviews

It's rare that I will take the time to rave about a book on Amazon, but this book is most certainly worth it. I have read literally dozens of college-advice books, and - without question - Dr. Hernandez' book has been the most helpful. In fact, if I could have only read one college-application book, this would most definitely be my choice (2nd place going to "On Writing the College Application, by Harry Bauld).

This book is remarkable because of the author's attention to detail. Unlike any other author, Hernandez takes you through the college application literally question-by-question. She also addresses minor questions that I've asked myself before: Should I type or print my application? What order do the supplemental-pages go in? How can I include my AP scores on the common application? etc. etc. All of this stuff may seem trivial now, but I promise you, when you get down the deadline and need a quick answer - you'll thank me (or more specifically, you'll thank the author). This book has what you need to know; no other book I've read goes into this kind of detail.

Because Hernandez' walk-through is for the common application, you can literally follow it step-by-step for 90% of the schools you apply to (it's relevant for all colleges though). I found her writing style is easy-to-follow, yet detailed enough to provide real insight. In addition, as a former English teacher, Hernandez knows her stuff and is able to offer practical advice for the dreaded essays.

The example essays that are used are eye-opening, because none of the kids are out-of-this-world extraordinary. For example, one girl writes about her love for band, but is successful because she conveys a passion in her writing. Passion is one of the words that Hernandez hammers in her writing, because passion is what will help you stand out from a crowd of similarly qualified applicants. ACING will teach you how to weave this passion throughout all of the facets of your application.

As a former Ivy-league admissions officer (i.e. someone who actually evaluated applications for a living), it'd be hard to argue with Hernandez' qualifications. She has gone on to start a college consulting firm, www.hernandezcollegeconsulting.com, and the near 100%-acceptance rate of her applicants speaks for the success of her methodology. Obviously, what she's doing works and WORKS WELL.


To close, allow me to reiterate that I have read almost every current college-application book out there. This is the ONLY book that I've read multiple times, and is the single most helpful book on the market. Highly, highly recommended.

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent with many valuable details on the topic, July 13, 2005

By	Gaetan Lion - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Michele Hernandez is one of the best private college counselors in the nation. She is also the author of the excellent college guide "A is for Admission." This book is one of the best among the 10 ones I have read. "Acing the College Application" is not as rich in insights and information as "A is for Admission." This is because it is focused on a more mechanical and narrow topic (how to best fill the actual application so as to maximize your chances).

Nevertheless, I still give this book a strong 5. This is because Hernandez advice on many of the details of filling application is so valuable. There are tons of strategic mistakes one is bound to do just out of ignorance. She gives you the inside scoop on how admission officers read, interpret, and assess the data and qualitative information you provide them. Without understanding somewhat how their brains work, you have little chance of getting in top college regardless of your academic record.

The first half of the book is mainly dedicated to the various essays you have to write to complete an application. Thus, this book doubles up as an excellent college essay guide. She teaches you everything you need to know to be successful on that one count.

Near the end, she covers broader topics in several very interesting chapters, including: what to do if you are deferred or wait listed, early action vs early decision, and weighing your options once you are accepted. Unlike many of her counterparts, Michele Hernandez gives you many other valuable strategic details unencumbered by political correctness. She gets so many things rights that others either miss or get wrong. Regarding early action or decision, she has actually looked at the acceptance rate data and she strongly recommends you use these tools to your advantage to get into a most selective schools. If you don't you are not serious about getting in Princeton, Stanford, and similar schools. Regarding the wait list thing, make sure you find out why you were wait listed. If they say it is because the pool of applicants was unusually competitive; you may as well move on. You are toast. But, if they say it is because they are missing something in your application, you are still right in there. And, you have a good chance of impressing the admission officer with strong follow up. That is a valuable piece of information I had never read anywhere [find out why you are wait listed and respond accordingly].

Overall, I strongly recommend this book. Obviously, you should read it after reading "A is for Admission" to establish a broad based foundation in the college application and selection process. Another top-notch book I strongly recommend is "The Early Admission Game." The coauthors have studied the acceptance data and have measured with the greatest accuracy the advantage in using early action/decision program vs going the regular admission channel.