Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Kindle
$11.99

Available instantly

Hardcover
$7.62 - $36.26

Paperback
$13.71

List Price: $17.00 Details

Save: $3.29 (19%)

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Wednesday, March 20 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or fastest delivery Monday, March 18. Order within 3 hrs 4 mins

Select delivery location

In Stock

$$13.71 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Returns

Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

Returns

Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.

Read full return policy

Payment

Secure transaction

Payment

Secure transaction

We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more

Details

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery Thursday, March 21 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 16 hrs 49 mins

Select delivery location

Used: Good | Details

Sold by The BAP Goods

Fulfilled by Amazon

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Other Sellers on Amazon

Added

Not added

$13.71
FREE Shipping on orders over $35.00 shipped by Amazon.

Sold by: Camalion Enterprises

Follow the author

Michele A. Hernández

Follow

A is for Admission Paperback – September 22, 2009

by Michele A. Hernández (Author)

4.4 124 ratings

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$13.71","priceAmount":13.71,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"13","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"71","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"5j9iKTCJ967KJNDLfaYIf4tkqCq08ZAIJuX0PIwzfQkD3Gl3gSnXkwezo2Tm%2FC4CpK6%2FBLCm3pA5sXoUxaTSSdWpD3PT92KAK8i3sbTspAWlCGtMijCmXp333ulmC%2FKG2yOBsW10bk4%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$7.47","priceAmount":7.47,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"7","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"47","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"5j9iKTCJ967KJNDLfaYIf4tkqCq08ZAIq4Hyyy7Le2UhGnHW19F%2BdZuL5Kp4JlyT47hl5782eWfU788lOSw%2BnNYIHIsDNbsEroP139BLBBK7j0taadeKuRBWB06ZwMXGu%2BCv5AUt916cysgx1VajoMtGxUk9ysMs8SM9syh%2FW2xI8tnGlejzIgQGXmZmuFed","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

A former admissions officer at Dartmouth College reveals how the world's most highly selective schools really make their decisions.

Print length

304 pages
Language

English
Publication date

September 22, 2009
Dimensions

6 x 1.1 x 8.95 inches
ISBN-10

0446540676
ISBN-13

978-0446540674
See all details

Frequently bought together

$13.71

Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 20

In Stock

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

+

The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College

$17.10

Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 19

Only 20 left in stock (more on the way).

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

+

Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions

$16.79

Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 19

In Stock

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Total price:

To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Try again!

Details

Added to Cart

Some of these items ship sooner than the others.

Show details Hide details

Choose items to buy together.

Jacques Steinberg
246
Paperback
107 offers from $1.24
Jeffrey Selingo
1,195
Hardcover
in Education Assessment
103 offers from $5.96
Edward Fiske
82
Paperback
in College Guides
36 offers from $12.94
Susie Watts
60
Paperback
13 offers from $13.80
Becky Munsterer Sabky
88
Hardcover
69 offers from $2.23
Harry Bauld
214
Paperback
152 offers from $1.23

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Who gets in and why". -- Chronicle of Higher Education

From the Back Cover

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, THE COMPLETE, INSIDE STORY FROM AN ACTUAL IVY LEAGUE ADMISSIONS OFFICER

For generations, the admissions process of the Ivy League schools has been cloaked in mystery and myth. Now Michele A. Hernandez, a former admissions officer at Dartmouth College, finally breaks the ancient code of silence to reveal how the world's most highly selective schools really make their decisions. With absolute candor, she tells you all the hard truths, how officials factor in every extenuating circumstance, and, most important, how to make this complex, high-stakes system work for you. Thorough, direct, and written for results, A IS FOR ADMISSION answers the questions asked by countless students:
-- What do admissions officers look for and what turns them off?
-- How are test scores and grades truly evaluated?
-- Does applying for early decision hurt or help you get into the college of your choice?
-- How can you improve the odds of acceptance? ...and much more.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grand Central Publishing; Revised edition (September 22, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0446540676
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0446540674
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.1 x 8.95 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #136,479 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #73 in College Guides (Books)
- #119 in Dreams (Books)
- #3,029 in Test Preparation (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.4 124 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

Important information

To report an issue with this product or seller, click here.

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Michele A. Hernández

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Dr. Michele Hernández is co-president/co-founder of Top Tier Admissions, a company dedicated to assisting students and families with getting into top colleges. She is author of the the best-selling books: A is for Admission, The Middle School Years, Acing the College Application and Don’t Worry You’ll Get In. Michele has been featured in hundreds of newspapers, magazines, radio and television programs including Newsweek, NPR, Bloomberg, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Atlantic Monthly, The Today Show, CNN, and MSNBC.

Dr. Hernández graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College and went on to earn a Master’s degree in English and Comparative literature from Columbia University and a Doctorate in Education (EdD) from Nova Southeastern.

An avid athlete, hiker and adventurer, Michele has spent the better part of a decade working on several hiking “lists” from the Northeast 111 winter to the "4000 footer every day" calendar grid. She lives in Weybridge, Vermont.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5

124 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Yolanda

Wish I'd read this 3 years ago

Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2012

Verified Purchase

My daughter and I had just attended our first college info session the weekend before purchasing this book. I could hear so much of what the admissions officer said echoed in this book but it wasn't until reading the book that I really understood what the admissions officer was saying. The book was like a rollercoaster ride - okay we're covered there; oops, we might be in trouble here; omg we definitely missed the boat on that one! Since reading the book we've attended 5 other college info sessions. 3 were private ivy colleges and 2 were "ivy type" public colleges. The most consistent messages - matching what was stated in the book - was that even more than the high scores on the SAT and ACT, the schools were looking for potential students who would bring something special to the table - a special inner drive that is such a part of their makeup that anyone describing them would likely touch on it. The admissions officers also touched on their quest for diversity in the student body although none actually admitted to flagging or coding the student files. I can see from many of the communications that we are receiving from these schools (among others) that they are indeed targeting specific audiences in their diversity recruiting efforts. With regards to how the applications are reviewed by assigned officers first and then either accepted right off the bat or put forward to a committee for further evaluation and consideration - most of the schools did acknowledge that process. Most of them did actually review physical files. Interestingly enough, UC Berkeley strives to be fully electronic. They do not want paper of any type.
Anyway, this book was a fast read and definitely helped me to decipher what the admissions officers were really saying and helped in determining how my daughter needs to present herself in Essays and such. Too late for the extra-curricular boost but she's exhibited the love of learning that they look for in the transcripts.
This book is a must read - preferably while your student is in 9th grade - but still provides some last chance advice if you're just stepping into the reality of college admissions as a rising senior.

27 people found this helpful

Helpful

Sara Haleva

Excellent, full of useful information

Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2010

Verified Purchase

This book does not hesitate to give you very detailed information. It is not filled with meaningless generalities which are so common today. I am a parent of high school students and this is a must read for proactive students or parents who need to push their kids along in the "getting into a good college" game.

The price of the book is so small compared to it's value that anyone who does not buy it (that wants to get into a top college)and read it of course, is foolish and not serious about getting in.

Unless you are the one in a million genius who has won national science competitions etc, you will fall in the grey area and need that extra information to help get yourself in.

Great information that finally clears up what advantages you have if your parents are alums, if you are a minority, if you are a recruited athlete etc.

It will also give people a a reality check on chances of getting in.

I got myself into Yale Law School years ago from Brooklyn College and this book seems in line with what my strategies were. In comparison, my husband who is naturally brighter than me, went to Fordham Law School from Columbia. So planning, researching, being proactive, can make the difference.

Lastly, you may wonder if all this work is worth it? Are the top schools really that much better? My opinion, yes definitely.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

J. D.

A Good Place to Start

Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2010

Verified Purchase

I checked online through several college sites to find a book that gives a concise, informative review of the admissions process. This is the title that kept coming up. "A is for Admission" has the details that flesh out the generalized articles in annual editions of U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges". Now the system actually makes sense to me, and the book is an easy read. My son just signed up for 9th grade and I wondered if I was starting too early, but after reading the book I believe middle school is the best time to start. The way I see it--our kids tell us their goals and we give them the support they need to reach those goals. This book helped me as a parent to better understand how to support my son. I would love to see a book of this quality that described the admission procedures at California's top universities and colleges.

12 people found this helpful

Helpful

Jessica L

Must read for college counselors

Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2021

Verified Purchase

As a college counselor, I’m so grateful for Michele's books A is for admissions, Acing the College Applications, and her Top Tier Admissions blog! She provides honest advice for how to fill out common app sections like your ethnicity, the order the admissions officer reads the file, and provide great examples for the activity list!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Nancy Mumford

Simple & Straight Forward Advice!

Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2010

Verified Purchase

I had heard about M. Hernadez before when the book was released in the late 90's. However, things have certainly changed on many fronts, specifically college admissions procedures. My niece was in tenth grade when I came upon an excerpt from the revised book and was blown away by the needed preparation to get recognized by most colleges today. "A Is For Admission" cuts to the core of what a student, as well as parents, needs to do to prepare for this challenging journey called College Admissions & the Common App! Highly recommend this to parents of students entering highschool. Start sooner if possible!

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

The College Student Coach

Excellent Theory and Perspective for All Admission Applicants

Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2012

Verified Purchase

In "A Is for Admission" Michele A. Hernández provides a real world perspective for college admission students. In the college admission writing process it is necessary to engage the reader with clear concise communication, follow the formal academic structure guidelines, and include the theory that the admissions officers seek, all by connecting through the admissions perspective. The people granting your admission must connect with what they are reading before they will place your application in the "accepted" category.

This undergraduate communication professor and The College Student Coach highly recommends "A Is for Admission" to all of her college student admissions clients.

synergyintuitivecoaching.com

collegestudentcoaching@gmail.com

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

scarlett

good

Reviewed in Canada on August 26, 2018

Verified Purchase

a good book

Amazon Customer

Obviously geared towards Americans, but nonetheless, a book without content

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 9, 2017

Verified Purchase

I usually write notes on books like these, and I made barely any on this book, hence, the one star allocated to it.

I find it frustrating when people write books with barely any useful content. It is just a pure waste of my time!

Amazon Customer

Very valuable information and extremely insightful for overseas students who ...

Reviewed in India on August 3, 2016

Verified Purchase

Very valuable information and extremely insightful for overseas students who are planning to do their Under-Graduation in the top US universities.

BOHO PARENTS

Excelente explicacion de como funcionan las universidades americanas

Reviewed in Spain on October 2, 2015

Verified Purchase

Se lo recomiendo a todas las personas que quieran estudiar en USA. Sobre todo a los extranjeros que estamos menos familiarizados con el proceso de admisiones americanos. Mejor lee antes del High School.

Translate review to English

NLM

livre stressant pour rien

Reviewed in France on January 23, 2013

Verified Purchase

Livre stressant et élitiste qui en devient méprisant. Mode "ya qu'à faut qu'on" qui n'aidera pas vraiment les élèves intéressés. Il ne suffit pas toujours de vouloir pour pouvoir.

Translate review to English

See more reviews

Return this item for free