Anyone read From Hopeless to Harvard e-book?

College Confidential Community
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<p>Have any of you read the John Dorian Chang e-Book "From Hopeless to Harvard"? If so, is it worth purchasing online? It seems very helpful for getting into competitive colleges, but I haven't read it.</p>

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<p>From [url=<a href=“http://www.hopelesstoharvard.com/ivy-league-admissions-guide/]here[/url”>http://www.hopelesstoharvard.com/ivy-league-admissions-guide/]here[/url</a>] on its web page:</p>

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<p>Looks like it’s geared to specifically scamming the members of this forum.</p>

<p>Next:</p>

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<p>49 pages of an e-book for $47? ■■■■■. What you’re getting: stating of the obvious based off of what he’s read on this forum or other websites, consolidated into a ridiculously overpriced e-book. He provides no proof of being an admissions officer and uses a fake name.</p>

<p>And finally, a nice [url=<a href=“Examiner is back - Examiner.com”>Examiner is back - Examiner.com]article[/url</a>] on the site.</p>

<p>Bottom line: If you feel like wasting your money on additional BS and false promises, feel free to spend the money.</p>

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<p>i really suggest you, like that interesting post you’ve cited, read a book before criticizing it. I purchased the book yesterday and it’s actually quite good. it really demystifies the whole admissions process and gives you some concrete advice on how to increase your chances.</p>

<p>I’m selling my copy, email me at <a href="mailto:lawlruschang@gmail.com">lawlruschang@gmail.com</a> if you’re interested</p>

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<p>^^ sketchy guy with two posts</p>

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<p>The entire website looks sketchy.</p>

<p>Regarding the e-book thing, how many serious college help books are released as e-books? Or for that matter, how many serious books at all? </p>

<p>Most of the e-books I see are exercise books who have nothing you can’t find for free or music books whose contents you could also find for free, provided you have the initiative.</p>

<p>And one last thing regarding the website, my local community college’s application fee is $35, which is less than the $47, supposedly less than the application fee of any ONE college (I have little reason to believe his local community colleges are much more).</p>

<p>Though I haven’t read the book, I don’t think it says much more than “Passion. Vision. Eloquence.”</p>

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<p>i can tell the e-book PROBABLY isn’t worth it after reading what the author says you MUST do to get into top colleges. </p>

<p>"1) Leadership in roles like student body president or class council representative. It’s hard to argue with accomplishments that are impressive across your entire school. Stanford will be impressed. "</p>

<p>Absolutely wrong. Leadership is definitely not a “must.” In addition, just having the position of “president” doesn’t help you much at all. </p>

<p>“3) Sports and music are critical - they demonstrate that you have diverse talents”</p>

<p>lol.</p>

<p>While it’s unfair for me to just automatically distrust the book w/o even reading it, the suspicious website and the bogus ideas of the author make it VERY likely that this book is a complete waste of money.</p>

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<p>It’s very likely a waste of money? Oh no. Just like the author of the book and website, I’m going to state my opinion as fact and say it is a waste of money.</p>

<p>First, if anyone is even remotely interested, look at the some of the “information” the “book” has to offer (the words ‘information’ and ‘book’ being used loosely):</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.hopelesstoharvard.com/documents/p7.pdf[/url]”>http://www.hopelesstoharvard.com/documents/p7.pdf&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://www.hopelesstoharvard.com/documents/p8.pdf[/url]”>http://www.hopelesstoharvard.com/documents/p8.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>The advice offered is obvious, and all of it can be found here on this forum or figured out through common sense. You need to have course rigor? You need to spend your summer wisely? The difference between a 2300 and 2350 on the SAT is small? Woah, thanks for the insider knowledge; I couldn’t have figured that out myself at all!</p>

<p>Furthermore, there are already ~40 some pages of ‘information’ and ‘secrets’ free on [the</a> website](<a href=“http://www.hopelesstoharvard.com/table-of-contents/]the”>http://www.hopelesstoharvard.com/table-of-contents/). All the “book” is going to do is repeat this information again; there’s no need to waste your money at all.</p>

<p>Like I said before, the website was written to scam certain audiences, and the College Confidential audience is probably at the top of the list. Don’t be fooled.</p>

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<p>I really considered getting the book but my parents refused to pay the $47 for it and now, after seeing this thread, I feel much better that I didn’t buy it.</p>

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<p>$47 bucks? LOL</p>

<p>Go to your local library and take your parents out to dinner with that money.</p>

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<p>I am almost certain that it is fake. I’ve looked at it. Why would you pay around 50 bucks for an e-book? If he claims he’s as good as he is- why doesn’t he actually get his book published? I know its tempting, but it doesn’t make sense.</p>

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<p>Here’s a link to an article explaining in detail why this book is a ridiculous waste of money and a scam:</p>

<p>[College</a> admissions advice: from the astute to the asinine](<a href=“http://www.examiner.com/x-766-College-Admissions-Examiner~y2009m2d27-College-admissions-advice-from-the-astute-to-the-asinine]College”>http://www.examiner.com/x-766-College-Admissions-Examiner~y2009m2d27-College-admissions-advice-from-the-astute-to-the-asinine)</p>

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<p>i just got this book. but i didn’t know it was an ebook. i thot they would mail you a hard copy. does anyone know?</p>

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<p>No, it’s just an e-book, no hard copies of it.</p>

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<p>It is not a scam. I read it, and there’s a lot of little things that make a big difference that you can learn. And you don’t have to second guess on what the schools want anymore.</p>

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<p>is it possible that I could buy the book from you for a discounted price? my parents refuse to buy me the book because it is too expensive, but from what I read off his site, I believe that he’s telling the truth…perhaps his “campainging” strategies aren’t working so well.</p>

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<p>Sorry, but many of the secrets and other blather provided in his book are absolute nonsense.</p>

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<p>Of course this guy’ll praise it. He’s trying to get rid of his copy and minimize his loss.</p>

<p>Don’t buy this book.</p>

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<p>this guy that wrote the book… he’s a harvard graduate, correct? so, why can’t he get it published? the e-book format seems a bit sketchy to me. also, the emails from parents he received and posted on the hopeless to harvard website seem a bit fake to me. he could post anything on that site. i wouldn’t trust the customer reviews and messages on the hopeless to harvard website.</p>

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<p>Hahahahah…am I the only one that noticed that all of the above users who are praising “Hopeless to Harvard” have fewer than three posts [in the case of YaleParent, only one!] Moreover, YaleParent’s post is IDENTICAL to one of the “testimonies” [obviously written by the “author” of this shady, scam-book] on the book’s website? He obviously made a CC account to praise his book, and hasn’t utilized it since! $50 for a 49 page book?! That’s ludicrous! At that rate, ~$1/page, most novels that I read would cost me upwards of $400! No book is worth that price, certainly not one on such a shady website with blatantly obvious, poorly written info! SCAM! As for tall123 he/she obviously has money to fritter away on useless, poorly written, shady ebooks. NOTE: I refer to YaleParent who has posted on another thread concerning this book. As for the guy selling his copy? I totally agree with bluebox! Hahahah! Demystifies?! LOL!</p>

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<p>On the other hand, what other books do you guys recommend?</p>