<p>I was looking up the reviews on amazon, and I noticed a large majority of them aren't the average teens writing style; they all seem a bit too formal for just a book review. I think noticed on the direct hits volume 2 reviews that another person noticed this too (the top review). I feel like a lot of people (even the ones on CC) are getting PAID to talk about this book as being awesome. What do you guys think?</p>
<p>I do not know if it is a scam or not, but I do know that my CR score increased by 100 points after reading the two volumes.</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> Customer Reviews: Direct Hits Core Vocabulary of the SAT: Volume 1 2011 Edition](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Direct-Hits-Core-Vocabulary-SAT/product-reviews/0981818455/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Direct-Hits-Core-Vocabulary-SAT/product-reviews/0981818455/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1)</p>
<p>A while ago someone said that CC members were contacted and compensated for posting positive reviews. If you look you’ll see identical cut and paste reviews for both books.</p>
<p>As one Amazon reviewer stated, the 2010 and 2011 volumes are 99% the same. I did mail mine back (at my cost), and that explains why DH is not in bookstores. If I had seen the 2011 edition in the store, I would never have purchased it.</p>
<p>It is helpful, just don’t fall for the “new” edition. Nothing new.</p>
<p>With Amazon reviews, you should throw out the top 10% (5-star self-reviews), the bottom 10% (1-star competitor reviews) and see what’s left. Also, if you’re suspicious of a review, check out all of that person’s reviews. I was just looking at one for a book there and there is no way a teenager bought all the things this customer had reviewed.</p>
<p>It’s a very competitive (even cutthroat, at times) business with new companies starting up every day.</p>
<p>Yeah, A LOT of cc members say they have heard that this book is great, but they haven’t used it themselves! I really think they are being duped by the paid CCers who have made this book seem like one of the essentials that should be bought.</p>
<p>I even remember reading on the direct hits website somewhere that stated to look at the reviews on CC about this book. I really doubt such a company would be looking at the CC forums so carefully!</p>
<p>SATwriter, i looked at a lot of the reviews and most of them only have the reviews for dh1 & dh2! This is very fishy. And I totally agree with nynyny thats its odd that its not sold in book stores. If its THAT great, you think you could at least find it at b&n/borders.</p>
<p>Here is the review I was talking about (top most): [Amazon.com:</a> Customer Reviews: Direct Hits Toughest Vocabulary of the SAT: Volume 2](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Direct-Hits-Toughest-Vocabulary-SAT/product-reviews/0981818412/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Direct-Hits-Toughest-Vocabulary-SAT/product-reviews/0981818412/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1)</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/766918-direct-hits-books.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/766918-direct-hits-books.html</a></p>
<p>Think the original “offer” was deleted…</p>
<p>I’ve basically done the same thing as Direct Hits: comb the tests and pull out the frequently used words. Except we are giving them away for free.</p>
<p>I had no idea that they actually paid reviewers. Wow. Can’t wait to tell the boss man.</p>
<p>I reviewed for Direct Hits, and I wasn’t paid–I don’t think anyone was paid. The books definately helped our D, and the US History book is amazing. It cuts to the important information, leaves out the filler, and produces excellent results. It all depends on how much time you have for review…if you have unlimited time, this format may not work for you. If you are really busy, it can be a lifesaver.</p>
<p>The books are not a scam! I used the 2010 and 2011 editions junior and senior year and they helped me get my CR score into the 700s. I was a reviewer for the 2011 books and the company did not pay me. They sent out the books in late August and asked for a review in return for the free copies. I don’t know why they aren’t in bookstores but neither is Dr. Chung’s math book in the other thread.</p>
<p>Yea I bought both volumes. Finished volume 1. Haven’t started volume 2. Volume 1 has helped me a lot and I definitely was NOT paid. I understand how you guys could think that some people were paid, but I assure you that most of us were in fact not. I can’t really show you proof so it’s up to you to decide wether you’ll risk buying the book or not. It’s not really a big deal because i found the books to be pretty cheap. Just my 2 cents…</p>
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<p>The company didn’t pay the reviewers with any form of cash. They simply provided us with the 2 new volumes (2011 edition) of DH, which we were allowed to keep. They also gave us a DH drawstring bag as a thank-you gift.</p>
<p>And the DH author (Larry Krieger) follows the CC forums for good reason: this is probably the best (if not only) place to find consolidated lists of tested words/topics on every single SAT. His strategy is a very simple (but effective) one. I highly doubt that DH is a scam. $1000 prep courses are much more like a scam, IMO.</p>
<p>This is not a scam! These two volumes are the best lists I have ever seen. I just recently took the June SAT, and it seemed as if the author of DH decided to write the SAT vocab section! The books are amazing!!! And no I am not payed…</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/810434-looking-favor-someone-amazon-account.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/810434-looking-favor-someone-amazon-account.html</a></p>
<p>Someone PMed me with the above thread as well</p>
<p>Again, don’t buy the newest edition or you’ll end up sending it back.</p>
<p>$15.00 + $15.00 + $8.00 p/h = $38.00</p>
<p>You can spin it any way you wish, but CC reviewers were compensated with free books after giving positive reviews for DH. Some members hadn’t even read the book yet. That’s why the thread was deleted…false advertising.</p>
<p>This site is also “compensated” to “suggest” DH –</p>
<p>[Disclosure</a> | Best SAT Prep Book Tips](<a href=“http://bestsatprepbook.net/disclosure/]Disclosure”>http://bestsatprepbook.net/disclosure/)</p>
<p>This has me thinking about Dr Chung…</p>
<p>I think a free book in exchange for writing a review is fair. They aren’t telling students what to write, right? You’re free to write negative reviews? Not that you would; there is no denying that certain words appear over and over.</p>
<p>We have a terrible time getting students to review our products and classes and have thought about having raffles for previous students (who have already paid for our services) that submit an evaluation. We need the feedback, good and bad.</p>
<p>@SATwriter
so you would not be unhappy if you contacted a company (who compensated individuals for reviews), and they reassured you the product was what you needed, and you spent $40+ on something that was useless to you, and you had to package and mail it back at your expense, then wait for the refund?</p>
<p>Remember…don’t buy the newest edition. Nothing new!</p>
<p>nynyny, of course that would make me unhappy, and unfortunately has happened more times than I can count with all of the internet shopping I do. I was just commenting on the offer of a free book for reviews and trying to understand the requirements.</p>
<p>Guys, imo DH is not a scam at all.</p>
<p>When I just started preparing for SAT, my first CR score was 580. But after 1 week using DH to procrastinate, my CR in January went up to 690. So imo it’s obviously not a scam, of course the book can’t satisfy all of its users, but for me the book helps a lot =)</p>
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<p>No, they aren’t. Nor do they actually require you write a review (I’ll admit that I never got around to writing mine…I should get around to doing that).</p>
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<p>I’m pretty sure the 2 volumes of DH qualifies for Free Super Saver Shipping from Amazon if you live in the US.</p>
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<p>As far as I can remember:</p>
<p>A DH representative (I think it may have been one of the executives) posted on CC last summer that the 2011 edition of DH had been finished and that they needed student reviewers before they finalized everything. For those that signed up early enough, DH sent a package to those people. The package contained both volumes of DH 2011, a drawstring bag (as a thank-you gift), and a letter from the president (Ted Griffith). In the letter, Ted thanked us for reviewing the books and asked that we give feedback on the material ASAP and requested that we submit a review (for Amazon, DH’s site, etc.) after using the books and seeing our CR results.</p>
<p>Never did DH send any cash/check to us reviewers. They needed people to spell-check, to make recommendations for future editions of DH, and to write some reviews for the books.</p>