From Publishers Weekly
While still in high school, Ben Kaplan won more than two dozen merit-based scholarships amounting to more than $90,000 in funds for use at any school. After graduating from Harvard magna cum laude in 2001, he self-published How to Go to College Almost for Free: The Secrets of Winning Scholarship Money, selling more than 65,000 copies out of a custom tour bus dedicated to raising awareness about scholarships. Now reissued, his book offers advice on how to find and win money for college, delivered in an energetic and inspiring voice with broad appeal. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Kaplan parlayed intelligence, hard work, and creativity into $90,000 of scholarship money, then graduated from Harvard to write a book designed to help others negotiate their way to unencumbered college cash. His guide, self-published in 2000 by Waggle Dancer Press, is now available, totally revised and updated, in this trade paperback edition. Although loosely organized and sometimes repetitive, the book is filled with useful information, beginning with the happy news that merit awards aren't the sole province of gifted athletes and top students. There's also plenty on how scholarships affect college-aid packages, locating and applying for coveted cash, and even handling telephone interviews. Scattered throughout are references to awards and Web sites, including Kaplan's own. Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

FROM OUR EDITORS

Middle-income parents, take note. Although this resource book addresses all types of students, it focuses in on the vital unrestricted, merit-based scholarships that are not based on need. It's never too soon or too late to take advantage of grant opportunities. Kaplan counsels students to start early -- even the seventh and eighth grades -- lining up grants, but also shows how to get grants if you are already enrolled in college or graduate school. Packed with tips, such as how to present yourself if you are not a stellar student, and straightforward advice, How to Go to College for Almost Free is a financial lifesaver for students.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

How To Go To College Almost For Free is the ultimate scholarship toolbox--the "bible" for scholarship seekers of all ages. Inside this one-of-a-kind book, you'll find four essential scholarship resources: An aggressive "how-to" guide that teaches you the techniques and tactics of top scholarship winners. A valuable directory of scholarship prizes that you can use at any college, plus insider tips on winning each award. An extensive library of winning essays, applications, support letters, forms, and other sample materials. Access to a companion Reader's Resource Room that alerts you to the latest contest news, and provides helpful interactive coaching.

About the Author:

Benjamin Kaplan, age 22, won more than two dozen merit-based scholarships while still in high school--accumulating nearly $90,000 in scholarship money for use at any college. In 1999, he graduated from Harvard debt-free, with virtually the entire cost of his education covered by his scholarship winnings. Kaplan has written numerous articles on the subject, including columns for The New York Times and U.S. News & World Report, that have been syndicated in publications nationwide. Kaplan also conducts scholarship seminars throughout the country, consults with organizations desiring to set up scholarship programs, and serves as the resident scholarship coach at the WinScholarships.com Web scholarship portal.

SYNOPSIS

Uncertain about how you're going to pay for college? Afraid of drowning in a sea of student debt? Well fear not--Benjamin Kaplan once felt that way too. But that was before he discovered that hundreds of millions of dollars in scholarship prizes are waiting to be won. After winning nearly $90,000 in unrestricted merit-based scholarship money (which covered virtually the entire cost of attending Harvard), Kaplan has come storming back with a no-holds-barred guide showing how you can do it too. In How To Go To College Almost For Free, Kaplan builds upon his own experiences, and adds insights from interviews with other scholarship winners--revealing insider secrets that put scholarship money within the reach of all students, regardless of their GPAs. The result is an "indispensable resource for high school and college students, as well as for families caught in the middle-income financial aid crunch."

FROM THE CRITICS

"If you want to win scholarship money, then go with a winner. Ben Kaplan won several of our scholarships, and many others. His book speaks directly to students in their language, with practical tips and interesting insights into the 'winning attitude.'" — (Rocco Marano, Director of Student Activities National Association of Secondary School Principals)

Publishers Weekly

While still in high school, Ben Kaplan won more than two dozen merit-based scholarships amounting to more than $90,000 in funds for use at any school. After graduating from Harvard magna cum laude in 2001, he self-published How to Go to College Almost for Free: The Secrets of Winning Scholarship Money, selling more than 65,000 copies out of a custom tour bus dedicated to raising awareness about scholarships. Now reissued, his book offers advice on how to find and win money for college, delivered in an energetic and inspiring voice with broad appeal. (Sept.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

VOYA

Kaplan, also known as the Scholarship Coach(tm), knows his stuff cold, with credentials to back him up. He won more than two dozen scholarships totaling $90,000, which he used to earn a degree in economics from Harvard in six semesters. He is a popular radio and television talk show guest, and the number of students who have used his methods successfully is in the thousands. This delightful author's chatty, contemporary writing voice makes the hunt for scholarship money sound like irresistible fun for students and parents looking to tame the frightening costs of higher education. This breezy second edition of Kaplan's invaluable guide is chock full of game plans, advice, strategies, and most importantly, reassuring statements that anyone can be successful in the hunt for scholarship money without feeling overwhelmed by the task. He dispels myths that feel like roadblocks, saying that grade point average, family income, and civic activities are not deal-breakers, and he provides helpful tips for homeschoolers. A whole section is devoted to opening the horizons of scholarship possibilities beyond the well-known, big-name awards to include the most-targeted special interest scholarships. He discusses the criteria scholarship judges use and gives practical advice not only on how to write winning essays but also on how to recycle and customize those essays to be used repeatedly for different scholarship applications. The layout of the book invites readers to follow his advice methodically, and the charming illustrations enhance the sense that scouting for scholarship money can be a game. Most helpful of all is his emphatic assessment that it is never too late—or too early—to startthe hunt. Some advice works for students in junior high school, whereas other strategies are effective for those already in college. Peppered with anecdotes of successful winners who followed his method, Kaplan's book is a must-purchase in the arsenal for affordable higher education. Index. Illus. Charts. Appendix. VOYA CODES: 5Q 4P J S (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2002, HarperCollins, 378p, $22 Oversize pb. Ages 12 to 18. Reviewer: Beth Andersen

SOURCE- VOYA, April 2002 (Vol. 25, No. 1)

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