{"product_id":"zero-hour-college-essays-nicholas-kurian-9798192225783","title":"Zero Hour College Essays: What the Admissions Lawsuits Revealed About Writing the Essay That Gets You In","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe admissions lawsuits forced selective colleges to release the rubrics they actually use. This book is what's inside them.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eRecent litigation pried open the black box of elite college admissions. Buried in the trial exhibits were the Reading Procedures top colleges use to score applications, and a stunning piece of statistical evidence: \u003cb\u003ethe Personal Rating predicts admission better than the academic rating does.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA \"1\" on the personal rating gave applicants a 97.5% admit rate. A \"4\" was effectively disqualifying even with a perfect transcript. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe traits readers were told to look for, listed verbatim in the documents, are these: \u003cb\u003ehumor, sensitivity, grit, leadership, integrity, helpfulness, courage, kindness.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eZero Hour College Essays\u003c\/i\u003e is the first crash course built directly on those documents. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat's inside: \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA clear, research-grounded system for writing the application essay, organized around three people every reader is looking for: the \u003cb\u003eLeader\u003c\/b\u003e, the \u003cb\u003eFriend\u003c\/b\u003e, and the \u003cb\u003eThinker\u003c\/b\u003e. Each chapter walks through a worked example from a real student and a 12-line scorecard built from the language of the rubric itself. Three full sample essays at the end are scored line by line, with specific revisions that lift each one a full rating band. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eDesigned for students writing under pressure, including those starting just weeks (or hours) before the deadline. No filler. No vague advice. Just the moves that move the score. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eWho this book is for: \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eSeniors writing their Common App or supplemental essays, especially under deadline pressure. Parents who want to understand what selective colleges are actually evaluating. Counselors and teachers who need a defensible, research-backed framework to assign or recommend. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the author: \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eNicholas Kurian has taught in New York City classrooms for over twenty years, including data science, calculus, history and philosophy at the high school level. His work on character formation and mentoring has been featured at SXSW EDU. He holds a master's degree in economics from Columbia. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003ePart of the Zero Hour series, the crash course built for students who are out of time.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Nicholas Kurian\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798192225783\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 08\/11\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 106\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.34lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.22d","brand":"Nicholas Kurian","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":49174507880703,"sku":"9798192225783","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/zero-hour-college-essays-nicholas-kurian-9798192225783","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}