Let me tell you, as someone who used to dread writing assignments, this book completely changed my relationship with words. When I first cracked open 'On Writing the College Application Essay', I expected another dry manual - but Harry Bauld's voice jumps off the page like your funniest English teacher giving you insider tips.

The moment that hooked me? When Bauld describes admissions officers reading the 50th 'I scored the winning goal' essay at 2am. Suddenly I understood why my first draft (about volunteering abroad) got tossed. His brutal honesty about clichés saved me from becoming just another forgettable applicant.

What surprised me most was how this became my writing bible beyond applications. Those narrative techniques transformed how I wrote emails, cover letters - even text messages! The before-and-after student essay examples were particularly eye-opening, showing me how to turn my 'decent' story into something that made an admissions officer sit up in their chair.

Pro tip: The chapter on opening lines alone is worth the price. I must have rewritten mine twenty times using his advice, and when my Yale interviewer quoted it back to me? Chills. This isn't just about getting into college - it's about learning to communicate your unique humanity on paper.