Game On: Why College Admission Is Rigged and How You Can Beat the System

by Susan F. Paterno

How is it possible that Harvard is more affordable for most American families than their local state university? Or that up to half of eligible students receive no financial aid? Or that public universities are rejecting homegrown middle- and working-class applicants and instead enrolling wealthy out-of- state students? College admission has escalated into a high-stakes game of emotional and financial survival. How is the deck stacked against you? And what can you do about it?

Susan F. Paterno, a veteran academic and journalist, answers these questions and more in Game On. Paterno helped her four very different kids navigate the application process to a wide range of colleges, paying for their four-year educations on a finite budget. She incisively decodes the college admission industry—the consultants, the tutors, the rankers, the branding companies hawking “advantage”—and arms you with the knowledge you need to make the system work for you.

You’ll learn how to narrow your focus, analyze who gets in and why, and look for the right financial fit before considering anything else, including geography, reputation, and, especially, ranking.

Among the tools and insights in Game On:

· Why forty years of failed free-market policies have led to skyrocketing tuition and historic levels of student debt

· Why applying to college has become a bewildering maze and how to find your way to a successful result

· Why college costs are more terrifying than you think

· How to read beyond the rack rate to negotiate the best financial package with the least debt

· Why merit is a myth, but merit aid is essential

· The difference between family debt and student debt and how to split it

A playbook for the Hunger Games of higher education, Game On explains the anxiety, uncertainty, and chaos in college admission, explodes the myth of meritocracy, exposes the academy’s connection to America’s widening gap between rich and poor, and provides strategies to beat—and reform—a broken system.

Genres: Nonfiction, Education, College

320 pages, Hardcover

Published June 15, 2021

About the author

Susan F. Paterno is the director of the journalism program at Chapman University in Orange, CA and an award-winning journalist with more than twenty years' experience as a reporter, writer and columnist. A senior writer for "American Journalism Review," Professor Paterno has also written for the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, U.S. News & World Report, and many other publications. She has collaborated on a half dozen books, including writing The Newswriters Handbook and Talk Straight, Listen Carefully: The Art of Interviewing with M.L. Stein.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although “Game On” contains some advice on how families should navigate the college admissions process, the main focus of the book is an insider’s indictment of the entire process. It starts by giving a picture through anecdotal stories about experiences with the process, the desperation that some families feel about getting into the so-called elite universities, and what they often end up doing and paying (if they can) to get their kids in and to pay the exorbitant ransoms the elite universities charge.

Meanwhile, Paterno points out that only a tiny few ever get accepted to the elite universities and previous few have the means to pay for it without taking out an offer they can’t refuse from the predatory lending machine. While some like the Lori Loughlins have resorted to Out right cheating, other families pay crazy cash to test peepers, tutors, college counselors, all with dubious reputations. And she argues it’s all a broken system from the US News rankings to the increasing costs which all push people to think that only an expensive elite school will do. And everyone in the system makes money except the college students and their families.

Ultimately, Paterno’s argument is that the real financial costs should be foremost in families’ minds when applying. Look at the real costs (which don’t matter for the Uber wealthy), apply to schools where your kid’s grades and test scores are above average to get the best financial packages, and negotiate if possible.

The book is filled with the political and economic history of how the college admissions system developed perhaps more so than advice to individuals on how to navigate the system. It concludes that the federal government should play a greater role in funding tuition at Public universities and dealing with the student loan crisis, not paying much attention to individual’s personal responsibility for their own financial decisions. Nor does Paterno hide her political allegiances at all (decidedly Leftward).

All in all, it is a fascinating indictment of an industry that does not well serve its customers so much as it perpetuates inequalities and profits off desperate middle class families who often do not qualify for much financial aid, but can’t afford to pay for what they have been told is the best (although how the ranking systems define the best is highly suspect).

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you, like me, are familiar with the college financial situation in the US, you are also likely saddled with a whole bunch of debt. Granted, most of my student loan debt is entirely my fault. Ten years pursuing a degree I wasn't passionate about will do that, but maybe I shouldn't have been trusted as a naive, uneducated seventeen year old to choose what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and borrow almost the entire cost from private and federal lenders. I'll be paying off my loans for many years (decades?) to come.

Now as an educator sending students to college every year, and often giving them advice or writing recommendations for their applications, I feel a bit guilty. It's an exciting time in their lives, but also one of the most stressful and confusing experiences they've had to face yet. Every year there are a handful of students who approach me with high hopes of Ivy Leagues or big name schools, and all I can see in my jaded, post-grad years are dollar signs. It's become such a heavy for my generation and those that follow me, that it's hard to encourage students to take that on.

When I was approaching college, there weren't many books discussing the ins-and-outs of handling the financial side of education. Susan Paterno's book is one such book that I would be thankful to have had read before applying to schools. Luckily for me, my family was not part of the elite upper or upper-middle class to whom she writes, so I wasn't competing for one of the lucrative spots at a Yale or Harvard. But still, I was encouraged to go to college, without receiving any help or guidance about how to pay for it. It's become so normalized to take on the burden of giant loans as a teenager. It's easier to get a student loan than it is to get a credit card or buy a car.

Paterno uncovers the hidden aspects of the admissions process, from cheating scandals and exploitative test-prep services, to scholarship scams and skewed college rankings. In each chapter, she discusses a different topic related to the rigged system with anecdotes from students, often paired with an historical overview of how we've found ourselves in this situation.

While I found this book informative, it wasn't surprising or new to me. Some of the historical context was interesting for me to read, but as someone who is not part of the target audience (parents with high school students), I found myself a little bored. And while I understand Paterno and her publishers likely understood who the market for this book would be, I wish she had spent more time addressing the lower and lower-middle classes. My parents worked multiple jobs or way over 40 hours for my entire childhood, so when it came to shouldering the burden of college debt, it fell entirely to me. Hearing the burden that Paterno faced for her children fell on deaf ears for me. She does have the occasional nod to those families throughout, but much of the book was tailored to the wealthy or upper-middle class.

I also found myself wishing for more of the "beating the system" Paterno promises in the title. Much of the recommendations she provides occur in the last chapter, which didn't seem like solutions. I think this book is more of a call to action for people to support governmental intervention and change of this system. Even the solutions didn't feel like solutions -- ultimately, only the wealthy and privileged can "win" the game with any consistency. Everyone else just has to try really hard and get lucky. I left this book feeling even more jaded, and as a parent, I'd feel pretty defeated.

College, like all of the other capitalistic systems in America like credit cards and taxes, are a necessary evil, but oh so corrupt. Reform needs to happen, but until it does, there is little the lower and middle classes can do. Set your sights a bit lower, think practically, but you'll still likely need to take out a bit of money.

[Andrew Palumbo · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a galley copy of Susan Paterno's "Game On: Why College Admission Is Rigged and How You Can Beat the System" after seeing a higher education press interview with the author. As a higher ed enrollment leader, I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about her views. I found some of what she said in the article to align with my experience and expertise but I was surprised by the over-the-top title of her book suggesting that admission is a "rigged" system and that the author could teach readers "how to beat" it. It was quite the claim and, leading an enrollment team, I was curious how Paterno defined "beating the system".

I'm not sure what I expected when I started reading "Game On", but I can assure you that nothing could have prepared me for what I read. In short, "Game On" is one part history of higher ed and admissions, one part quoting journalists' work and their interviews with people in the field, one part opinion, and finally, a large portion of the book is dedicated to the author's obsession with Ronald Reagan. It was quite a bizarre journey that was not made easier by the unclear direction and order of the book and the frequent repetition of points made earlier in the book.

I've never been so disappointed with a book that had many positions that I at least somewhat agree with.

The author rails on the individuals who profit off of families going through the process who don't have any actual expertise working as an admissions professional. The irony is that the author then turned around and wrote a book promising to teach readers how to “beat the system” while never having lead an admissions team nor - to my knowledge - having been an admissions or college counseling professional.

This premise - a guide promising to provide secret information - is a common tactic employed by some who profit off of the stress and anxiety that exists in the college search process. It’s my professional opinion that this does more harm than good and I have never met an admissions or college counseling professional who would ever claim that they will teach you the tricks to “beat the system”. I have real ethical concerns about this type of positioning especially when there is a clear profit motive. I would strongly advise students and families navigating the college admissions process to be skeptical of anyone promising to sell a way to “beat the system” when that system is actually a holistic admissions process that considers students within the context of a specific applicant pool and their own personal context.

While people who have never worked as a college admissions professional or college counselor regularly spread opinions - and even misinformation - on Internet forums purporting to know “secrets” or how to “beat the system”, it’s rare that these individuals are given a platform such as this to sell a "secret guide" to gaming the system. As a rule of thumb, it’s my opinion that readers should be weary of such promises because the admissions process simply isn’t a “rigged” system where someone can give you the guide to “beat the system”.

I could not state this more strongly: DO. NOT. BUY. THIS. BOOK.

There are plenty of excellent books and guides for students and families going through this process that have been written by actual admissions directors and college counselors or prominent higher ed journalists who have spent their careers reporting on college admissions and its many nuances.
—-
Updated note from the reviewer:

In a first for me as an avid reader who enjoys reviewing books he reads, I was contacted directly by the author of this book. The email that I received, in my opinion, was meant to intimidate me into updating my review.

I will not be changing the rating provided nor my opinions about the book. I am bothered by the very profitable industry that has propped up around the colleges admissions process that continues to increase skepticism, anxiety, and stress - whether it be books, test prep, or other services.

I have updated the portions of this review that the author was upset about with the goal of addressing the stated concerns while also not caving to what I feel is fairly unethical - and unheard of - pressure on a person who chose to write a review about a book that left them disappointed and concerned.

When in doubt I believe that college students should stick to the most reliable sources of information - their college counselors and the admissions professionals at the schools they are interested in. Nothing in this book or the author’s surprising efforts to track me down and request me to change portions of my review have changed this belief. If anything, it has only reinforced this opinion.

[James · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was asked to read a pre-publication version of this book by St. Martin’s Press, the publisher.

I’m sure the author is passionate about the topic of higher education cost and the student loan debt crisis facing millions. Unfortunately, I did not find this book to be well-written. It is repetitive to the point of distraction. I often found myself wondering if there had been some sort of error with my digital copy and it was jumping back to sections I’d already read. No, the author just really, really, really wanted readers to know that college is expensive, rich people have it easier than the rest of us and the reason college costs so much is because Evil Republicans want it to.

There are several typographical errors in the book that I hope will be corrected in the final version, but the book’s structure demands a major rewrite and a firm editorial hand. It feels at times as if several independent essays were jammed together without editing for clarity and brevity. I believe the book would be better if it were focused on suggestions parents and college-bound students could use to avoid being debt slaves for decades and omitted the author’s political views.

Update, May 2, 2021: Neetu Arnold has written a cogent, concise, fact-filled analysis of the higher education finance issue here: https://www.nas.org/storage/app/media...

This meticulously annotated study of the history and current status of the crisis in higher education is a must-read for parents planning to send their children to college, and for thoughtful young people who want to understand why things are the way they are and avoid enslaving themselves, to the extent possible, to debt incurred to pay for education.

[AcademicEditor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have worked in and around admissions for nearly 20 years, and I have seen the changes for the worse in American universities' policies and administrations. I enjoyed this book for the author's perspectives as a parent and a journalist, as well as her sense of humor. She develops the story of how higher education has played an ever-changing role in society, and how corporate and political greed and manipulation have led to the mess in which we now find ourselves. Her exploration of the world of admissions in the past 20 years goes far beyond the Aunt Becky scandal, exploring the less criminal and slightly less expensive world of prepping, coaching, and becoming merit-worthy by any means possible.

The tepid reviews of this book must be from Reagan apologists, because the author is not afraid to expose his extremely corrupt administration's role in ending the social contract of upward mobility -- college tuition has risen more than 800% since 1980, thanks to Reagan's cuts to taxes that subsidized student aid and his dismantling of regulations and reforms that had provided previous generations a stepping stone to the middle class. The author offers advice for individual families to navigate the college admissions process, but, like many problems, there is a need for structural reform that is vast and daunting, and needs to be much more prominent in public discourse. This book is a great addition to a parent's or grandparent's bookshelf, or anyone interested in social issues.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Patrick Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Game On is a terrific indictment of the college admissions process, and moreover, of the systemic issues and decisions made decades ago that primed the landscape for record levels of corruption and cheating.
This book's purpose is two-fold. Diagnosing the problem encompasses the first half of the book. We gain personal insights as to Paterno's own experience navigating the college admissions process with her own children and through her experiences as a college journalism professor. We learn about the major regulation rollback in the Reagan Administration that reduced subsidies and pathways to college education for those not born into a privileged background. We get an understanding of the vast amounts of wealth pouring into testing preparation, college admissions counselors, and the slight of hand decisions of notable celebrities like Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin.
After we learn the problem, Paterno puts on a different hat. Now - she's equal parts academic scholar, concerned mother, and admissions process veteran. She's here to prescribe a solution. She uncovers precise ways for parents of high school children to help steer their children through this process in the most economical way possible, ultimately settling on the consensus that the college decision is (or should be) an overwhelmingly fiscally focused decision for families - a particularly prescient point as we reach a $1.5 trillion student debt crisis in the US.
This book flows well, and carries itself neatly from chapter to chapter. There are some references to the political history of decisions of past governments that led to some of our system's contemporary woes, but this book is by and large not political. It stays laser focused on college, college admissions, elitism, and how to navigate the road ahead! Definitely recommend!

[Keren Kang · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was OK. There's some history and quoting of different experts, studies, statistics, etc. It's relevant and interesting, but it also drips with privilege (which I'm sure she's aware of to some degree). The criticism of the business of higher education is definitely deserved, but it's just so obvious that she's benefited so much from these institutions as well--two children who went to Harvard by playing the "game" and getting in, for example. She writes honestly about her mistakes (including almost working with the college scam coach)...but the fact that she has resources to inquire about such services as long as she can afford it is quite telling to me. The message seems bit muddled too. I found myself agreeing with her condemnation of the inequity in admissions and debt-laden sadness of so many who just don't have resources. At the same time, she's playing the "game" and trying to help others to one-up and get in? The title is somewhat misleading too as it's not really a "how to" book with tips; it's more commentary about the mess that is our current higher ed admissions process.

[Michal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author comes across as someone who is bitter that she agreed to take on 120k in debt for her sons. She wrote the whole book as a way to try to support her political tendencies and her desire for the federal government to subsidize all university education. While she is right that costs are out of control, her writing style is incredibly repetitive and relies far too much on anecdotal evidence. There were only a few chapters that I found worth reading. In addition her "research" into the history of college finances seems very tinted by her rose colored glasses as she looks back to a time when "the government subsidies were far bigger and students could graduate without debt." She conveniently ignores the fact that large government subsidies are what allowed colleges to increase prices in the first place as well as the fact that far fewer students could go to college in the rosy past. The chapter about rankings and the final chapter are probably worth a read if you're getting ready to send your kid down the college path, but there are far better books out there.

[Ivy Digest · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a How to Get into an Ivy School. Veteran journalist delves into the history of US college admissions and how it has become a crazy race. But the admission advice to parents and teens is too basic to “beat the system”.

Susan demystifies the flaws in the system: contrived school rankings, harsh college selectivity, skewed tests and pseudo prep centers, snake oil coaches and untutored counselors, academic enrichment scams, so-called scholarships, loan sharks and financial aid tricks, and the cliquish admissions policies.

Susan warns parents not to unknowingly taking on too much college debt and offers the sobering tip to reach for the attainable and affordable college. Maybe even abroad. She gives helpful resources to calculate your cost, what schools offer financial aid, and where to find colleges for the best value.

Susan assures students not to lose heart if they’re not Ivy material academically and financially because there are 2,000 other options.

This won’t abate parental anxiety about getting your kid into an Ivy, but you’ll know what you’re up against if you don’t belong to the privileged super elite who get in—or can buy their way in.

@IvyDigest

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Race for Admission to a Top Rated College

The book opens with the author racing about like crazy trying to find all the appurtenances for a successful college admission for her youngest daughter. There are tutors and coaches and always the question of how much you can afford just to get through the application process. Behind it all is money. You want the best for your child, but you also have to eat and take care of your other children. The other factor about money is that the college or university wants to make money. In fact, they have to make a lot of money to pay administrator salaries, provide amenities for the students, and keep star faculty.

The book is filled with anecdotes about how some well-qualified students are denied admission to top ranked colleges because of bias by the administrators of their prep schools and other problems that have little to do with how well qualified the student is. There are also stories about how parents cheat and bargain to get their students into the top ranked schools. The questions is whether the top ranked schools are worth the effort.

The book has good information for parents facing the challenges of college admission, but it also points out the problems with the system. Financial aid is hard to come by for students that really need it. The rich have an advantage because they can pay the outrageous tuition. Student loans are in many instances designed to suck you in and limit your future because of monstrous debt.

I enjoyed the book. I did find the author a bit repetitive. She had one story to tell and told it in every chapter although bolstered by different anecdotes. In the opening, I found the spectacle of the author racing about to do all the right things to get her daughter into college off putting. The question it raised for me is whether college is really that important right out of high school. Even if you go to a top ranked college the degree in most fields with be ancient history once you’re in the job market.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

[Carol Wu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite having spent the past three years in the admissions consulting industry, my weary and I heart were still jolted by some of the information in this book. ⁣
⁣
First, it is the sheer competitiveness of the admissions game. I’m accustomed to seeing students take AP exams in addition to a full IB course load/study till 4 in the morning/cry at the office, but did you know that “some parents were hiring doctors to do performance-enhancing Tommy John surgery on their sons so the young pitchers could throw harder and faster” so they could be recruited by elite colleges??? 😨⁣
⁣
Second, the labyrinth of unregulated laws and misleading information can be ruinous for students and parents. Not only is the student loan industry is intentionally little regulated due to its profitability and the financial gains for Wall Street and politicians, universities also get kickback for recommending certain predatory leaders. ⁣
⁣
So there. While you are taking out hundreds of thousands of dollars for an education, the educators themselves could very well be contributing to the dismantling of your financial wellbeing. ⁣
⁣
Third, despite the lamentable increase at which college tuitions grow each year, I have really underestimated its immensity and its implications on not only socioeconomic but also racial equality. College degrees are now more crucial for high-paying jobs than ever, and while some people (mostly white men) who were able to take advantage of previously lower tuitions and more lenient loan policies can still afford to send their children to college at sticker, those who had been denied the opportunity then are finding their families more trapped in impoverishment than ever. ⁣
⁣
So don’t miss out on this book just because I gave it a 3.2! I had hoped to see more insider information, but this is a good (albeit depressing) starting point for future applicants and their parents. ⁣
⁣
Thank you @stmartinspress for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kathy McGuire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here are my big takeaways:
(1) The goal is to get a diploma while minimizing student debt.
(2) There are institutional and societal advantages for some and barriers for others.
(3) THE COST OF COLLEGE IS NEGOTIABLE! This is the BIG info provided in this book including information about which schools work with families to minimize student debt.

Game On is a deep dive into college admissions and finances, combining historical perspectives, investigative journalism, and personal stories. The extensive historical perspective provides a background to the existing systemic issues and broader societal problems that make the college admission process so confusing and reveal the causes of the current college debt crisis. The author's background in journalism shines through in her dogged search for stories to piece together the history and reveal the dark, sordid underbelly of college financial aid programs. Her personal stories tie it all together and invite the reader to share her experience including the parental panic of feeling that "I did not do enough to help my child and failed as a parent." She then provides nuggets of advice and resources for parents and students embarking on the journey of applying to college.

I found the history interesting but wish that those sections were more concise. The author takes on the overwhelming problems connected to the college admissions and financial aid systems, but her advice for parents gets buried in the deluge of history and stories. Even though you have to dig a little, this book contains valuable advice about where to look for better information to help your student select a college, which schools help cover the full cost including housing, which schools to avoid, and where to spend your dollars to get the most bang for your buck.

[Marcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a bit of a mixed bag. The parts where Paterno shares her own story about sending four children to college is infinitely interesting because of the radical changes that took place in American education between the older and younger kids. Some of the history that she provides about why and how that emerged is too glossed over. For example, although she spends a great deal of time showing how President Reagan helped to make the fees for American colleges go through the roof, she doesn't illustrate how that happened first when Reagan was governor of California. This seems to be a pretty big gap in the telling of the story of her children - the first two who went to University of California campuses - and the second two who were no longer able to afford it by the time they went to college. She does mention this tidbit, but not within the telling and explaining of this context.

I also think that Paterno overemphasizes the role that SAT scores play in the awarding of discounts at American universities, especially among a number of test optional colleges. The advice she offers in some of the chapters is also a bit hit or miss. Some is spot on and some is way off.

What I do like is the conclusions Paterno draws in terms of where the US government can correct its mistakes by returning to a free community college and affordable state universities and other various political changes that need to take place.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author states her case against the college admissions system with history, political antecedents, and facts. Unfortunately, there is a disconnect between the average American family and the families like her own and others described within the book. Most of us could not fathom the thought of our kids getting into an elite university. Our kids didn't have half of the benefits of those other families - prep schools, tutors, fees for more than one or two entrance exams and college applications.

This book was not very helpful for those of us who knew private colleges were not in the cards for our children. I wish she had been more supportive of the many public university options where our kids might have a chance at attending. The admissions game isn't feasible for us due to many of the reasons mentioned in the book. But we don't have the time or money to put into gambling for something that isn't likely to happen for us. Frankly, I don't believe those elite schools are healthy for our children or our democracy. Competition for them is highly overrated, and I'd like to see us focusing on working together for the best interests of our children for a change.

[Shana Shroll · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tried to do too many things - some of them contradictory. Mostly, this book outlines the history of how college came to be outrageously expensive - but I was astonished that despite seeming to be well-researched, no notes were include, nor were any sources cited. The author often refers to undated, unnamed, unspecific “Pew studies”, which undermines her credibility. A much better (and well-cited) book on this topic is Josh Mitchell’s “The Debt Trap”.

“Game On” also serves as how-to guide for getting your child into an elite liberal arts college. While some information is helpful, so much of it seems to be contradictory- after reading how impossible it is to get into elite schools, how the system is rigged, how it’s impossible for all but the super-rich to afford without debt- how can any reader get through all that and still feel like any of these tips will help?

Finally, the book has hints of a memoir, as the author reflects on her own experience getting her own kids into elite colleges. Although this is a minor aspect of the book, in some ways it’s the most compelling. Focusing on her personal story would have made this a much stronger book.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a community college professor with a child currently in college and a high school junior, this book should have been right up my alley. I was not expecting this book to have so much history and so little that was helpful. There was too much bashing of the system/ process of college admissions (although I agreed with much of what she said.)
I also thought there were too many political references.

Overused the term “admissions industrial complex.” It was in almost every chapter.

Way too repetitive. The same story was in multiple chapters. I felt like I had read something before and then realized that I had!

There just wasn’t enough information that was actually helpful in the admissions process. The help that was given was vague and not novel.

There were quite a few typos, although I do expect that in advance copies. One that stuck out was discussing getting a 2300 out of 2400 when the SAT is out of 1600.

I received an advance copy of the book from NetGalley in return for my opinion.

[Kimberly Barnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Game on is a user's guide with "how-to's" and information about the college admissions process. Applying to college is stressful for both parents and children. It is one of the first major decisions undertaken by high school aged youth. A decision that has the possibility of changing the trajectory of your life. This book provides insight on the price of room, board, tuition and how to negotiate a financial aid package. It also explains how colleges choose students to enroll and how to give your child a better chance of getting into the college that is right for them. It also provides good information on why the price of college is steadily increasing. This book is a no nonsense guide with valuable information provided that is of use to parents and high school aged students. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this advance review copy for my honest review. I recommend this book to anyone sending navigating the college admissions and financial aid process.

[Brian Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a parent of four children in public school who are all headed to college in the next decade, college admissions and mainly paying for it scare me more than anything in my life at this point. I am not sure how a sane person has their child apply to a college, fall in love with the college only to get a statement of the costs to be expected each year, This book is a no nonsense guide from beginning to end on getting into college and paying for it. I have also come to accept that most colleges can get my children where they want in life and that choosing a higher ranked college and either saddling us or them with tremendous debt doesn't set anyone up for success. I never knew about financial aid appeals which I plan to use for my children. A well written book that is a must read for anyone with children going to college.
Thank you Netgalley, Susan F. Paterno and St. Martin's Press for the ARC for my honest review.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very informative book. There are so many misconceptions about Ivy League schools and community colleges and state universities and how to get into them. I like how the author, Susan Paterno, begins the book talking about her own family and how she helped all four or her kids navigate their way through the college process. Everyone has their own need and not all schools are the same.

I recommend this book to all parents sending their high school students off to college. I thought I knew a lot about this process since I had done it three times before and I just learned so much more. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book, I will be recommending it to several parents that I know that will be sending their kids to college over the next few years. Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me the chance to enjoy an ARC of this book.

[Beth Hommes · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a parent and an educator, I have read many books on college admissions. This one missed the mark for me for several reasons. The author has done her research and provided many statistics on admission rates, SAT scores, pgraduation debt, and a plethora of other college-related data. Though interesting I didn’t find much of this would helpful to the rising college student or parent. In some cases, were I a prospective student, this data might have scared and discouraged me. In addition, from very early on, Paterno makes her political bias quite clear.. I don’t think politics belongs in a book of this nature. For these reasons I don’t recommend this book. I thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Victor Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-argued book illuminating the money, motives and politics driving higher education. Game On explains why college is rigged to favor the wealthy, how it got that way and what we can do about it. A must-read for anyone who has ever wondered how free market lawmakers and their big-money donors in the lending industry enriched themselves by duping millions of Americans into borrowing trillions of dollars for degrees with little traction in the marketplace. Though the facts may be scary, the book’s message is hopeful. It gives parents and students a blueprint on how to identify and get into great affordable colleges and offers common sense ideas on how to change a system that has left America with unequal opportunity and historic inequality gaps between rich and poor.

[Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An immense value of this book is that it puts the damaged admissions industry in the political context that created it. The hypercompetition for college admission, the student debt-crisis, the ramped up stress of the k-12 system are all a product of the political decisions begun under Reagan and exacerbated by Republican administrations and GOP-controlled Congresses since. "Game On" offers a wealth of information and guidance for students and parents embarking on the harrowing journey to college, but, as a citizen, reading this book has armed and equipped me to me make corrective decisions in the voting booth. Highly recommend it.

[Danny · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has some great insight into the various ways that college admissions works.

However, the thoughts and arguments laid out didn't seem to flow together. It was less a discussion on the system and it's flaws and more of a smattering of facts put to paper in no particular order.

Mainly this book couldn't decide what it wanted to be: a how to guide, an investigative piece, a memoir of the author's navigation of the system, or an analysis of post-Reagan educational policy. I think some stricter editing would've really helped this book become more interesting and more impactful.

[James McGlynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. Great research into the cesspool of higher education. She hates Reagan too much to b taken seriously and blames him for EVERTHING. Of course she got suckered into taking out overpriced loans herself and works in academia so only found out aftr the fact these things. I wished her solutions of raise taxes and other shibboleths weren't so jejune. When can the universities who lure students into overpriced loans be responsible financially for the bad bet??? If we can put a man on the moon we an make colleges responsible for their student debt!

[Dayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative & insightful, with helpful lists. It explained how the entire process had become a nightmare for those without means (i.e. the greater majority). The parts detailing the author's own search often felt tedious, though I supposed that's how she had experienced it. I received an ARC from a Goodreads giveaway.

[Mary Duda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought there would be more info on getting into college and how to pay for it. Instead, there were lengthy rants against capitalism, Republicans, and super rich people and half a chapter on the info I was looking for. The blurb doesn’t describe the book accurately. I could’ve done with a whole lot less of the author’s political bias and a lot more practical information.

[Bernadette Walsh · Rating 1 out of 5]

OK--this was NOT at all what I was looking for. Political rantings will not help me get my child into college. Also, not sure what made this woman an authority. Get good test scores and high grades doesn't constitute much of a secret strategy.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

More an analysis of why and how college admission is rigged and perpetuates inequality, and less of a detailed guide for navigating the system than I expected. Still, an excellent (and horrifying) read with plenty of useful information.

[Randall Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for parents starting to think about how they are going to pay for their kids' college.

The descriptions are spot on, the prescriptions at the end not so much.

Regardless, definitely worth the investment of time to read this.

[Joseph Manavalan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Generally it’s an okay book. But maybe my expectations didn’t match what the author was trying to communicate.

The author does a good job explaining how the college admission systems ended up the way they are. What I wasn’t able to fathom was what I could do as a parent to navigate the morass.