What do you think?
Rate this book
Valedictorians at the Gate: Standing Out, Getting In, and Staying Sane While Applying to College
“The most honest, most helpful book I’ve ever read on applying to college” (New York Times bestselling author Adam Grant), Valedictorians at the Gate offers empowering advice and humorous asides that demystifies the college application process and encourages students to select a school that best reflects their personal values, academic pursuits, and potential career goals.After spending years as a college admissions director at Dartmouth, Becky Munsterer Sabky had seen it all. The perfect grades, the perfect scores, and the perfect extracurriculars. Valedictorians were knocking at the gate, but Becky realized that in their quest for admission many of these students were missing something. Their transcripts were golden, their interviews polished, but they weren’t applying for college, they were competing for it—and in the end they didn’t know what prize they were really striving for.In Valedictorians at the Gate, Sabky looks beyond the smoke and mirrors of the intimidating admissions gauntlet and places the power firmly where it should in the hands of the students themselves. Offering prescriptive, actionable advice for students and their (hopefully not helicoptering) parents, Sabky illuminates the pathway to finding the school that is the ideal match.Witty and warm, informative and inspiring, Valedictorians at the Gate is the needed tonic for overstressed, overworked, and overwhelmed students on their way to the perfect college for them.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 3, 2021
59 people are currently reading
1450 people want to read
About the author
Becky Munsterer Sabky
1 book5 followersThis author also writes under Rebecca Munsterer.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
March 27, 2021
A perfect combination of entertaining and informative! Sabky shares her perspective on the hyper-selective college admissions process while revealing the humanity of those tasked with conducting the business of enrolling a class each year. Readers will come away with practical suggestions and, more importantly, reminders that it’s not where you go but what you do with the opportunities you are provided.
November 23, 2022
A refreshing read. Full review to come.
August 31, 2021
My first book about college admission was The Gatekeepers by Steinberg, which I read in the year 2010 when my eldest was 14 and in middle school. Twenty-six books and two college applications later, here I am again, reading another book on this complicated but interesting topic.
Although I understand the process a bit more than any typical parent, both applications were stressful and heart-wrenching. This Fall we are going to start the process all over again since our youngest is a high school senior. Two older siblings with great college matches, eight productive college years and successful jobs still had not made this third time a charm. College application itself is just stressful, complicated and ambiguous, not to mention that each school has its own bias, rules, needs and selection process.
Is this new book worth reading? Definitely. The author is an admission officer at Dartmouth. The fact that she is a female and was rejected by Dartmouth years ago made her writing more personal and compassionate. Having a sense of humor also helped. It was a fun and informative read.
Although I understand the process a bit more than any typical parent, both applications were stressful and heart-wrenching. This Fall we are going to start the process all over again since our youngest is a high school senior. Two older siblings with great college matches, eight productive college years and successful jobs still had not made this third time a charm. College application itself is just stressful, complicated and ambiguous, not to mention that each school has its own bias, rules, needs and selection process.
Is this new book worth reading? Definitely. The author is an admission officer at Dartmouth. The fact that she is a female and was rejected by Dartmouth years ago made her writing more personal and compassionate. Having a sense of humor also helped. It was a fun and informative read.
July 7, 2021
As a writing coach for students applying to college, I often find myself wishing I could help my clients bypass the stress associated with the process. Sabky’s comprehensive guide demystifies a great deal of what goes on, particularly on the college side of the application dance, delivering candid advice and rooting for aspiring college students to find their best selves as they navigate the search. Sabky, who was an admissions director at Dartmouth College for 13 years, is a gifted storyteller, and she weaves colorful anecdotes with her tips in several categories, including making the most of college visits, writing a genuine personal statement, and deciding what school to attend. I suspect anyone who has been through or supported someone else through the college admissions process will recognize some aspect of themselves in these pages—I know I did—and I highly recommend Sabky’s book to both applicants and their parents.
March 28, 2022
This is a case of an admissions officer dangerously generalizing from very specific experience at one college that is not representative of the landscape, especially the rapid social changes occasioned by Diversity, Inclusion, Race, and Equity concerns.
Don't bother with this book unless Dartmouth is your top choice. Dartmouth, where there are no leaves on the trees from October through the second week of May, where snow can be so deep that it rises above the first floor windows, where it's pitch-black dark before 5 PM November through January. Dartmouth, one of 38 colleges in the U.S. that enrolls more students from the top 1% than from the entire bottom 60%. Hey, if that's your heart's desire (and only if), it's worth a read.
Everyone else should make a beeline for what is simply the best, most informative, comprehensive and correct book on college admission out there, co-authored by a high school counselor and the Georgia Tech Director of Admissions: Truth about College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting in and Staying Together . I do not know the authors personally and I do no derive any personal benefit whatsoever from recommending their book. Jeff Selingo's Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions was better than Valedictorians, and that was a 3-star review.
Valedictorians could have been cut to perhaps 30 pages if the far too numerous anecdotal conversations with bragging and clueless parents were eliminated.
The main takeaways: 1. Use the Additional Information section on the Common App judiciously. It can reveal qualities, events, and achievements that would be otherwise unreported. 2. Details that reveal character matter throughout the application.
I read 1000 applications this cycle. The biggest surprise was how many high schools do not provide a school profile, which should give evidence of the grading scale and distribution, the AP/IB/GCSE/AICE, etc. course offerings and exams taken with median scores (I like to see mode...) on those exams as well as SAT/ACT, graduation requirements and policies like students may not take more than 3 AP courses in one school year, % students attending 2- and 4-year institutions and what those were, and some other information. Inquire as to whether your school does and obtain a copy.
CAUTION: Some of the advice in Valedictorians is just wrong. An athlete can write an excellent essay about his/her sport. I have read many, so "Do not write an essay about one's sport", when that sport is the center of a young person's life and has been for his/her entire lifespan is very bad advice indeed. Telling students to follow their interests is doing them a grave disservice. A nursing or engineering major that has not taken the requisite science or math courses will most definitely be at a disadvantage, even disqualified in the admissions process . They can study underwater basketweaving at some other point in their lives. Further, her advice is quite specific to small, élite private colleges and not relevant to larger universities, especially public one.
I'm grateful she spent only 8 pages on the college essay. We read them so quickly that they are far less significant than many schools and the gazillion dollar college essay industry seem to believe. I lobbied NACAC to make a National College Essay Writing Day, in which all students across the USA write their college essay in a proctored environment at the same time with different prompts each year and time zone, and the result sent, unscored to prospective universities. This needs to be done. Otherwise, Advisor Annie and Unscrupulous Uncle Oscar are writing those essays, for anywhere from $7 to thousands. I help students, from the least resourced to billionaires, with their essays and know how much aid I provide, from choosing an appropriate topic, to outlining it, to suggesting changes to structure and phrasing.
For universities that accept them, the teacher recommendation matters more than families know. It really can make or break some applications. I put many students in the ADMIT pile on the basis of the teacher's rec. Families have no control over those, however. Some teachers can capture a moment in the classroom that distills the student beautifully; others can't or don't. Counselors and teachers in many schools are so overburdened (or there is so much staff turnover) they don't write letters. That can adversely impact students in comparison with smaller or better resourced schools.
There are far better books on university admissions. Sabky enjoys writing and telling stories. The reader is likely to want the information promised by the title, which is in short supply and Darmouth-specific. That information is provided far more competently by The Truth about College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting in and Staying Together, by Brennan E Barnard, Rick Clark.
Don't bother with this book unless Dartmouth is your top choice. Dartmouth, where there are no leaves on the trees from October through the second week of May, where snow can be so deep that it rises above the first floor windows, where it's pitch-black dark before 5 PM November through January. Dartmouth, one of 38 colleges in the U.S. that enrolls more students from the top 1% than from the entire bottom 60%. Hey, if that's your heart's desire (and only if), it's worth a read.
Everyone else should make a beeline for what is simply the best, most informative, comprehensive and correct book on college admission out there, co-authored by a high school counselor and the Georgia Tech Director of Admissions: Truth about College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting in and Staying Together . I do not know the authors personally and I do no derive any personal benefit whatsoever from recommending their book. Jeff Selingo's Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions was better than Valedictorians, and that was a 3-star review.
Valedictorians could have been cut to perhaps 30 pages if the far too numerous anecdotal conversations with bragging and clueless parents were eliminated.
The main takeaways: 1. Use the Additional Information section on the Common App judiciously. It can reveal qualities, events, and achievements that would be otherwise unreported. 2. Details that reveal character matter throughout the application.
I read 1000 applications this cycle. The biggest surprise was how many high schools do not provide a school profile, which should give evidence of the grading scale and distribution, the AP/IB/GCSE/AICE, etc. course offerings and exams taken with median scores (I like to see mode...) on those exams as well as SAT/ACT, graduation requirements and policies like students may not take more than 3 AP courses in one school year, % students attending 2- and 4-year institutions and what those were, and some other information. Inquire as to whether your school does and obtain a copy.
CAUTION: Some of the advice in Valedictorians is just wrong. An athlete can write an excellent essay about his/her sport. I have read many, so "Do not write an essay about one's sport", when that sport is the center of a young person's life and has been for his/her entire lifespan is very bad advice indeed. Telling students to follow their interests is doing them a grave disservice. A nursing or engineering major that has not taken the requisite science or math courses will most definitely be at a disadvantage, even disqualified in the admissions process . They can study underwater basketweaving at some other point in their lives. Further, her advice is quite specific to small, élite private colleges and not relevant to larger universities, especially public one.
I'm grateful she spent only 8 pages on the college essay. We read them so quickly that they are far less significant than many schools and the gazillion dollar college essay industry seem to believe. I lobbied NACAC to make a National College Essay Writing Day, in which all students across the USA write their college essay in a proctored environment at the same time with different prompts each year and time zone, and the result sent, unscored to prospective universities. This needs to be done. Otherwise, Advisor Annie and Unscrupulous Uncle Oscar are writing those essays, for anywhere from $7 to thousands. I help students, from the least resourced to billionaires, with their essays and know how much aid I provide, from choosing an appropriate topic, to outlining it, to suggesting changes to structure and phrasing.
For universities that accept them, the teacher recommendation matters more than families know. It really can make or break some applications. I put many students in the ADMIT pile on the basis of the teacher's rec. Families have no control over those, however. Some teachers can capture a moment in the classroom that distills the student beautifully; others can't or don't. Counselors and teachers in many schools are so overburdened (or there is so much staff turnover) they don't write letters. That can adversely impact students in comparison with smaller or better resourced schools.
There are far better books on university admissions. Sabky enjoys writing and telling stories. The reader is likely to want the information promised by the title, which is in short supply and Darmouth-specific. That information is provided far more competently by The Truth about College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting in and Staying Together, by Brennan E Barnard, Rick Clark.
July 30, 2021
A perfect combination of entertaining and informative! As a development officer at a #20 private school, I found this book to be a peak behind the Admissions curtain. I would recommend this book to any new development officer working with parents or to any student applying to university. A great book that I would recommend!
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
September 6, 2023
Insightful and entertaining, pertains specifically to Datmouth College.
August 29, 2021
Publisher provided for an honest review.
This book was surprisingly fast and readable. Many examples and stories are included to keep the reader engaged (even though any story has facts changed, ex Peter, a trumpet player from Nebraska: name is not Peter, doesn’t play the trumpet, and they’re not from Nebraska). Fresh read on mysterious process of college admissions, that can help parents and students learn and it also offers advice to help them create the best application possible.
This book was surprisingly fast and readable. Many examples and stories are included to keep the reader engaged (even though any story has facts changed, ex Peter, a trumpet player from Nebraska: name is not Peter, doesn’t play the trumpet, and they’re not from Nebraska). Fresh read on mysterious process of college admissions, that can help parents and students learn and it also offers advice to help them create the best application possible.
July 27, 2021
Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for an ARC for this review.
This is a great story about the US college admissions process. The story is told from the perspective of an admissions director (not sure if she is former or not). Becky Munsterer Sabky is engaging and provides anecdotes to hold your interest along the way.
The main message I got from the book, is to focus on the person and not the college. I do see how competitive college admissions can cause some to forget that fact. This is a great source for students and parents alike, to provide insight on how a potential student is seen by prospective colleges and universities.
Sabky used care and compassion to discuss how and why not every student will be chosen and sometimes it does not mean they are less qualified.
I like the stories she told about the young students she met. How they had personalities and were good humans to be around.
Overall, I would recommend this book to everyone about to embark on choosing a college. I also think this is a good book for young people in general, to read. It teaches you that it is the person who matters--not their statistics. A young teenager, about to start their first job, could also learn something from the messages in this book. Great read.
This is a great story about the US college admissions process. The story is told from the perspective of an admissions director (not sure if she is former or not). Becky Munsterer Sabky is engaging and provides anecdotes to hold your interest along the way.
The main message I got from the book, is to focus on the person and not the college. I do see how competitive college admissions can cause some to forget that fact. This is a great source for students and parents alike, to provide insight on how a potential student is seen by prospective colleges and universities.
Sabky used care and compassion to discuss how and why not every student will be chosen and sometimes it does not mean they are less qualified.
I like the stories she told about the young students she met. How they had personalities and were good humans to be around.
Overall, I would recommend this book to everyone about to embark on choosing a college. I also think this is a good book for young people in general, to read. It teaches you that it is the person who matters--not their statistics. A young teenager, about to start their first job, could also learn something from the messages in this book. Great read.
Read
July 30, 2021This book should be in the hands of every high school student...their parents...guidance counselors..and everyone involved in the process of applying to college!! It is a great insight as to what really matters in the college admission process! It is also a really enjoyable read!!!
August 11, 2021
We are now entering the stressful season for rising junior and seniors in high school. These teens often believe that their worth is intimately bound up in where they will go to college. They also often face (way too much) pressure from parents about where they ought to go and what they ought to do there. It can be a very difficult rite of passage.
The author of this guide to admissions has a good sense of what is involved on many levels of this process. About twenty years after her applications were submitted, she still remembers what it was like not to be admitted to Dartmouth. She tells readers that she ultimately went to her fifth choice school, Colby College. At the time, Ms. Sabky took this to mean that there was something wrong with her. But…guess what, she still managed to thrive in college. This is what she wants for her readers.
Ms. Sabky has also worked in college admissions and brings that perspective to this guide. And guess what (again), after working at St. Lawrence, she went on to work in admissions at Dartmouth.
The book opens with a description of a meeting to review student applications. Many may find the way it was run to be somewhere between horrid and ridiculous. It does show, however, that admissions officers make decisions in a way that can be a bit capricious. To me this means that, if a student does not get into a given school, it can and will hurt but that trying to find a meaningful reason of the decision may just lead to unnecessary soul searching. I take from this that the same student will be admitted to one school only to be deferred from another equally “good” school. The process is to serve the school’s needs; if they can serve the student as well, that is good but that is not their motivation.
This book has a lot of practical information about applying to college. It also includes a plethora of anecdotes about students and the work of admissions officers.
This book will be valued by those who are looking for a personal account from admissions and are willing to accept the process can be flawed. Some may feel discouraged however. The author’s intended takeaway is that there is a good school for a student even if it was not their first choice school. It is clear that she felt good about Colby and feels that, for her, things worked out well. She wants this for others.
So, read this book if you are brave enough. It is helpful.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
The author of this guide to admissions has a good sense of what is involved on many levels of this process. About twenty years after her applications were submitted, she still remembers what it was like not to be admitted to Dartmouth. She tells readers that she ultimately went to her fifth choice school, Colby College. At the time, Ms. Sabky took this to mean that there was something wrong with her. But…guess what, she still managed to thrive in college. This is what she wants for her readers.
Ms. Sabky has also worked in college admissions and brings that perspective to this guide. And guess what (again), after working at St. Lawrence, she went on to work in admissions at Dartmouth.
The book opens with a description of a meeting to review student applications. Many may find the way it was run to be somewhere between horrid and ridiculous. It does show, however, that admissions officers make decisions in a way that can be a bit capricious. To me this means that, if a student does not get into a given school, it can and will hurt but that trying to find a meaningful reason of the decision may just lead to unnecessary soul searching. I take from this that the same student will be admitted to one school only to be deferred from another equally “good” school. The process is to serve the school’s needs; if they can serve the student as well, that is good but that is not their motivation.
This book has a lot of practical information about applying to college. It also includes a plethora of anecdotes about students and the work of admissions officers.
This book will be valued by those who are looking for a personal account from admissions and are willing to accept the process can be flawed. Some may feel discouraged however. The author’s intended takeaway is that there is a good school for a student even if it was not their first choice school. It is clear that she felt good about Colby and feels that, for her, things worked out well. She wants this for others.
So, read this book if you are brave enough. It is helpful.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
August 30, 2021
This book was very informative on how to stand out and apply to colleges. It has lots of insight and tips and I would recommend to those who are looking for more information about how to excel in academics.
July 3, 2021
As a parent of two high school students, I found this book the most helpful tool in preparing my children for college. It calmed a lot of my worries about whether I am pushing my kids too hard or too little. It provided a lot of insight in what the kids need to focus on and help prepare them for college admission. This book is a must have for all parents of high schoolers! Highly recommend!
August 9, 2021
I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review the book this past spring. Sabky's experience in the Dartmouth admissions office adds credibility to what other authors have been telling us for years. At that is: You can't control what goes on inside the admissions office. Priorities change year to year, and even within the same admissions cycle. Admissions representatives are trying to build a cohort to complement the existing classes already in place. It's impossible to guess what that looks like from year to year. Your best bet is to look beyond the college rankings and find the college that is truly the best fit for your child.
August 6, 2021
Helpful, practical, and well organized.
This was an ARC
This was an ARC
August 6, 2021
Entertaining and informative. Very helpful if you have kids in high school and have college applications ahead. Clear, concise, and readable.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
October 8, 2021
Mostly this book made me anxious. It contained many examples of students with excellent college applications being denied admittance. I expected more concrete advice on how to submit a strong application. My biggest take away from this book is that the college admissions process is mostly the luck of the draw. Of course students are expected to meet certain minimum standards, but those standards can be slightly different for various students based on the needs of the college at the time. Basically, it's all a big business, and rejection from any college is not necessarily a reflection on the applicant, but an indication of a filled quota.
The author applauds human elements in an application, such as evidence of kindness, courtesy, selflessness, but those traits do not necessarily make a difference in getting the student admitted. She admits she likes to see originality in a personal statement, but then elsewhere in the book says that a haiku is not a college personal statement.
Although this book was just published this year (2021), it does not address the impact of the pandemic on the college admissions process at all, which was disappointing, and not realistic. The author speaks of campus visits as if nothing has changed.
This book did make me realize that much of the application and application process, such as teacher's recommendations, the school report, counselor's letter, and the college quotas is out of the student's control. The book was only minimally helpful.
The author applauds human elements in an application, such as evidence of kindness, courtesy, selflessness, but those traits do not necessarily make a difference in getting the student admitted. She admits she likes to see originality in a personal statement, but then elsewhere in the book says that a haiku is not a college personal statement.
Although this book was just published this year (2021), it does not address the impact of the pandemic on the college admissions process at all, which was disappointing, and not realistic. The author speaks of campus visits as if nothing has changed.
This book did make me realize that much of the application and application process, such as teacher's recommendations, the school report, counselor's letter, and the college quotas is out of the student's control. The book was only minimally helpful.
July 30, 2021
The best advice I've ever read. Thank you Becky Sabky for sharing this with the world!
October 1, 2022
This book was really interesting and intriguing. Originally, I had picked it up mainly since I was concerned about the college admissions process and my friend had recommended it to me (since it had helped him in his journey), but I was surprised with how much I enjoyed the book.
This book was just as interesting as a fantasy series book. Becky Munsterer Sabky truly has a wonderful voice and I enjoyed every part of this book. It didn't make me unsure about the college admissions process but it made me a lot more calm and cool-headed about it.
This book was just as interesting as a fantasy series book. Becky Munsterer Sabky truly has a wonderful voice and I enjoyed every part of this book. It didn't make me unsure about the college admissions process but it made me a lot more calm and cool-headed about it.
September 21, 2022
I was thrilled to receive this one, as the mother of a 16-year-old. It was so incredibly informative, while never dragging. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who wants a behind-the-scenes look into the admission process. It’s so interesting to see what things truly set applicants apart. Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
September 26, 2021
I understand why other readers have liked this book, and two of my friends who are college counselors speak highly of it. The writing is breezy, often witty, though a little too cute in places.
My reservations are that while there is useful information here, it is scattered here and there, and must of the book is pretty common knowledge. I also was disappointed that for most of the book the reader does not get an honest sense of how very competitive Dartmouth admissions is, though by the end it comes through, if only partially.
The greatest utility for the book will be for people working in college admissions (in admission offices or serving as college advisors). There are quite a few things I did not know about Dartmouth: a 2% admission rate for international students, their willingness to match financial aid from "peer colleges," the high value they put on "demonstrated interest (unusual for a college this rejective) and a few more.
I question how helpful the book will be for students. There is a lot of advice, but more than I think they can deal with. Explain why you did not take an AP course? Where and how, and there is a risk of making a negative impression as a "whiner." Visit when colleges are in session? How much school can the kid afford to miss? I agree with the major theme of the book that students should work at being the best version of themselves they can be, rather than thinking about what college admission processes might want. But this creates cognitive dissonance for them, since they will hear the opposite so much more often.
Sabky clearly cares about the students and wants to help. It's too little known that this is true for most admission officers. But admission processes at the most competitive schools don't leave much room for intangibles, despite the claim of being holistic. Sabky correctly states that communities need followers at least as much a leaders, but admission processes do not implement that concept very often at the most competitive level. I was also a bit sad that she encouraged students with no chance of admission to apply.
To Sabky's credit, she is very honest about how the admission process at Dartmouth works and it jibes with my experience in admissions at similar institutions. Dartmouth clearly always wants more applications. Why, oh why? They are concerned with competing statistically with the other Ivies and similar schools. Again, why? They are test-obsessed, and even more so for international students. They are very concerned with the test scores in their profile of the entering class. This is, of course, not unique to Dartmouth, but it is unfortunate.
The central problem, to me, is that what Sabky earnestly wants to accomplish in this book cannot be done in a mere 200 pages, especially when much of the text is devoted to being humorous. I do agree that for admissions professionals, or people specifically interested in Dartmouth admissions, it is worth reading, but I worry about suggesting it to students.
My reservations are that while there is useful information here, it is scattered here and there, and must of the book is pretty common knowledge. I also was disappointed that for most of the book the reader does not get an honest sense of how very competitive Dartmouth admissions is, though by the end it comes through, if only partially.
The greatest utility for the book will be for people working in college admissions (in admission offices or serving as college advisors). There are quite a few things I did not know about Dartmouth: a 2% admission rate for international students, their willingness to match financial aid from "peer colleges," the high value they put on "demonstrated interest (unusual for a college this rejective) and a few more.
I question how helpful the book will be for students. There is a lot of advice, but more than I think they can deal with. Explain why you did not take an AP course? Where and how, and there is a risk of making a negative impression as a "whiner." Visit when colleges are in session? How much school can the kid afford to miss? I agree with the major theme of the book that students should work at being the best version of themselves they can be, rather than thinking about what college admission processes might want. But this creates cognitive dissonance for them, since they will hear the opposite so much more often.
Sabky clearly cares about the students and wants to help. It's too little known that this is true for most admission officers. But admission processes at the most competitive schools don't leave much room for intangibles, despite the claim of being holistic. Sabky correctly states that communities need followers at least as much a leaders, but admission processes do not implement that concept very often at the most competitive level. I was also a bit sad that she encouraged students with no chance of admission to apply.
To Sabky's credit, she is very honest about how the admission process at Dartmouth works and it jibes with my experience in admissions at similar institutions. Dartmouth clearly always wants more applications. Why, oh why? They are concerned with competing statistically with the other Ivies and similar schools. Again, why? They are test-obsessed, and even more so for international students. They are very concerned with the test scores in their profile of the entering class. This is, of course, not unique to Dartmouth, but it is unfortunate.
The central problem, to me, is that what Sabky earnestly wants to accomplish in this book cannot be done in a mere 200 pages, especially when much of the text is devoted to being humorous. I do agree that for admissions professionals, or people specifically interested in Dartmouth admissions, it is worth reading, but I worry about suggesting it to students.
November 16, 2025
Although this book provided some valuable insights, I found she spent far too much time lamenting about the unfair college system (that she was contributing to) and not enough time providing concrete advice for a stronger application. Additional, most of the anecdotes featured heartless, robotic prospective applicants, which criticized students for not having enough of a personality - in addition an unbelievable level of academic success. The sentiment that “it’s mostly down to luck” was more reinforced than any application advice, leaving me feeling a little lost and hopeless. This may be a good first book to read in the application process but nothing more because lots of the information is generic and redundant.
Read
October 24, 2021Andrew doesn’t have the time to read this now, LOL, but of all the college search/application reading I’ve done recently, I think this one has the best info and tone to be valuable to the student. I’ll plan to share with Ethan in the second semester of his junior year.
September 8, 2021
It’s a long time since I read a book in one sitting, but this will be my new go to for all students and parents wanting to have advice on US colleges and applications.
For those of us in the field, It was refreshing to have an honest voice of the realities of the BUSINESS of college.
I couldn’t help but think of 1984 - some animals are more equal than other animals…
Whether you’re an experienced counselor, new to the game, a parent, a student, definitely head teachers, you should read this!
For those of us in the field, It was refreshing to have an honest voice of the realities of the BUSINESS of college.
I couldn’t help but think of 1984 - some animals are more equal than other animals…
Whether you’re an experienced counselor, new to the game, a parent, a student, definitely head teachers, you should read this!
November 3, 2021
Birthday gift. It's a good book, offered thoughtful insight into the workings and humanity behind the curtain. I think it might have saved me some stress if I read it a couple years ago - at this point (fall of kid's senior year) it provoked some anxiety of the "I didn't know that" variety. BUT it also reinforced, and well, the overall touchstone approach of "raising a whole human" and "it's about having a good high school experience" that we've taken so far, whenever we've found ourselves starting to get caught up in the hullaballoo.
March 24, 2024
As a parent of a college-bound high school student, I found this book very helpful in understanding the college admissions process. The author not only gives an overview of the complex and lengthy admissions process, she also adds her critique of it. The language of the book is lucid and easy to understand. I highly recommend this book to students applying to college and their parents.
October 13, 2021
I received a Review Copy of this book from MacMillan and have found so much good advice! I have a high-achieving teenage son who’s a Sophomore at a local college prep school - and when your child has high aspirations for attending a top college, knowing what’s in store next year as he begins the process of visiting and applying is helpful.
So far, this book is great! It’s extremely readable and relatable with useful tips and real-world examples. I’ve already marked several passages I know I’ll want my son to revisit in the coming years as he gets more serious about the application process. There’s information about testing, school visits, essay writing, and much more in addition to just filling out the college application. I’ve suggested that my son’s school invest in multiple copies for the library. Great for students, parents, and administrators / teachers / college counselors to read.
Highly recommend for anyone who will be involved in the college application process in the near future!
So far, this book is great! It’s extremely readable and relatable with useful tips and real-world examples. I’ve already marked several passages I know I’ll want my son to revisit in the coming years as he gets more serious about the application process. There’s information about testing, school visits, essay writing, and much more in addition to just filling out the college application. I’ve suggested that my son’s school invest in multiple copies for the library. Great for students, parents, and administrators / teachers / college counselors to read.
Highly recommend for anyone who will be involved in the college application process in the near future!
January 31, 2022
Best book that I’ve read about the college application process.
June 10, 2024
The writer has a tic of making excessive parenthetical commentary (on nearly every page). (I find it distracting.) It detracts from the content (sometimes it's every paragraph). (Or every sentence.)
October 26, 2021
As a parent of a sophmore and never attended college myself, I found this book very informative. Ms. Sabky provided so much information on what matters to an admissions officer during the very stressful and complicated application process.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews