Friday, April 2, 2010

Getting In (Karen Stabiner)


Upon the arrival of a new baby, parents may begin to sock some money away in a college fund for 18 years in the future. With Harvard's cost for 2010-2011 estimated (on their own website) to be $50,724 for tuition, room, board, and fees, parents are going to need a lot of socks!

Getting In is a fictional story (but very true at many high schools) of students, parents, and guidance counselors working around the clock to gain admittance to competitive colleges. The sad reality is that one blown test can lower a GPA a few hundredths of a percentage point to prevent admission. Stabiner excels at giving the reader a glimpse into the brutal process, from questioning the taking of a non-weighted art class to being a valedictorian that only got on Harvard's waitlist. Stabiner clearly shows us that being a private school guidance counselor has to be one of the most stressful jobs in the world.

This book is very enjoyable, a quick read, and unfortunately, quite true. If you are the parent of a high school student, it will probably scare you to death.

MY RATING - 4

This review can also be found at www.bookloons.com.