We all sat on the sidelines and watched, fascinated, as the real life college admission scandal played out in real life. The real life story we watched caught everyone's eye because it featured some beloved, real life, famous faces attached to it. It felt like we were all watching a movie play out right in front of us.

The daughter of beloved sitcom star Joy Fields, Chloe Wynn Berringer, has a lead a very privileged life. She's not the best student at her private school but has her heart set on attending a very selective college in southern California. Chloe is advised to consider other options. Her mother highers a private admissions counselor, while Chloe isn't sure she needs much help, she agrees to it either way. Things soon change and the FBI arrive to arrest her mother and Chloe may face charges as well.

Told in alternating timelines between past and present you get the opportunity to learn about chloe and discover how she got to where she is today, and she must learn to accept what has happened to her and what her new fate is now.

This was a quick read that I highly suggest and does an excellent job of giving examples of what the isolation may feel like surrounding poor decision making.

Told through an alternating "Then" and "Now" narrative, <i>Admission</i> is the story of Chloe Berringer, an average high school student dealing with the average stresses and pressures of senior year, including but not limited to taking the SAT and applying for college. Oh yeah, and her mom's a famous actress. Can you see where this is going?

The author's fascination with the real college admissions scandal certainly shines through. The clever timeline narrative provides a parallelism to the story that would be lost if it were told straight from beginning to end. The "Then" and "Now" timeline allows for the juxtaposition of two Chloes: one who is naive to yet slightly suspicious of this particular method of taking the SAT and applying for college, and one for whom the seemingly perfect exterior of her mother has now cracked, for better or for worse. This narrative tool also allows for more empathy, particularly toward those who were impacted by this fictional scandal. Though I'm still not sure how much empathy I have toward those impacted by the <i>real</i> scandal.

This book did not grip me like I thought that it would. The only character that I really liked was the younger sister and that was because I felt bad for her. This makes everything in the headlines look like a complete joke and publicity ploy.

Oh yes she did, she went there!! And I couldn’t stop turning the pages to see what will happen next)!!
Buxbaum has written a page turning story about young Chloe, headed to the college of her dreams in the fall, or so she thinks! Her mother, a B list actress, might just have messed up her chances of that & may just have ruined her life in the process! Don’t want to give this one away by saying too much but I loved this story!

As a Director of Admissions at a university, I couldn't help but request Admission by Julie Buxbaum. It's a play on the Varsity Blues scandal from 2019- where rich parents fudged test scores and offered universities money to help their undeserving children gain admission. This was a light fictionalized account of the college admission scandal. I thought it passed the time just fine. but I would have liked a little more depth. It is interesting to think about how the children feel about what their parents did- I have to believe that's hard on their self-esteem! I couldn't help but picture Aunt Becky as the mother in this story, and I'd recommend this for readers who are particularly interested in college admissions or like to read about rich people getting their due.

When the college admission scandal played out in real life we were all fascinated. The real story was so over the top and because it had some famous faces attached to it it felt like the plot of movie or novel already. Julie Buxbaum took the sensational headlines and gave us the what-if behind the scenes story. News fan-fiction. I mean that in the best way possible!
I really enjoyed how the story kept flashing back to before the scandal broke. We are able to empathize more with the characters as we slowly uncover their motivation and discover just how fine the line is between privileged celebrity and criminal.
One area that I wish we got more from was the best friend, Shola. I would have loved to know her point of view as she is the real 'victim' of this story. First generation college student, financial aide, BIPOC, and she's actually smart! Did this just confirm what she already suspected? How did this effect how she saw her new college peers?
Overall this was a great read. Equal parts gossipy fun and reflection on white privilege.

Daughter of beloved sitcom star Joy Fields, Chloe Wynn Berringer has lead a privileged life. At best an average student at prestigious private school Wood Valley, Chloe (and her parents) has her heart set on attending a selective southern California college. Her counselor advises Chloe to consider other options that aren't such a reach, but to keep up appearances Chloe's mom hires a private admissions counselor that guarantees his work. Chloe isn't totally sure she needs that much help, but she's nervous, so she gladly obliges with his sometimes seemingly outlandish requests. Told in reverse Chloe's story begins with a knock on her door. The FBI is there to arrest her mother for her involvement in a college admissions scandal, and Chloe may face charges too. Shocked, Chloe thinks back to the beginning (these days she has plenty of time to think), filling readers in on how she got to this point. The public outrage and her best friend's reaction leave Chloe feeling completely alone. Her little sister, who is not the same average student, gives Chloe some advice which helps her accept all that has happened and her life for what it now is. 

THOUGHTS: This quick read will have appeal to many high school students who may be on their own college admissions paths. Though tied to the admissions scandal, the isolation that Chloe experiences mirrors the way many teens may feel after suffering consequences of poor decision making. It is difficult to ignore the parallels to the 2019 national college admissions scandal, but high school readers, especially fans of Buxbaum will enjoy this newest novel. Highly recommended.

If you have followed the headlines with the wealthy giving their children a leg-up with admission to selective universities, you will recognize this story. The book was okay but for me I just felt like I was rereading what I already knew and didn't feel there was a lot of original material. Fine for a quick read.

The college admissions scandal didn’t interest me that much when it happened. This book was a fun way to educate myself about the situation. Although this book is a work of fiction, the author made sure to add elements from the true story.

Mainly, I just felt sad for Chloe and her family while reading this novel. Her parents loved her and just wanted what was best for her. I hope that’s why Lori Loughlin did it. I love her acting and I don’t want to think that she only did it because she wanted to look good by having smart daughters.

Despite the series topic, this book was super fun. It went back and forth between the past and present, so you get to see Chloe’s fun life and the not-so-fun aftermath. Despite the scandal, she had a good family and loving parents.

My favorite parts were probably the references to Buxbaum’s other novels. Oville, Jessie, Ethan, Liam, and Baby Hope all get mentioned in Admission!!! Plus, Chloe goes to Wood Valley just like Jessie.

I hope this review was helpful and makes you want to read the book!!!

Admission by Julie Buxbaum is a really light and easy read. The main character Chloe is very likable and at times she is frustrating others she is heartbreaking. Chloe's parents pay her way into college. Once the world finds out Chloe and her family are shunned by the the world. Soon life has gotten really real. Will she go to jail? Will her mom? Dad? Will her boyfriend and best friend ever forgive her? Will life ever be normal again? and what does normal look like? Read Admission By Julie Buxbaum and find out.

This story is taken straight from the headlines about the 2019 college admission scandals. Chloe is an average student who struggles with her SAT scores and college prospects. Her best friend (a Nigerian American who studies and works hard) and her boyfriend (more of a privileged golden boy) both have their sights set on Harvard. Chloe definitely doesn't have what it takes to get into Southern California College, which her TV actress mother wants her to attend. The book begins with Chloe's mother being arrested at gunpoint. Through flashbacks we find out how the cheating took place and what Chloe knew and didn't know. The story sticks closely to the truth as it was reported in the papers, but adds a sister who is aware of the injustice and a best friend who is directly hurt by the cheating. I found it to be an engaging story and an intriguing glimpse into how the "one percent" justify their own privilege. I think there are middle schoolers who will be very intrigued by this book. Publication was delayed--this book will be published in December 2020. ARC provided by netgalley. Recommended for grade 7-up.

First of all, as a huge fan of all things Julie Buxbaum, ADMISSION did not disappoint. It had all the very authentically adolescent details that make her one of my favorite YA authors. It also is very of the moment, being about privilege and the realization of it. It's about coming awake to find you aren't at all the person you'd hoped to be. Her characters sink so low throughout the story it would be hard to root for them, except that Buxbaum has made them so very human, and we can all relate to that.

I would recommend this as a study in privilege for any high school classroom. It will definitely open the door to some real talk. What it lacks in the juicy romance I loved in TELL ME THREE THINGS, ADMISSION makes up for with truth and hard looks at tough topics. I'll keep reading anything Buxbaum delivers.

2 stars feels pretty harsh, but once again, Goodreads and Netgalley don't allow half stars.
I was really excited to read this, especially after the scandal involving Lori Loughlin. But even though the plot was interesting enough, it just didn't hold my attention. The main character, Chloe, is extremely unlikable, and don't feel she's very relatable. If I'm being honest, most of the characters were unlikable... except Shola. Shola was great.

3.5 stars

Wow.

This book was not at all what I expected.

When I first started reading this, Chloe, the main character, annoyed the crap out of me. Honestly, by the end of the book, I didn't feel like she had changed very much.

One of her biggest character flaws is that she isn't smart, which prompts her parents to pay someone to get her into college. Honestly, though, I felt it wasn't that Chloe was stupid, she just didn't care. She only ever daydreamed about this guy that she liked (who is the worst, by the way. Seriously, what does she see in that guy?) and avoided doing homework or studying ever.

And she had a multitude of private tutors!! And she was taking Mandarin Chinese classes!! Guys, I know multiple people who speak Mandarin Chinese. Let me put this simply: people who are dumb cannot just "learn" to speak Mandarin. It's a hard language.

Basically, I have no sympathy for Chloe.

However, one thing this book did really well is confront the realities of rich, white privilege in our society. I think with everything going on in the world right now, it exposed some harsh truths.

This is not a happily ever after type book. People screw up, and they face repercussions. It was more realistic that way.

Sometimes the plot was slow (mostly the flashback chapters), but it was intriguing enough to keep me interested.

Now, I need to get back to my studying sessions. ;)

Thank you to Netgalley, who provided me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest book review.

Drawn from the headlines children of privilege whose parents buy their admission to college.A really well written story told from the daughters POV..A book I will be recommending to you g adults and their parents ,#netgalley#randomhouse

Really liked this book felt like it was a title ripped from the headlines I would definitely recommend it for students especially as a quick summer read

Chloe, 17-year old narrator, is the daughter of a B+ actor and quite privileged in every way. So, when she opens her front door to the FBI with guns drawn, she has no idea why...or does she? This story, alternately told using present times and past, examines white privilege, the college admission scandal, and one's legal/ethical culpability. Timely, honest and eye-opening.

I liked the way the author focused on the student and not the parents in this flipped version of the college scandal that has rocked the entertainment world. Seeing the way things played out through Chloe’s eyes made it more intriguing. She’s stuck between a rock and hard place, not understanding why she needs this Dr. Wilson to help and trying to figure out a way to tell her parents she doesn’t need her parents over zealous help In getting accepted to a college, not necessarily of her choice.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Press for an eARC of this novel.

Admission by Julie Buxbaum is a novel that is based on the college admission bribery scandal that ROCKED the country. So of course, it is no surprise that I was drawn to read this book based on the plot alone. ( Side note, what is it about completely losing yourself in someone else’s made up drama that feels so liberating and almost healing during this time.. just me?)

This novel tells the story of Chloe Berringer and the big fat mess her mother envelops her in as she embarks on her senior year of high school and begins the long winded college admission process. Chloe comes to find out that she is painfully average compared to her top performing best friend, Shola; her sister, Isla, and her boyfriend, Levi. As the daughter of a famous sitcom star, Chloe has lived a privileged life and is only just now beginning to realize what this could mean for her future.


Seriously I read this in one sitting and my hands were glued to my iPad for the entirety of the novel. The author hooks you from the jump by opening the novel with the arrest of her mother and then continuing to alternate between a “then” and “now” perspective that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I’ll be honest, I enjoyed this book so much more than i expected to. I was nervous that the author would discuss this topic without touching on the overwhelming amount of privilege awarded to these already privileged kids. In my opinion, the author did an incredible job pointing out all of the differences in embedded privilege that these kids are afforded ranging from private tutors, to private admission counselors ( I had no idea these were a thing btw) & etc. As the details of the scandal unfold, the readers are taken on a journey as Chloe works to understand her privilege and complicity in the act.


Can we just acknowledge that scandals like these are the REAL affirmative action cases? Stories like these are living proof that America has never had a true ¨merit based system for college admission. These institutions have always been set in place for the wealthy. When you think about the fact that white people are willing to go to such lengths to maintain their status, but are so fiercely opposed to affirmative action, it becomes clear that what white people are actually afraid of is their privilege being taken away from them and given to someone that they deem as less deserving

Admission:

A YA historical fiction based on the infamous ‘College Admission Scam’ that happened in 2019 where conspiracy was done to influence undergraduate admission decisions at top American Universities. This book was well written and thought out from the author in such a short time span, as the case is still ongoing in 2020. This was my first time reading anything by this author, and I'm excited to get around to reading the other books that she has published. She has a unique and enjoyable writing style.

Admission was told in the main character Chloe’s POV between the past and present as she watches her famous mother Joy Fields deal with allegation charges of fraudulence. I liked that the author chose this style because it’s interesting to see what the child’s take on all of this is. As in the real-life scam with one of the several dozen charged including actress Lori McLaughlin who was accused of bribing her daughter in getting into The University of Southern California on an athletic scholarship, the media doesn’t have comments or stories from McLaughlins two daughters as their mother goes through the charges for conspiracy.