This was a fun, quick read and although I was aware of the college admission scandal, I didn't know a lot of details and this was a fascinating (fictionalized) look into what it might have looked like behind the scenes.

Admission was just as juicy as the real college admission scandal. While @juliebuxbaum is clear that she was simply inspired by true events to weave this story, the similarities are definitely there. Admission is the story of Chloe Berringer. She’s a high school senior hoping to get into SCC. Her only problem? She’s not the best student and her SAT scores are less than stellar. Her parents make it their priority to get her into SCC whatever it takes. Admission was truly a ripped from the headlines story and I loved it. I doubt I am the only one who notices all the nods to the real life scandal. Admission comes out May 5 and it is another must read by @juliebuxbaum.

I received this book from Netgalley to read and review. For more thoughts, check out the Instagram account @BestsLoveBooks.

This one was a big swing and a miss for me.

ADMISSION by Julie Buxbaum is a ripped-from-the-headlines fictionalization of the college admissions scandal. Chloe Berringer is an average student at a ritzy private high school in LA, and is the first to admit her academics and extracurriculars are nothing special. Her B-list celebrity mom (who reads very much like a cross between Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin) hires a college counselor, and the rest unfolds exactly as you've seen in the news.

The novel is clear that while Chloe had a few inklings her college applications might not be totally above board, her obliviousness prevents her from being complicit in the scam. I've enjoyed Buxbaum's previous novels, but she is not the YA author I look to for the most incisive social commentary, so I wondered how Buxbaum would deal with this topic. I struggled with this book because it felt like she had trouble separating her opinion from Chloe's, even though she characterized Chloe as too oblivious to recognize the privileged life she leads. Any time Chloe, as narrator, went into an explanation of how RAICES would have been a better charity for her parents to donate to, it's hard to believe she would even know what RAICES is. Additionally, Chloe's best friend, Shola, is given the unfortunate role of being the black friend who has to explain how privilege works. I could feel Shola's exhaustion every time she spoke, and maybe that was the point, but it felt like a sloppy way to complicate Chloe's world view.

I blazed through this book in just a couple sittings, so if you're looking for something to read during a layover (...or quarantine...) this could be fun. Otherwise, there is so much more YA that explores privilege with much more nuance. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for this review.

As a fan of Buxbaum's previous novels, I was intrigued when this novel came up on Netgalley and as usual, her writing did not disappoint. This fiction novel is loosely based on Laurie Laughlin's role in the college admissions scandal. Chloe Wynn Beringer is the daughter of a b list actress who is arrested by the FBI for cheating her daughter's way into college. Told from Chloe's perspective in both the past and present it is an addictive read that I could not put down. The reader sees Chloe as a student who is really struggling under the SAT and college admission weight. Then we see her as she deals with the aftermath of her mother's lies. I highly recommend this novel! Thank you to net galley for the ARC

I truly enjoyed reading this book. I picked it because of the current topic and stayed because it was so interesting AND well written!

Chloe Berringer is at the center of the college admissions scandal. Her mother, a famous B-list actress, has taken over Chloe's first grownup decision by controlling the admissions process unbeknownst to Chloe. And besides all the drama surrounding the actual legal allegations, what's most important question to Chloe is "Do my parents think I'm stupid?"

Given that this book is very clearly based on real-life events and to some extent, real-life people, it's enlightening to read a story from the perspective of a teenager actually directly involved in the college admissions scandal. The author humanizes her characters for readers who, like myself, did not have any empathy towards anyone that was cheating to get into college. This is perfectly balanced with the realizations of Chloe of her privilege, while not excusing her from her family's involvement in the scandal.

The only reason this is getting four stars from me instead of five is because there is a disconnect between the quality of the writing and the book's perspective. The story is told from Chloe's perspective, and throughout she informs the reader of how she is not a great student, doesn't complete her assigned readings, and pales in comparison to her sister and friends. However, the narration of the story by Chloe is rich with advanced vocabulary beyond how her character would normally communicate. As the reader, I enjoyed the style of writing and word choice, but it didn't seem to match the character.

I really enjoyed this book about a college admission scandal ring. It is easy to compare this book to what is going on currently in the Lori L. story in the news and there seem to be a lot of items that could easily be true for her case. For instance Chloe's mom did what she did because she loved her daughter and wanted to help her out in anyway possible. She figured if she couldn't buy a building, which is completely legal, then going through the side door was the next best option. This book gives you a multitude of feelings. First you get angry because of what happened and how Chloe gets into SCC just because of her mother and not her own merits. Next you feel sorry for her because she honestly did not know what was going on and she did push back a few times. She did not understand why her college admission counselor was insistent on her having ADHD to have longer on the SATs and how she knew she did not. When she received her highest SAT scores ever she approached her school counselor to find out if there could be some sort of mistake. Chloe and her younger sister Isla were both innocent bystanders in this admission scandal ring but it feels like they are the ones who have to give up the most. Friends stop talking to them and they feel the hatred and death threats being aimed at them. This book was much needed during this time to give some perspective into what the child goes through when their parents participate is a scandal of this sorts.

Thank you to netgalley and Random House Children's Books for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Admission is one of those “ripped from the headlines” type books that offers a glimpse into the recent college admission scandal. I am always a sucker for any book that allows me to live a rich person’s life vicariously, so I was excited to read this!

While the depictions of the rich kid life in CA was fun, about half way through, I was a little worried that the main character, Chloe, was getting the typical “not my fault!” edit that I’ve heard offered as a defense from people talking about the real life situation. The author took great pains to establish her as a likable, if ignorant, bystander. And (spoiler), even if Chloe didn’t get actual consequences (like jail time or fines), I appreciated the frank discussion about privilege that she and her best friend have several times before the book ends. (It made me think about my own ignorance to privilege!) I also ended up loving Chloe’s mom, despite being prepared for her to be the villain of the story.

Admission is a well-written, quick read, and I think it’s the perfect book to add to your pool bag this summer!

Thank you so much for giving me an eARC of this title.

I am sending this message to let you know that I will not be reviewing this title. I read close to 35 percent of this title. I cannot connect with the plot and some of the inclusions of this book. I feel like some of the information that was given was misinforming and a little insensitive. I found myself struggling to appreciate the characters and direction. This book is just not for me. I do wish it all the best, and I look forward to working with you again in the future.

Kind regards,

Brittney

#Admission #NetGalley
What a great book for parents and young adults! It is a learning lesson in the damage and effects of trying to beat the systems.

I truly enjoy all of this author's writing. It is fast paced, quick witted, fun characters, and interesting environments. I will read everything she ever publishes.

This book was the same. Read it in one sitting. Was a timely and fascinating story. Not based on the true story, but inspired by, so don't think you're reading a true accounting of the College admissions scandal.

This was 3 1/2 stars for me. It was very readable, but ultimately, I just didn't connect with the characters. I found them not very likable, but that could have been part of the plot.

Would I recommend this book? Yes. It's a good read. Just won't be my favorite from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Delacorte Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I love Julie Buxbaum and was thrilled to have been given the opportunity to read another one of her novels! To have such a hot-topic as the plot was a good choice! I had such a good time with this book. Chloe was an incredible main character, and following her story as she deals with such an incredible situation made me never want to put it down!

Admission is about Chloe, a high school senior who is struggling to demonstrate enough success in school to get accepted into a worthy college, one her parent will be proud of. Living a life of privilege as the daughter of a successful actress, who has built a reputation playing wholesome, honest roles, Chloe's perceptions of the world are turned upside down when the FBI arrests her mother.

Learning that her mother has been charged with fraud related to Chloe's acceptance into the college of her choice, leads her to question the morality of her family, and pushed herself to understand what exactly she knew, and didn't know, about the scheme. The situation will test her relationships with classmates, her sister, and the world at large.

Lifted right from the headlines, Julie Buxbaum has brought a current event to life in a way that will guide readers to empathize with others, even in light of bad choices. Chloe's naivety and trust in her parents is believable. Her younger sister's wit and drive are also believable, and in fact, help propel the story forward in a way that Chloe could not do herself. Tied into the scandal and Chloe's reflections are real world issues relating to race, immigration, addiction, wealth, and the concept of entitlement. That's a lot to pack into one contemporary story, told in less than 300 pages, and yet, it's done well. The result of Buxbaum's ability to craft characters who are likable, characters a reader wants to listen to.

Admission is a timely book, but it will reach teens for many years to come.

I was given a copy of this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review,

This book is exquisite. It's obviously inspired by the College admission scandal and there are many borrowed elements from that. No one person is duplicated and actually, in every instance, the characteristics of each are spread between a multitude of characters.

We follow Chloe through two time frames. One from the time she opens the door to the FEDs and another from the time it became apparent she was not going to get a passable SAT score on her own.

The cast is set with knowable characters and the whole thing really paints more of a mirror than a portrait. Chloe, in spite of everything, is a sympathetic character. She didn't stack the social deck this way, she's not even guilty of trying to stack it further for her own gain. She's just privileged. She's not a bad person. The book begs the question, who deserved what, and why do others get to decide.

I loved this. Highly recommend!

This novel highly relates to the college admissions scandal that made headlines over the past two years. It follows the lives of the rich and privileged who will stop at nothing to make college dreams come true for their children. The novel offers a really interesting perspective into the mind of the students that were part of the scandal. Chloe (fictional main character) has always struggled to feel as smart as her sister, and the novel does a great job of illustrating how she navigates the months after the arrest. It is a great example of watching characters grow throughout the course of the novel.

This book is like one of those cheesy pulled-from-the-headlines movies except it’s not cheesy it’s amazing! I devoured this book in the same way that I devoured all of the articles about Operation Varsity Blues when the whole thing exploded last year!

You’ll love this book if:
• you were fascinated and scandalized by the college admissions scandal
• you like fictionalized stories based on true life drama
• you like stories about a teen discovering who she is amidst a crazy and terrifying time in her life

Chloe is your average girl living a not-so-average life. On the one hand, she finds school and studying difficult, has a cool best friend named Shola, has a super smart sometimes annoying younger sister, just wants a boyfriend, and doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life. On the other hand, she has a famous actress mom, lives in a mansion, can buy whatever she wants, and lives in Beverly Hills. She has a privileged life and kind of knows it, but doesn’t really, truly understand her privilege. Her best friend Shola, who is black and lives in a different town and studies very hard to be where she is in life, tries to remind Chloe of this fact, but Chloe can’t see it until it literally comes knocking on her door one morning in the form of FBI agents.

Watching Chloe’s life transform in the wake of this scandal and seeing her eyes open up to her privilege and understand that maybe she was inadvertently complicit in all this is what makes this book so fascinating to read. You like Chloe and you root for her because she’s a relatable person, but you also want to not like her because she’s rich and you know she should’ve realized what was happening and done something about it. But then you think about yourself and what would you do if you were in the same position with overbearing parents — if you knew but didn’t know; if you just had a suspicion.

The book moves back and forth between Then and Now and you get to see how Chloe’s life and the lives of everyone around her change. It’s an interesting book that I would definitely recommend!

*Review copy courtesy of NetGalley.

I received this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion and review. This book is really relevant today. There are so many people accused of these crimes and it was interesting to see what it could be like from the other side. and I was a little frustrated with Chloe, who knew something wasn’t right, but didn’t say anything.

The college admissions scandal had me both horrified and captivated when it happened, which is why I was drawn to this book. Admission is told in alternating parts,Then and Now. Then is the time before the news broke. Now is the aftermath. 

Our protagonist, Chloe Berringer, is average, which just won't do for her rich and famous mother and her high-achieving father and sister. Her mother, Joy, was the star of a sitcom; her father, Richard, is well-regarded at his business; her sister,Isla, is a genius bordering on prodigy. Chloe feels that she doesn't fit in with her family or at her elite school. She has her good friends Shola and Levi though. Levi has been her crush for years,and they become a couple during the Then portion. Shola is her brilliant best friend.

Chloe's parents want her to get into the best possible schools,what he guidance counselor calls  reach schools. Her SAT scores are subpar, unfortunately. They arrange for her to get testing accommodations for ADHD, which she doesn't have. All of this is supposedly done in her best interests, but she wonders if it's more for her parents' image than for her. 

On what was supposed to be a normal day for Chloe during the Now, she opens the door to find FBI agents outside to arrest her mom. The charges are  much like the real life admissions scandal: paying someone to take the test for Chloe, bribery, etc.

I loved this book from the time I read the description through the very last page. Chloe began as a character I didn't understand, someone with everything who still sought more, much like the people in the real-life scandal. Her family dynamics were silly at times, but the evolution of her relationship with her sister was something real that adversity brings out in people. She also has good development throughout the book, from clueless to complicit to accepting responsibility; she finally acknowledges all of the boosts she's had in her life, and she wants to improve the world for people who don't have those boosts. 

I think this is a great back to school read, and would also be suitable for people who enjoyed  books like Gossip Girl but also like character redemption. The drama mixed with reality made it absolutely riveting.

As soon as I heard about Admission by Julie Buxbaum, I had to read it. I've been fascinated by this story since it appeared in the news, and Julie does a great job stepping inside of it. She made me empathize with the characters and gave depth to a group of people often depicted as caricatures. I appreciated the pacing of the story until the very end; the last few chapters sped up so quickly, it felt like an ending was just tacked on. This would have made an excellent two-book series. Regardless, I'd recommend this book to anyone who has been following the headlines!

This is a great ripped-from-the headlines look at the college admissions scandal from the inside of one family. I loved it and kept reading to see what was going to happen next, even though I more or less knew what was likely to happen considering we’ve all been reading about the scandal. Buxbaum manages to make the scandal fresh. I was invested in the characters and cared about them as people. I was a higher education reporter for many years so I have followed the scandal closely and imagined the books and movies that would be based on it. Buxbaum must have written this very quickly to get it out to the public while the scandal is still unfolding. Kudos to her to being able to do that while still making it very compelling and well written.

I loved the take on “college admissions scandal.” I’ll admit when the news broke in real life I didn’t have strong opinions either way.
This book was fiction, but based on what happened and I really enjoyed the behind the scenes take on everything. I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen. My mouth physically dropped when I found out the reason the scandal happened in the book. Definitely going to be recommending this one, and worth the read!