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.

I was unable to review this book as it was only available in ACSM file and not in Kindle file and I didn't have space on my laptop to download. Publisher, please send me a Kindle file.

What a great resource to share with my students! I appreciated this book not only for the wealth of information about how to research and apply to colleges, but also for the continued emphasis on making sure the college fits the student's interests as well. So many of the how-to-get-in books focus on getting into the "right" school without ever considering whether a teen would thrive at that school. Good advice and good action plans.

This was a very timely book to receive, as I have a son who is a junior.
Valedictorians at the Gate was succinct, organized, informative. The tone was approachable and felt very candid. The author has long term experience in this field. I appreciated the big picture but also the focused detail in the writing.
The personal anecdotes made it more relaxed and something I think my son would read without too much grumbling about the subject matter.
I’ve had one kid go through this process already and I still learned so much from this book. I think it’s a must read for any family embarking on this journey—particularly the tips regarding the common app and the activities.
It’s well-organised chapter-wise and hits the important points as well as delineating many aspects of the process that are most daunting.
I would have been grateful to have this book when we were in this phase with my daughter. It is just as useful now when we are in the process with my son.
Common sense, insight, straightforward advice. Highly recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC. This is my honest review.

I received this review copy as an ARC from net galley in exchange for my own honest review. I requested an early review copy of this book because I am a former high school teacher and current parent of high school age children. Although my children are early in the process I have struggled with where exactly to begin college search process. I found this book to be honest and very easy to navigate with truly valuable insight and it definitely helped that I myself am also a proud Colby College graduate!

Informative and enlightening tips on applying for college from an Admissions counselor. Personal anecdotes gives the book an extra flair. Insider tips on what to do and write, and what to make sure you do not do and write, in order to pass muster with the Admissions teams.