Early Decision Paperback – 26 August 2014

I was in the process of a cross country move and, even still, could not put down this book. I have three children getting ready for college, and this book gave me a scary, much needed look into how parental pressure will impact them. I could not believe the way Crawford described their loss of passion, their feelings of living life for someone else, their hopelessness. And they were all extraordinary kids with everything. Not only does she make the much maligned American teenager a hero, but she also helps us all understand what makes their hearts beat. She looks into the teenager soul the way no other book in any self-help category has done for my husband and me. I loved my children more and better after reading her words. Not only did she share with us tremendous insight, but she is FUNNY and the writing is GORGEOUS. The words were all perfectly selected, and her humor is sharp, spot on, and entered the book just when I felt like I needed a break from the pressure these kids were facing. Her words are elegant and require close reading (ie, this is not a light, fluffy beach read), and the topic is so relevant in today's helicopter, pressure crazed parenting world.

In short I recommend this book. As a mother of a college freshman, I could mostly relate to the essay issues. I assume there are some parents that are as horrid as she describes in her book, but I was still taken aback, and somewhat doubtful. She could have avoided these parental issues (and have no material for this book) had she done as many college essay prep counselors do-don't let the parents read the essay! That is exactly what my son's counselor's stance was. I loved this. By taking this stance, the students can be free to write what they feel, parents don't have to worry about it, and the counselor doesn't have to deal with over involved, frantic, ridiculous parental involvement. Frankly, I was confused about why these parents had such a role in the essays, but regardless, the book is funny, thoughtful, and a good fast read. Once I started reading it, it was hard to put down. I do think the main character Anne, could have been further developed. Also, at times, the writing was awkward and confusing. I just skipped over those sentences.

As the parent of a current high school senior, I really enjoyed searching for glimpses of familiarity in Ms. Crawford's descriptions of parents and students going through the college application process. I actually laughed out loud many times and wanted to cry for the families at many other points. I also truly enjoyed and appreciated reading the various essays and their revisions as they evolved into what presumably were great pieces of writing. I found many of Ms. Crawford's caricatures of the parents to be a little harsh at times, and I could have done without the framework of the narrators personal life. All in all, this book came at a great time for me, and I am glad I read it. It gave me perspective on the process in which I am currently engaged.

Having worked as the Dean of Admissions for a small private college for a few years, I probably look at this book in a very different way than a parent who is in the midst of applications. Well, it is obvious that the author really knows her stuff.This novel is one of a couple out recently that looks at the rarified atmosphere of elite college admissions. I did not work at one of the top ivies...but....college admissions is just another world.If your son or daughter is not trying for one of the very top schools in the country, this book will probably just make you laugh and be grateful! I saw students who were just desperate to get into certain schools and it was usually not the best fit for them. One young woman selected her college based on the "great swimming pool" they had and she didn't even particularly like to swim!!!Working in Admissions, I came to believe that there is no one right college for a student. Usually there are many that will fit a student's needs and interests. And, of course, in this day and age about a third of students transfer every year anyway.If I could sit students (and parents!) down at the beginning of the application process, my best advice would be to relax. Your choice of a college is not the end of the world or the most important decision you will make in your lifetime. I've found through my life that I had a lot of great jobs and not a one of them cared WHICH college I attended for my undergraduate or graduate work.I really liked in the book that the afterward tells what happens to each of the students Anne worked with during the application process. I was a little sad for Hunter....Colorado College would have been a great fit for him! Too bad his parents screwed up his choice. [note: I did not work for Colorado College but in the Admissions world you get to know a lot about a lot of other colleges!]My advice: Buy and read this book...it's interesting and engaging and you won't be disappointed.

This book had its share of flaws, but I was still very engaged. The author, a woman who had worked as an independent college counselor, clearly wrote this novel from experience. Every scene which had a student (high school seniors) or a parent of a senior came alive. The characters were believable and often sad. This novel totally captured the crazy frenzy to get into highly selective colleges. I work with many students like these, and Crawford was right-on in her portrayal. My criticism is that Anne, the main character, was most real when doing her job. Between scenes with kids and parents, Anne's relationship with an aspiring actor is a thread that runs through the novel. This is the weakest part of this story, and the reason I did not give it 5 stars. That said, the good parts (much of the book) were so good that I still was on the verge of giving this a 5 star rating. It is clear that the author cares greatly about teenagers. Besides being entertaining, this is an important book for the light it sheds on the very unhealthy process of selective college admissions.