In This Together Media is an awesome publishing company that publishes books about real girls [insert Pinocchio joke here]. But seriously, when I was contacted to review the book, and started reading about this company- how could I not get behind it! Girls need to know they can be smart and strong, and also that they don't need to see each other as competition- we should build each other up. So! Follow the link! Learn more!
Personal Statement by Jason Odell Williams is a hilarious satire on the college admission "game." Emily, Rani and Robert are from upscale Connecticut, and all have motives to be the best. Not just the best grades, but also philanthropy. When a Class 3 hurricane makes its way to the New England coast, they jump on the opportunity to make themselves stand out! Told from the perspective of the three teens, and a 20-something observer who's already been through it all, Personal Statement takes a look at the dirty underbelly of college admissions...competitive volunteering.
This...this was everything I wanted the movie Admission to be. Coincidentally, I got the e-mail asking to review the book as I was setting up our overly-complicated physical media-playing system to watch Admission. I figured it was a sign. [Note: Admission was good! Just not what I expected humor-wise.]
The cast is refreshingly diverse! Smart and snarky, real, and not a WASP among them (says the WASP reviewing...). I was laughing from page one at the humor, but also at the truths revealed about college, admissions, debt, etc. I was nodding with a "So true!" every few pages. And, lots of pop culture references!
Also, jealous of these lucky New Englanders. Whenever I say I'm from Maine I have to follow up with "but the town was kind of King of the Hill-ish...but with Downeast accents. Not really what you see on postcards." These kids are postcard people.
This was an original, hilarious satire. Anyone who has been through the college admissions process, or is about to go through it, should probably read this. I kind of want it to be made into a movie, and then shown at school assemblies. I'm also going to take a look at the other books from In This Together Media...you probably should, too.
Personal Statement is published by In This Together Media. Review copy graciously provided by the publisher.
Released: 08.01.2013
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