Get Real and Get In: How To Get into the College of Your Dreams by Being Your Authentic Self

Ask any group of college students or graduates why they chose their school, and inevitably several of them will say that they didn’t get into their top choice. According to Legatt, a former Ivy League admissions officer and the founder of the consulting company Ivy Insights, being more mindful in deciding where and how to apply can increase students’ chances of being accepted to their preferred institution. In part 1, she urges readers to “get real” and become acquainted with themselves and their passions—and shrug off outside influences—as they consider where to apply. Once those choices are clear, Legatt advises readers to make connections at those institutions and go all in on preparing applications. The second half of the book, though still valuable, will likely be of less interest than the first; it covers familiar principles (turn lemons into lemonade, consider alternate paths, etc.) as they relate to the application process and to college life and beyond.