The golden ticket a life in college admissions essays

"Irena is a Russian Jewish immigrant, a PhD in comparative literature, a former Stanford admissions officer, and a private college counselor in Palo Alto, California--a city where everyone has to be good at something and where success often means the name of a prestigious college on the back of a la...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Smith, Irena, Ph. D. (Author)
Format: Books Print Book
Language:English
Published: Berkeley, CA : She Writes Press, 2023.
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Summary:"Irena is a Russian Jewish immigrant, a PhD in comparative literature, a former Stanford admissions officer, and a private college counselor in Palo Alto, California--a city where everyone has to be good at something and where success often means the name of a prestigious college on the back of a late-model luxury car. But as Irena works with some of the most ambitious, tightly wound students in the world, she struggles to keep her own family from unraveling, and that sharp-edged divide lies at the heart of her memoir. The Golden Ticket is narrated using a form Irena knows best: college application essay prompts. In her responses, Irena weaves together personal history, sharp social commentary, and the lessons of literature ranging from The Odyssey to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Her memoir asks difficult questions--What exactly do parents mean when they say they want the best for their children? What happens when the best of intentions result in unexpected consequences?--and envisions a broader, more generous view of what it means to succeed."--Amazon.com.
Physical Description:xi, 237 pages ; 22 cm
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN:9781647424640
164742464X
Author Notes:Irena Smith is a college admissions expert and the author of the award-winning memoir The Golden Ticket: A Life in College Admissions Essays . Born in Soviet Russia and raised in the United States, she weaves her experiences of migration, generational expectations, motherhood, and memory into her writing. Irena lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, a rotating cast of children, and two cats who are working on resolving their differences. You can find more of Irena's writing on Substack at @irenasmith.