Get Real and Get In: How to Get Into the College of Your Dreams by Being Your Authentic Self

Getting into college in the 21st century can feel like an arms race, with kids starting the admissions preparation at increasingly earlier ages, picking up musical instruments, participating in sports, signing up for the toughest courses, even starting companies or nonprofits to get an edge on the competition.Aviva Legatt takes a different approach. Instead of trying to outgun classmates or satisfy parents' (sometimes unrealistic) goals, students need to step back and consider who they are, and what environment and course of study will best fill their own needs and help them take the first step toward their professional goals. She sets the framework in her introduction, which discusses the "Impressiveness Paradox" -- the fact that the more you try to impress admissions officers with your achievements and potential for even greater accomplishments down the road, the less authentic you may seem. Whereas "Being Your Authentic Self" should be the primary objective. Admissions officers are deluged with applications that seem to be following a formula; they all start to sound the same. Worse, the admissions officers aren't going to get to know you, rather, they will only see the image you are trying to project.So, how do high school students, hoping to find (and gain admission to) a college that will fulfill their dreams, proceed?Get Real and Get In takes a multi-pronged approach to answering that question. There are self-assessment surveys to get students thinking about what they truly need and care about. (Not what their parents, counselors, or other well-intended friends want.) There are dozens of stories of people, some of them Dr Legatt's clients, who have figured out and followed their own paths. Not every path is a straight path -- and we often learn as much from our missteps as from our better decisions. Dr. Legatt also weaves tales from her own high school and college years into the narrative. You don't have to leap tall buildings to get into your ideal college, but you do need to figure out the best fit for you, and make sure your target college understands why it's a good fit. She offers numerous suggestions for getting that message across.The takeaway is uplifting and positive. You can do this! It's a message that all high school students -- parents too! -- need to hear and believe.Although I bought this book, I have not yet received the physical copy. I am basing my review on a complimentary electronic version that the author shared with me for review purposes. I also worked in admissions at Stanford for five years, so have some insight into the views from the other side of the door.

This book really wasn't what I was hoping for and did not live up to the "How to Get Into" part. I'd call it a primer, if you know nothing or very little about applying to college and are way early in the process. I felt there were too many examples, many of which felt contrived. There were moments of useful advice about making connections and capitalizing on interactions, but not enough to carry the book.

As the mom of 2 teenagers, I've experienced firsthand the pressure so many young people feel during the college app process. They think they have to fit into a cookie cutter application to get into college. Dr. Legatt breaks through that concept with inspiring stories, practical advice, and reflection to get you through these milestones with your sanity and humor intact. I also love that she includes guidance and life lessons that will continue to serve all young aspirational leaders long after the diploma. A must read for anyone applying to college.

I'm a Harvard grad (class of '02) and test-prep tutor / college admissions consultant since 2002 (McElroy Tutoring), specializing in SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, ISEE, and essay editing.In "Get Real and Get In: How to Get Into the College of Your Dreams by Being Your Authentic Self" by Dr. Aviva Legatt — which caught my eye immediately at the bookstore with its title — the author decides NOT to fuel the fire, stressing students and parent out even further, but instead to throw some water on the situation.She deftly switches in and out of anecdotes, examples, and hard data analysis to show students and parents that you don't have to become someone else in order to secure college admission — even when it comes to the top schools — because if you do your research and play the game honestly, then you are actually putting yourself at an advantage anyway.Although the landscape has certainly changed since 1997, I firmly believe that one of the reasons I earned admission to such elite colleges as Harvard, Brown, Dartmouth, and Williams was that I did not pretend to be someone I wasn't; instead, I was up-front and honest about all the opportunities that life had given me up until that point. In the book, Dr. Legatt hammers this point home repeatedly.Yes, it has become a cliché, but there is a college for everyone, and you don't have to pretend to be someone else in order to get there — which is why I share this philosophy with my own private students and clients as well.Legatt's college admissions advice is not that much different from good dating advice: be yourself, be honest, advocate for what you want, and good things will happen.-Brian R. McElroy

I bought this for my daughter. This book frames the whole college admissions question in a way we had not considered. While we had assumed the competitive colleges were mainly focused on grades and test scores, this book makes the point that admissions officers are weighing many other factors very highly, including leadership potential, essay, activities, etc. But more importantly, they are looking for students who are achieving in a unique and authentic way. There are a lot of practical exercises and reflection questions in here that we will be reviewing carefully over the next few months of the college admissions process.