Admission by Julie Buxbaum
It’s good to be Chloe Wynn Berringer. She’s headed off to the college of her dreams. She’s going to prom with the boy she’s had a crush on since middle school. Her best friend always has her back, and her mom, a B-list Hollywood celebrity, may finally be on her way to the B+ list. It’s good to be Chloe Wynn Berringer–at least, it was, until the FBI came knocking on her front door, guns at the
As she loses everything she’s long taken for granted, Chloe must reckon not only with the truth of what happened, but also with the examination of her own guilt. Why did her parents think the only way for her to succeed was to cheat for her? What did she know, and when did she know it? And perhaps most importantly, what does it mean to be complicit?
This was a very interesting take on a case that had the entire country holding its breath. I vividly remember hearing about the Olivia Jade case, and it’s been rattling around my head this year too as I filled out my numerous college applications.
However, the story takes a very nuanced approach to the fraud. Chloe is far too relatable, to be honest. She is no genius, but she knows her grades could be better if she worked harder. She just isn’t too interested in school, and she doesn’t quite have a passion. She’s come to terms with her averageness at this stage in life, but she’s queasy about the thought of disappointing her parents. Still, she knows that she is loved, and she’s positive that they’ll get over it. Besides, she knows that she’s well-off and her college education doesn’t really matter. Despite all this, her parents have high expectations for her and she doesn’t quite know how to tell them that … she’s not that smart. But when her SAT score jumps 250 points and her dream college accepts her, she chalks it up to luck and moves on with her life.
It’s this simplicity that makes the reader sympathetic to Chloe. We begin to feel her insecurities, surrounded by hard workers and geniuses at one of the most elite high schools in the country. We feel her joy and relief when she doesn’t have to disappoint her friends and parents. But Chloe knows that she didn’t deserve it. She genuinely thinks that something is wrong, she just doesn’t know exactly what it is. She’s a kind and simple soul whose one true love is volunteering to read to younger children. She’s not super woke but she’s honestly trying. She sometimes forgets how privileged she is, but she does her best to be mindful. She’s not perfect, but she never sets out with the intention to do harm. Yet she’s also comfortable. She ignores the warning signs and goes with the flow. She doesn’t stand up for herself. And in that way, she is complicit. Her sorrow that her parents didn’t believe in her strength hurts acutely, as does her shame in having this exact shortcoming broadcasted publicly.
The dual timeline of this novel is also a great way of keeping things from getting boring. Because we know what’s coming, it would be insanely tiring to read the story in chronological order. Still, knowing what Chloe’s life was like before the scandal blew up is important. That’s how we find out exactly how much she knew. That’s how we find out who her friends were, what kind of person she was. That’s how we find out exactly how this entire scam took place under her nose. So the dual timeline serves its purpose very well. We get to find out how Chloe and her family are dealing with the fallout and how the legal process is unfolding, while alternating chapters fill us in on how and why her parents committed this crime.
The characters in this book really help bring it to life. Chloe’s best friend Shola is the African American scholarship student (of course). She keeps Chloe grounded by checking her privilege. Whether it’s educating her about the FAFSA, having to cancel plans because she has to tutor her younger siblings so that they can get into the private school on scholarship, or just spending all her time at Chloe’s house because her house is too crowded, Shola is Chloe’s foil. It might seem like too much at times (does Shola also have to dress differently that everyone else at school??) but I think it speaks to Chloe’s character. She is genuinely a sweetheart, and she chose to be friends with Shola. She genuinely wants to learn from her, to support her, and it’s clear that a lot of Chloe’s growth comes from this relationship. Shola is also a Harvard-bound genius, so she constantly makes Chloe feel even more worthless in comparison. The Before also focuses a lot on Chloe’s crush/boyfriend Levi, and it often devolves into stereotypical teen romantic drama territory. This mainly serves to reveal how uncomplicated Chloe is; she’s just awkward and sweet and not super ambitious. Levi, by the way, is also a Harvard-bound genius, but he’s rich.
No surprise here, but the heavyweight players turn out to be Chloe’s family. The story does a good job of humanizing a famous actress and putting all of her hard work and insecurities on display. Make no mistake; Chloe has a very loving family. The rising star, however, is her younger sister Isla. She is also a—you guessed it—genius. This just makes Chloe feel even worse because she knows that her parents would never feel a need to bribe Isla’s way into college. Chloe mainly brushes her know-it-all, matter-of-fact sister out of the way, but she slowly begins to realize that her sister has struggles of her own as well. The family dynamic of this story becomes more and more important as the case plays out.
Overall, this book really works to show another side of the college admissions scandal. While many people, including me, were absolutely furious when this news broke, Admission helps us empathize. At no point does the book try to defend the fraud. Instead, the story exposes the motivations and systems that pushed people into these crimes. If only for that, it’s a compelling read. Paired with a genuinely amiable protagonist and a gorgeous cover, I’d definitely recommend Admission!
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.
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