Early Decision

Lucy Crawford's debut novel covered a topic I greatly enjoy - that of college admissions.  While my own college admission process pales in comparison to the characters she writes of, Early Decision is easy to relate to and to imagine getting caught up in the push to get into the college of your dreams.

Anne is in her late twenties and although her personal life is in turmoil (a cross-country relationship with her boyfriend who doesn't want to commit), appears calm, cool, and collected to her high school clients and their parents.  As Anne works to get each graduate into the college of their choice, that means not necessarily following their parents' instructions, yet appearing agreeable to their demands. While wealth can buy certain things, it doesn't ensure these children will be admitted to the school of their choice.  The playing field is a bit more level as application essays are written and revised all with Anne's input.  Although it may seem that the teenagers would present more of a challenge, it is the parents whose hands she must hold.

Crawford draws on her own experiences as a college admissions counselor, creating an interesting novel about the highs and lows of the college admissions process for upper class children. I'm hoping Crawford has plans to continue writing - I will happily read her work again.