Valedictorians at the Gate - by Becky Munsterer Sabky (Paperback)

About the Book

"A former Ivy League admissions officer offers an inspiring battle cry for sanity in the college application process that looks beyond the rankings to successfully determine what's truly the best school for you or your child. After years as a college admissions director for Dartmouth, Becky Munsterer Sabky had seen it all. The perfect grades, the perfect scores, and the perfect extracurriculars. The valedictorians were knocking at the gate, but in their quest for perfection they didn't realize what prize they were trying to win. In Valedictorians at the Gate, Sabky looks beyond the smoke and mirrors of the admissions gauntlet and places the power firmly where it should be: in the hands of the students themselves. Offering prescriptive, actionable advice for applicants and their mentors, Valedictorians at the Gate is the needed tonic for overstressed, overworked, and overwhelmed students on their way to the perfect college for them." -- page [4] of cover

Book Synopsis

Named one of Grown & Flown's "Best Book on College Admissions and Paying for College"

"The most honest, most helpful book I've ever read on applying to college" (New York Times bestselling author Adam Grant), Valedictorians at the Gate offers empowering advice and humorous asides that demystifies the college application process and encourages students to select a school that best reflects their personal values, academic pursuits, and potential career goals.

After spending years as a college admissions director at Dartmouth, Becky Munsterer Sabky had seen it all. The perfect grades, the perfect scores, and the perfect extracurriculars. Valedictorians were knocking at the gate, but Becky realized that in their quest for admission many of these students were missing something. Their transcripts were golden, their interviews polished, but they weren't applying for college, they were competing for it--and in the end they didn't know what prize they were really striving for.

In Valedictorians at the Gate, Sabky looks beyond the smoke and mirrors of the intimidating admissions gauntlet and places the power firmly where it should be: in the hands of the students themselves. Offering prescriptive, actionable advice for students and their (hopefully not helicoptering) parents, Sabky illuminates the pathway to finding the school that is the ideal match.

Witty and warm, informative and inspiring, Valedictorians at the Gate is the needed tonic for overstressed, overworked, and overwhelmed students on their way to the perfect college for them.

Review Quotes

"Drawing on 13 years of experience as an admissions officer, Sabky offers practical, down-to-earth advice about choosing a college, navigating the application process, and deciding which college to attend."
--Kirkus

"[Sabky] offers valuable insight into how colleges try to build competitive pools of future students by focusing on diversity, selectivity, and college needs. Her work is engaging, edifying, and even humorous at times."
--Library Journal

"Sabky share[s] helpful college tips for those navigating the process without pricey consultants."
--St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The most honest, most helpful book I've ever read on applying to college."
--Adam Grant, Wharton professor and New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and Originals

"This book is incredible. I have read dozens of books about college admissions and this one is exceptional in its honesty and insight. It both answers the questions that parents and students truly have and reminds us all of what is really important."
--Lisa Heffernan, New York Times bestselling author and coauthor of Grown & Flown

"Becky Munsterer Sabky is an expert on college admissions - an insider generous enough to share her experiences behind the closed doors of ivy league college admissions. Valedictorians at the Gate is the perfect combination of story, information, and advice, offering a much-needed dose of sanity around the process of college admissions."
--Jessica Lahey, New York Times bestselling author of The Gift of Failure

"Valedictorians at the Gate isn't just an unmissable guide for every budding college applicant (and anxious parent), it is essential reading for all of us. Ms. Sabky draws upon her rich experience as an Ivy League admissions director to illuminate the strange and shadowed world of admits, denies, and defers. With humor, empathy, and keen insight, she shows us what matters, and what doesn't, at the threshold of higher education."
--Adam Benforado, professor of law, Drexel University, and New York Times bestselling author of Unfair

About the Author

Becky Munsterer Sabky is a former director of international admissions at Dartmouth College. She's a graduate of Colby College and received her master of arts in liberal studies degree from Dartmouth. Based in Vermont, she is also an award-winning monthly newspaper columnist, a blogger, and the author of a children's books series entitled The Little Rippers.