What does it take to get into America’s top universities Just who is getting in—and why These are the questions at the heart of the mysterious and extraordinarily competetive college admissions process. In this fascinating, essential handbook, former insider Joie Jager-Hyman explains the rules and (ir)rationality of the admissions game, following five high school juniors applying to the most revered of all educational instutitions, Harvard University. Meet Felix, an Asian-American straight-A student from a wealthy Philadelphia neighborhood; Andrew, a prep school star displaced by Hurricane Katrina; Lisa, an Asian-American, nationally-ranked gymnast at one of the best public high schools in the country; Marlene, a financially strapped Dominican-American student from suburban New York; and Nabil, an Ethiopian-American math star from Memphis. Which of these five different students will receive the coveted “fat envelope” As she tells their stories, Jager-Hyman uses these students’ experiences to explores every aspect of the elusive admissions process—from test scores and test prep to dynamic extra-curricular activities that stand out—and shows just what sets some kids apart and what role class, race, legacy, and smarts play when it comes to getting in—or getting rejected.