Admissions: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School

Admissions: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School

  • Downloads:4573
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2022-01-20 18:21:54
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Kendra James
  • ISBN:B093ZPKKLQ
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

A sharp-witted and deeply insightful look into the storied world of elite prep schools from the first African-American legacy student to graduate from The Taft School, shedding light from the inside, while giving voice to those on the outside。
 

Kendra James began her professional life selling a lie。 As an admissions officer specializing in diversity recruitment for select prep schools, her job was persuading students and families to embark on the same perilous journey, attending cutthroat and largely white schools, that she had years earlier as the first African American legacy student at The Taft School。 Forced to reflect on her own elite educational experience, she quickly became disillusioned by America's inequitable system。
 
In ADMISSIONS, Kendra looks back at the three years she spent at Taft, from clashes with her lily-white roommate, unlearning the respectability politics she’d been raised, to a horrifying article in the student newspaper that accused Black and Latinxbrown students of being responsible for segregation of campus。 She contemplates the benefits of the education she got from Taft, which Kendra credits as playing a role in her career’s success, as well as the ways it coddled her--perhaps, she now believes, too much。 Through these stories, she deconstructs the lies and half-truths she herself would later tell as an admissions professional, as well as the myths about boarding schools perpetuated by popular culture。
 
With its combination of incisive social critique and uproarious depictions of elite nonsense, ADMISSIONS will resonate with anyone who has ever been The Only One in a room, dealt with racial micro aggressions, or even just suffered with an extreme case of homesickness。

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Reviews

Elsie Birnbaum

I've been excited about this book since Kendra James announced it on her twitter months ago。 As someone who attended a New England boarding school (albeit one that's more of a feeder for Oberlin than the Ivies), I'm always interested in honest looks at the student culture since as James' points out books about boarding schools are often inaccurate。 I was not disappointed。 I read this book in the course of six hours。 James' classic wit (I regularly think about her piece about the American Girl Do I've been excited about this book since Kendra James announced it on her twitter months ago。 As someone who attended a New England boarding school (albeit one that's more of a feeder for Oberlin than the Ivies), I'm always interested in honest looks at the student culture since as James' points out books about boarding schools are often inaccurate。 I was not disappointed。 I read this book in the course of six hours。 James' classic wit (I regularly think about her piece about the American Girl Doll store) makes what could have been a very slow look at three years of high school legitimately a page turner。 God this book cured me of my early 20s high school nostalgia。 It really feels like what it was like to be a student at one of these institutions and I say this as someone who obviously did not experience the racial ostracization and discrimination that is the main focus of the book。 That said her description of honor court and the school's handling of her supposed guilt felt eerily familiar to my own experiences with gender violence in high school。 So too did her description of returning to campus when the buildings are a site of trauma。 I only wish she had talked more about the contradictory feelings of hating the social element of your private school experience and feeling as though the administration of the school was not on your side but benefiting from the academic experiences, a contradiction that I'm still trying to work out in my own life。This isn't related to anything and was only one paragraph in the book but James states that she didn't apply to Smith College because it had Greek Life。 Smith College doesn't have Greek Life?? It's very culturally similar to Oberlin, although obviously lacking a cis male population which was clearly (and justifiably) important to teenage Kendra James。 I'm not sure how she came to the conclusion that a women's college in the lesbian capitol of the United States is a buttoned up institution but I'm sorry she's just wrong。 Again this is a non-sequitur, I loved this book, its great and you should read it, I just couldn't stand for this Smith slander。 。。。more

Brynn | readyourworriesaway

Admissions is an honest memoir detailing an alumna’s experience as a student at The Taft School。 Kendra James was the first African-American legacy student to graduate from Taft。 While working as an admissions officer as an adult, she couldn’t help but reflect back on her own time at an independent prep school and feel as though she was selling a lie。Kendra is an incredible writer。 As she detailed her story, there were times that were humorous, times that were completely devastating, and everyth Admissions is an honest memoir detailing an alumna’s experience as a student at The Taft School。 Kendra James was the first African-American legacy student to graduate from Taft。 While working as an admissions officer as an adult, she couldn’t help but reflect back on her own time at an independent prep school and feel as though she was selling a lie。Kendra is an incredible writer。 As she detailed her story, there were times that were humorous, times that were completely devastating, and everything in-between。 Kendra shared great insights on how students of color were treated differently, and how the journey to change has been slow-going。 She is vulnerable in sharing examples of racism and microaggressions that she experienced。 I appreciated reading about Kendra’s evolution from student to professional。 Admissions is an introspective memoir about a legacy student who graduated from one of the most elite prep schools。 。。。more

Cat D | _basicbookworm

In this memoir, Kendra James shares her experience attending an elite boarding school, being one of the few students of color。 This memoir was part social critique of the very white-centered world of elite prep schools, part comedy with some of the entertaining antics Kendra and her friend for into。 Kendra’s experiences were fascinating and even horrifying at times - some of the injustices and micro-aggressions she faced were astonishing。 I really enjoyed reading this and thing it would be a gre In this memoir, Kendra James shares her experience attending an elite boarding school, being one of the few students of color。 This memoir was part social critique of the very white-centered world of elite prep schools, part comedy with some of the entertaining antics Kendra and her friend for into。 Kendra’s experiences were fascinating and even horrifying at times - some of the injustices and micro-aggressions she faced were astonishing。 I really enjoyed reading this and thing it would be a great book for everyone to read。Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy。 。。。more

BookBlanketFort

I’m loving Admissions, which comes out on 1/18。 The author, Kendra James writes about being the first Black legacy student at her boarding school。 This memoir talks about the numerous micro- and macro-aggressions of being Black in that homogeneous environment。 At times, this novel is laugh out loud funny。 The author’s descriptions of her nerdy high school self, with her various intense fandoms and matching accessories, delighted me。 It also illustrated how racism can act to obscure markers of id I’m loving Admissions, which comes out on 1/18。 The author, Kendra James writes about being the first Black legacy student at her boarding school。 This memoir talks about the numerous micro- and macro-aggressions of being Black in that homogeneous environment。 At times, this novel is laugh out loud funny。 The author’s descriptions of her nerdy high school self, with her various intense fandoms and matching accessories, delighted me。 It also illustrated how racism can act to obscure markers of identity such as fandom and how that can hurt teens。 Highly, highly recommend this excellent book。 Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Traci Thomas

I liked this book a good deal。 Humor。 Candor。 Retrospection that wasn’t entirely cliched。 Taft (and NE indie boarding schools)sounds exactly like what you’d expect。 James brought the world to life。 My biggest issue was the book was too long and lost it’s way before the end。 Overall very strong and entertaining and easy to read。

Cayla Sparkman

ADMISSIONS: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School by Kendra James is an insightful introspection from the first African-American legacy student to graduate from one of the world’s most elite prep schools。 When I first read the subtitle about this being a boarding school memoir I was excited。 Okay, where are my Zoey 101, Strange Days at Blake Holsey High, and Blood & Water fans who had youthful dreams of attending an elite prep and/or boarding school? I definitely dreamed of moving away from home ADMISSIONS: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School by Kendra James is an insightful introspection from the first African-American legacy student to graduate from one of the world’s most elite prep schools。 When I first read the subtitle about this being a boarding school memoir I was excited。 Okay, where are my Zoey 101, Strange Days at Blake Holsey High, and Blood & Water fans who had youthful dreams of attending an elite prep and/or boarding school? I definitely dreamed of moving away from home in my teens, getting a world-class education, and having my pick at Ivy League Institutions。 But the unfortunate reality is that many of these schools like Choate (shoutout to my Power fans) and Taft weren't built with Black people or any people of color in mind。I really enjoyed the vulnerability, evolution, and raw humor of this book。 This is another memoir that felt like I was reading a YA novel with built-in reflections and lessons that she learned。 The middle was filled with some details and happenings that made the book a little longer than I think it needed to be; otherwise, I enjoyed the moments of nostalgia, blerdism, and high school drama。 Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for this advanced reader’s copy! 。。。more

Jessica - How Jessica Reads

As the graduate of an independent school, Kendra James, an admissions recruiter, began to have mixed feelings about promoting the independent prep school experience to Black and brown kids。 Her reflections on the racism and microaggressions prevalent in her educational experience at The Taft School led her to write Admissions: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School。 (Full review coming soon for Shelf Awareness。)

MookNana

This is fascinating, horrifying, and sad all at once。 I'm glad to have heard the author's experience, but furious at what was allowed to happen and devastated by what it cost her。 The extra burdens placed on the author didn't belong on a teenager, who should have been able to learn and grow as her nerdgirl self without being asked to put up with endless insults and injustices, to say nothing of everyday microaggressions and othering。 I hope telling her story was cathartic and that it reaches peo This is fascinating, horrifying, and sad all at once。 I'm glad to have heard the author's experience, but furious at what was allowed to happen and devastated by what it cost her。 The extra burdens placed on the author didn't belong on a teenager, who should have been able to learn and grow as her nerdgirl self without being asked to put up with endless insults and injustices, to say nothing of everyday microaggressions and othering。 I hope telling her story was cathartic and that it reaches people who need to hear it。Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review! 。。。more