Every year, new books are released to address the myriad choices, complications, and challenges inherent in today’s college admissions environment. Most of these works, however, are notably nonfiction. Rarely does a story as dramatic or suspenseful as Girls with Bright Futures break through to become part of the college admissions canon. But after the 2019 Operation Varsity Blues bribery scandal, the admissions process–especially at the most selective schools–no longer seems so innocent.
Girls with Bright Futures is described as an “irreverent and suspenseful novel exploring the privilege and scandal of an elite Seattle community as a group of mothers become embroiled in college admissions mayhem.” First time authors and long-time friends Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman definitely deliver on the promise of a college admissions thriller about “Three women. Three daughters. And a promise that they’ll each get what they deserve.”
I was invited to speak about this fun book at the Brighton Memorial Library by BML’s rockstar YA Librarian Deena Viviani. My goal was to lay out the broad strokes of Girls with Bright Futures without giving away any of the plot twists while more importantly placing the Machiavellian maneuvering for admissions advantages in context for anyone nervous about college exclusivity. Our discussion was dramatically improved by additional insights from consummate college professional Jennie Viggiani, head of the Brighton HS Counseling Department.
How did the presentation and rollicking Q&A that followed go? See for yourself in this hour-long recording! And, if you read Girls with Bright Futures, be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below.
Mike Bergin