Kim Palacios has not only managed to get admitted to top schools despite her average academic qualifications, but she has also spent years serving on an admissions committee for a top ranked business school. In her book, From Preschool to Grad School: Strategies for Success at Any Level of Competitive Admissions, she shares the secrets she has learned about being admitted to a competitive school.

Ms. Palacios provides an in-depth discussion on the admissions process various types of competitive school admissions: private preschool, private primary school, private secondary school, college, and graduate school. According to the author, the admissions process at these competitive schools is similar. She provides tools that will be useful when applying to any competitive school, regardless of the level.

Topics covered in the book include the admissions market, how to make yourself stand out in the admissions process, how to avoid common pitfalls, why researching schools is essential, and the importance of choosing a school that is a good fit for you. These topics are covered in depth and advice is offered to both prospective students and parents.

While the author provides a lot of the same information that is commonly provided in books about admission to competitive schools, she provides something more: hope for the average student. Her book is a clear contrast to the school admissions books that appear to be written for only top students with extraordinary accomplishments. Ms. Palacios's book provides practical advice for average students as well as top students.

Despite the similarities between admissions to schools at all levels, there are also differences. Therefore, the author spends time discussing information focused on specific academic levels, which could be a drawback for some readers. In most cases, readers would be interested in admission to only one level of school. If the readers are only interested in one type of admissions (such as primary school or college), there will be large sections of the various chapters that will not pertain to them. While these sections can be skipped, offering more books with each one focused on one level of school admission may be preferable to many readers.

Overall, it is a good book for both average students and top students to understand the admission process and to learn how to market themselves to admissions committees. It is a recommended read for all students who plan to apply to a competitive school.


A free review From Preschool to Grad School: Strategies for Success at Any Level of Competitive Admissions was provided by the author.