Tried just a bit too hard to be a tongue-in-cheek expose of the absurdity of the college admissions process. Although the process has its absurd moments, the book just didn't have the spark of prose I have come to expect from journalist-writers discussing their life experiences - Mr. Ferguson is not a Jim Squires or Dave Barry when it comes to prose.

As for substance, I found it tended to the snark rather than the incisive, the stereotype rather than the innovative approach. A well-intentioned effort but it sort of missed the mark on the college admissions process and a bit on the applicants. I know many motivated, caring, eager young people who are desperately trying to get into a great college, so perhaps Mr. Ferguson's sample of one (his son) limited the perspective.

Let's call it B for effort, C for execution?