This Is Not a Personal Statement

By Tracy Badua

Book Overview

Admission meets American Panda in this propulsive, poignant YA contemporary novel about a teen who, after getting rejected from her dream college, forges her own acceptance and commits to living a lie. Perfect for fans of Mary H.K. Choi!

At sixteen, Perla is the youngest graduating senior of the hypercompetitive Monte Verde High. Praised--and not-so-quietly bashed--as "Perfect Perlie Perez," Perla knows all the late nights, social isolation, and crushing stress will be worth it when she gets into the college of her (and her parents') dreams: Delmont University.

Then Perla doesn't get in, and her meticulously planned future shatters. In a panic, she forges her own acceptance letter, and next thing she knows, she's heading to Delmont for real, acceptance or not. Soon, Perla is breaking into dorm rooms, crashing classes, and dodging questions from new friends about her lack of a student ID. Her plan? Gather on-the-ground intel to beef up her application and reapply spring semester before she's caught.

But as her guilty conscience grows and campus security looms large, Perla starts to wonder if her plan will really succeed--and if this dream she's worked for her entire life is something she even wants.

From rising star Tracy Badua comes a gripping, incisive tale of acceptance, self-discovery, and the infinite possibilities that await when we embrace our imperfections.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0063217759
• ISBN13: 9780063217751
• Release Date: January 2023
• Publisher: Quill Tree Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.8" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 13 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 and higher

Customer Reviews

Everyone applying to college should read this book

Perla is a Filipino American 16-year-old high school senior. She is very bright, has skipped two grades and is under crushing academic pressure from her parents and extended family. Her (her family's) dream school is the elite Delmont University. The plan is to study pre-med at Delmont, then attend a top med school resulting in a prestigious medical career. The problem: she doesn't get into Delmont or any other universities having not applied to any "safety schools". She can't bring herself to tell her parents about disappointing news. Perla makes an impulsive decision to present a forged acceptance to Delmont to her parents and plans to camp out on campus, audit classes and meet Delmont students to get the lowdown on what qualities the university is seeking so that she can reapply for spring semester. Perla lies to everyone and, for a while, fits in and survives by snagging an unused dorm room, attending a few classes and getting a job in a coffee shop. The charade can only last so long and reading about Perla's life on campus is like waiting for a volcano to erupt. The tension is harrowing. Perla must confront her assumptions and the lies she has told herself. Although, given the highly digital and computerized nature of the modern college experience, the reader has to suspend disbelief about Perla's ability to survive on campus, This is Not a Personal Statement is an insightful examination of toxic parental expectations, the immigrant experience, and the importance of honesty and finding your own path. The academic culture in Perla's high school is not an exaggeration. School districts like Perla's absolutely exist in the real world. This is a book that all college bound high school students and their parents should read. This is Not a Personal Statement was well-written and plotted. I loved it and just wanted a few more chapters to round out the ending. Thank you to BooksForwardPR and the author for a copy to review.