Unacceptable

“Amidst the challenges posed by getting into competitive colleges, especially in this 2020 admissions cycle, Korn and Levitz’s book provides a telling look at the dark side of competitive college admissions. Only by frankly acknowledging the faults in the system can we begin to change it.”—Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes

“Melissa Korn and Jennifer Levitz narrate their well-researched account as if it were a thriller about the mob . . . a whodunnit in which the central crimes seem less significant than the crumbling social system they reveal – more Gosford Park than The Godfather.”—The Times Literary Supplement

“Through Unacceptable, Korn and Levitz grant us access to [admissions’] seedy underbelly. From the social-climbing antics of Rick Singer, the mastermind behind the cheating scheme, to the velvet-gloved F.B.I. raids of celebrities’ homes, they take us along the roller-coaster ride of Operation Varsity Blues. Piercing the veneer of perfection worn by Hollywood A-listers and corporate elites, Korn and Levitz show how wealthy families bribed their way into colleges like Stanford and the University of Southern California rather than bet on their children’s potential.”—The New York Times Book Review

“The authors’ highly readable exposé goes well beyond the tabloid level. . . A capable examination of the seamy intersection of ambition, money, and higher education.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A ticktock account of last year’s explosive admissions scandal . . . The stories highlighted by Korn and Levitz are read-out-loud appalling . . . more outrageous and more haunting as a book.”—The Washington Post

“I’ve been savoring [Unacceptable] . . . It’s jaunty, it’s readable, and the authors aren’t scared of tabloid argot.”—The Boston Globe

“A fast-paced account of the massive college admissions scam devised by Rick Singer…This indictment of contemporary American culture offers an in-depth look at the families who were willing to break the law and ignore ethical principles to provide higher education for their children…A well-researched and detailed picture of a crime emerging in an American culture corrupted by wealth and celebrity.”—Library Journal

“This may be the tell-all book on which people will rely for details on the case.”—Inside Higher Education

“One book alone can’t change everything. But this is an excellent start.”—LinkedIn

“Gripping.”—Financial Times

“What makes Unacceptable a worthwhile book is not just the voyeuristic insight into the way money-hungry institutions (or their employees) can fleece status-hungry parents, but rather the moral insight into the rottenness of the whole system . . .   For hard examples of how the American class system is becoming more rigid as the wealthy find ever-less salubrious ways to pass on their privilege, Unacceptable is hard to beat.”—Higher Education Strategy Associates