Getting In (How one ingenious applicant induced a letter of acceptance from America’s most selective university)

(Burt Street) In this spoof of the college admissions process, Tapioca Strangeways — an applicant to the fictitious Riddle University – approaches her application a bit differently than most. “Tapi” turns out a 10-chapter-long admissions essay, sent in installments to admissions officer Dean Dorman. Framed by a series of letters between Tapi and Dorman, the book chronicles Tapi’s road to ultimately Getting In. Thompson is the author of 18 young adult novels, including The Grounding of Group Six.

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The October 2025 cover of PAW, featuring an illustration of a woman dressed like Superman, but the S on her chest is a dollar sign.
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October 2025

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott ’92; President Eisgruber ’83 defends higher ed; Julia Ioffe ’05 explains Russia.