Chapter 16

Last seen: December 4. Eight high school seniors, mentioned multiple times, on a train to Yale. They would later hit Princeton, Harvard, Brown, and UPenn, all together. This would be soon followed by a trip to Tufts, Boston University, Colby, Amherst, Bates, Dartmouth, Williams, Vassar, and Bucknell. Interviews would come later. This time, it was all about the viewing the colleges and partying.

Wow, we're going a lot of places ... Emma groaned.

Of course they would only apply to a few. Emma barely knew why they were even going on the trip, they all knew where they wanted to go.

They were all applying to Yale, Princeton, Brown, Tufts, Williams, Amherst, and Dartmouth. Screw the rest. Screw the rest of the Ivies in particular. Sure, all the colleges were wishing they would point their anorexic, perfectly manicured (for the girls) or perfectly toned (for the guys) fingers at the college booklet, or the college itself while they were visiting, and say This one's perfect.

As if the colleges hadn't already spent most of the kids' high school careers sending them pamphlets, reminding their parents how great the college was, etc.

A week, and a ridiculous number of college visits later, they were ready for their interviews.

The only one that really mattered to them was Yale. That was where they all dreamed of going. And they were all applying there early admission. If they didn't get in, they would rely on Princeton, Brown, Tufts, Williams, Amherst, and Dartmouth. If they didn't get it. Which is a ridiculous thought ... why wouldn't they get in. So we'll only recap their Yale interviews. Or just Emma's, because they would all have been similar anyway.

They had stayed in an adorable bed and breakfast in New Haven, and set their alarms for the perfect time. They had all showered the night before, had a nice, healthy, and fulfilling dinner that evening, and hadn't thrown it up out of nervousness, thank god.

She wore her best La Perla bra and underwear, Calvin Klein skirt, Gucci shirt, and perfectly respectable Sigerson Morrison flats. She brushed out her long, silky, luxurious hair. She put on her perfect Stila makeup (not that she needed much, but just to make herself look all the more beautiful). She put on her perfect, not too flashy, but still silver and beautiful Tiffany jewelry. She lightly spritzed herself with Clinique Happy Heart, and gave herself the four-times-over in the full length mirror of the room she shared with Amanda. They had rented four rooms. The rest of them were ready too. The girls all had their interviews first, then the guys, but they would all be going over to Yale together in a town car.

She packed her structured Coach signature bag with lip gloss, cover up, cell phone, Motrin in case she got a migraine and Pepto tablets in case she felt sick (in a little two-section pill container), hair elastic, and slender wallet.

They all met downstairs for breakfast in the bed and breakfast, and she ordered an omelet, and allowed herself to nibble at a muffin from the basket they put in the middle of the table. The girls were eating together, and the guys were eating together. The guys were wolfing down food, and the girls were eating more than they ever had before (probably in their lives, haha), but much slower and much more daintily so as to not make themselves sick.

Emma Graham?

Yes, sir.

Come on in...

Thank you.

I'm Adam Jackson, your interviewer today.

Nice to meet you, she flashed him her best smile, and then took the seat he gestured for her too. She sat gracefully, resting her purse next to her, and crossing her legs daintily.

Now ... he surveyed her application. What are your interests?

She and the gals had had this speech prepared for years.

I'm the Editor-In-Chief of Visions, the literary magazine at my school that comes out once a year. It features poetry, prose, photography, art work, etc. I am also Editor-In-Chief of the school newspaper, the Loyalton...

He nodded, and wrote something down on his notepad.

I am also the president of the Social Planning committee. We plan all the benefits, fund raisers, mixers, etc. that our school hosts. All the money is donated to an organization voted on by the various committees prior to the planning of the event. For example, last month, we held a benefit to raise money for the Harlem Children's Zone, a tutorial program that has a close relationship with my school. Many members of our community are volunteers there, helping to tutor the children in math, reading, and other subjects. It depends on the child. We raised $60,000.

He nodded, and wrote something else down, apparently very impressed.

I volunteer there twice a week, where I tutor two boys in math and reading. I also volunteer at the ASPCA, where I walk dogs twice a week. I have one of my own, so I'm used to being around them, she added. I intern at the Whitney Museum in New York City, where my mother is on the restoring committee. I also work at her boutique on weekends, she's a designer.

He nodded, very impressed again.

I am also the head of Model UN.

He perked up at this. Maybe he was part of the club, or supervises Yale's Model UN, she thought, and milked it.

It is a very big extra curricular at my school, about thirty girls are in it.

He nodded.

It seems to me that you have taken on many great leadership roles in your school.

Yes, sir.

Of course, he didn't know that Amanda was her fellow head of all of these clubs. Liz and Nicky were head of the opinionated magazine, yearbook, Model Congress, other various clubs, and what not. They were all the chairs of the social events thing, all on the same clubs, all volunteered at the Harlem Children's Zone, all walked dogs at ASPCA, and all interned at the Whitney. So don't worry, it's not like Liz and Nicky are left out from the great opportunities or anything.

How on earth can you manage so much work? he seemed to guess that she wasn't the only one.

My best friend, Amanda Peters, is my co-head for most of the clubs.

He nodded, Sounds like you girls have made an empire for yourself out of ... he flipped through the papers on his clipboard, the Patricia Loyalton School for Girls.

Yes sir.

Well, before you scare me because you're so involved, let's move onto the next question ... he joked, and she laughed lightly with him. She knew she was overcommitted, her advisor bothered her about it constantly. But she was determined to get into Yale, as she had told him hundreds of times. But they want to see you hone in on your interests, he would reply. These are my interests ... yeah right.

Why Yale? he asked, looking genuinely interested again. He was probably having the most entertaining interview of the season.

Well, I am very interested in politics, especially in the United Nations, hence being on Model UN. Also, Yale has an excellent prelaw program, and law school, so I think my interests have kind of stemmed out of that.

How would you connect your work on the publications and social functions with these interests?

Well, as Editor-In-Chief of our newspaper, I have managed to give the paper a makeover as they say. It used to be very focused on just school events, assemblies, sports updates, what the girls and faculty did over the summer, etc.