When I Dropped Out At 20, My Sister Told Everyone: “She’s The One Who Didn’t Finish.” Twelve Years Later, I’m Yale’s Dean Of Admissions. One Essay Read: “My Family Moved Past My Aunt’s Setback.” The Name? Amanda Chen. My Niece. I Picked Up My Red Pen And…

For a family like mine, that may have been the closest thing to grace we were ever going to get.

One evening a few months after Amanda started at Yale, I got a call from an unknown number just as I was leaving the office. “Dr. Rachel?” a young voice said when I answered. “This is Sarah Martinez. I’m a senior in Arizona. My counselor gave me your book.continue reading …