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.   Gr 9 Up—Anxiety radiates off 16-year-old high school graduate Perla Perez and off the page in Badua's YA debut, when Perez moves onto the campus of an elite college—a school she was not accepted to. The pressure from her perfectionist parents leaves her spiraling as she fakes an acceptance letter and then attempts to survive at a college that didn't choose her. Her planning spreadsheet can only account for so many shoes to drop, and as the semester careens to an end, Perla careens towards a confrontation not only with her parents and friends, but with herself. Full of thoughtful exploration of the pressure of immigrant parents and elitism in college admissions, this book also brings a unique zest to the "college novel" that makes it ideal for teens who have not yet graduated. While the prose sometimes feels stilted, it also reflects how Perla's strict upbringing has impacted her inner dialogue. She is Filipina American. VERDICT Perfect for fans of imperfect protagonists and "can't look away from the car crash"—stories.—Aryssa Damron “Not only is this book endlessly compelling, it is a master class in character.”  - Buzzfeed “I read this book with my heart in my throat, increasingly breathless as I turned the pages.  This Is Not a Personal Statement  is both a poignant coming-of-age and a carefully plotted story of a lie that quickly spirals out of control. Tracy Badua is an author to watch.” - Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author of See You Yesterday and Today Tonight Tomorrow "A compelling read that will speak to the many readers who will understand [Perla's] motivations all too well. An intense and heartfelt romp." - Kirkus Reviews Attentively examining themes of guilt and outside pressures with cultural nuance and plenty of good-humored scheming, Badua cultivates a high-stakes narrative of self-discovery and the dangers in pursuing perfection.  - Publishers Weekly “Full of thoughtful exploration of the pressure of immigrant parents and elitism in college admissions.” - School Library Journal “At turns humorous, painful, and heartfelt, Perla’s story speaks to how we can lose ourselves to parental and communal expectations and how we can find our way back.” - Randy Ribay, award-winning author of Patron Saints of Nothing Tracy Badua  is a Filipino American author of books about young people with sunny hearts in a sometimes stormy world. By day, she is an attorney who works in national policy and programs, and by night, she squeezes in writing, family time, and bites of her secret candy stash. More at tracybadua.com