I saw the new film ADMISSION with Tina Fey and Paul Rudd a few weeks ago. While I can’t express my thoughts quite yet on the film, I did recently write my interview with Tina Fey over at Women & Hollywood/Indiewire. Please check it out.
I can’t elaborate much about the film for another week or so, so here is a generic summary:
Tina Fey (“30 Rock” and goddess) and Paul Rudd (“This is 40” and recently “Grace” on Broadway) are paired for the first time on-screen in the new comedy/drama directed by Academy Award nominee Paul Weitz (“About a Boy,” “In Good Company”), about the surprising detours we encounter on the road to happiness. Every spring, high school seniors anxiously await letters of college admission that will affirm and encourage their potential. At Princeton University, admissions officer Portia Nathan (Tina Fey) is a gatekeeper evaluating thousands of applicants. Year in and year out, Portia has lived her life by the book, at work as well as at the home she shares with Princeton professor Mark (Michael Sheen). When Clarence (Wallace Shawn), the Dean of Admissions, announces his impending retirement, the likeliest candidates to succeed him are Portia and her office rival Corinne (Gloria Reuben). For Portia, however, it’s business as usual as she hits the road on her annual recruiting trip. On the road, Portia reconnects with her iconoclastic mother, Susannah (Lily Tomlin). On her visit to New Quest, an alternative high school, she then reconnects with her former classmate, idealistic teacher John Pressman (Paul Rudd) – who has recently surmised that Jeremiah (Nat Wolff), a gifted yet very unconventional New Quest student, might well be the son that Portia secretly gave up for adoption years ago while at school. Jeremiah is about to apply to Princeton. Now Portia must re-evaluate her personal and professional existences, as she finds herself bending the admissions rules for Jeremiah, putting at risk the future she thought she always wanted – and in the process finding her way to a surprising and exhilarating life and romance she never dreamed of having. The film was written by Karen Croner (“One True Thing”) and based on the novel by Jean Hanff Korelitz.
I have THREE pairs of tickets to the premiere screening of ADMISSION on Tuesday, March 5th. You must live in NYC to win and I need to pick a winner quickly by Monday at 12pm EST.
To win a pair of tickets to the screening, tell me your greatest memory about the college admissions process, good or bad.
You can get additional entries by doing one of or more of the following:
- Follow The Culture Mom on Facebook.
- Follow The Culture Mom on Twitter.
- Follow The Culture Mom on Pinterest.
This giveaway will end on Monday, March 4th at noon EST. Winners will be notified via email and will have 24 hours to accept their prize.
I got a degree in theatre, so there was the added bonus stress of auditioning for theatre departments which could potentially reject you even if you gained academic admission. I was attending a high school theatre conference in December of my senior year, well after the recommended Thanksgiving application timeline. I was put on a list after I auditioned for a scholarship (that I didn’t get) to see a recruiter for a school. He said a professor from his school had seen my audition and was so impressed they were offering me a spot in their program and a scholarship. I was a little flabbergasted and asked how long I had to apply to the school. He asked me if I was failing any classes and if I had cracked 1000 on the SATs (back when 1600 was the perfect score). I said I was a solid B student with a respectable 1300 and he literally granted me admission to my college then and there, in a dingy cafeteria in some podunk high school in rural Pennsylvania.
The college admissions process was not nearly as anxiety-producing as realizing that I had forgotten to secure housing to the college I was accepted to and I was due to begin the school year in about two weeks. It makes me want to vomit just thinking about it.
I just followed you on Pinterest. I can’t believe I hadn’t before. Mea culpa.
College seems so, so long ago and yet I will never forget the call from admissions that they hadn’t received my application. Luckily I had listened to my mom and sent it registered mail so I had my “proof.” But still.
And of course I follow you everywhere!
Auditioning to gain admittance to the theatre program at colleges. One place had me re-recite my monologue standing on one leg, holding chairs in either arm. I got admitted though!!
Followed you on Twitter!
Liked you on Facebook!
Followed you on Pinterest too!
Admissions was just a long, stressful process. Nothing specific or special of note. Just lots of essays etc.
Liked you on Facebook!
Followed you on Twitter
Tweeted it!
https://twitter.com/L_Chin/status/308119430565617664
My greatest memory was spending time with my family visiting all the different colleges to get a feel for where we fit in best!
I liked you on facebook!!
Following you on twitter
The winners are:
Earth Mother Just Means I’m dusty, Kyla Ocain and Kelly Marie McKenna!