Ire­na Smith is a col­lege admis­sions expert and the author of the award-win­ning mem­oir The Gold­en Tick­et: A Life in Col­lege Admis­sions Essays. Born in Sovi­et Rus­sia and raised in the Unit­ed States, she weaves her expe­ri­ences of migra­tion, gen­er­a­tional expec­ta­tions, moth­er­hood, and mem­o­ry into her writ­ing. Ire­na lives in the San Fran­cis­co Bay Area with her hus­band, a rotat­ing cast of chil­dren, and two cats who are work­ing on resolv­ing their differences.