College and University Books

This book was recommened to me by a friend and I thank him all the time! Easy to read, this books calmly explains what parents need to do. Suggestions, checklists, humor and sound advice make this book a must for parents to read as soone as think COLLEGE!

Panicked parents no more! Sally Rubenstone eliminates the needless worry and confusion associated with the college admission process. A simple yet sophisticated approach to eliminate the anxiety of securing a spot for your child in college.With a bit of humor sprinkled throughout,"College Adsmissions" was fun to read and allowed me to sleep through the night. Thanks Sally.

This book has the statistics and brief explanations on about 3000 undergraduate programs. It is a very good reference for the hard facts on the programs that one is interested in. The SAT preparation software that comes with the book is not spectacular, but the book itself is worth buying.

"The College Board Handbook" is a great general guide that stands with the best of them. I will recommend this to those who come to me, along with a number of other college reviews, and my pet favorite for kids to learn about character and leadership education and the true value of education to America, "West Point: Character Leadership Education: Thomas Jefferson" by Norman Thomas Remick.

This book has explanations and anecdotes on 150 undergraduate majors; very useful reference book.

I find the College Board Guide to 150 Popular Majors valuable in my work with college bound high school students. The information on each major includes interests and skills a student might possess, which are associated with success in this major. It recommends high school courses, which would be beneficial to a student considering a specific major, lists the college courses commonly required for the major, and careers associated with the degree. Alternative majors in the area are also suggested. We use this resource as a first step in our college selection process.

This book has it all--clarity, brevity and humor. We originally found it in the local library and soon wanted to own it. We especially like the author's little boxed anecdotes of his conversations, experiences with students.

Many students are now going to college and the knowledge they have about college is based on their high school experience. In some instances the knowledge is flawed. This book clearly states the behaviors needed to get in and succeed in college. I have given the book to students preparing for and attending college and they report it was most helpful.

College Matters was founded by a Harvard student who have passed through the admission process and knew how difficult it was to find the right information about admissions to elite colleges. Motivated by the idea of helping other students who are in their admission process to elite colleges, she founded College Matters. College Matters is a non-profit organization composed of students who have been already admitted to elite colleges. These students are there to help you in your own admission process.

The College Matters Guide in Getting into the Elite College of your Dreams is the first book written by members of College Matters. Students from top colleges as Harvard, Brown, MIT, Stanford, Northwestern and Yale share their knowledge about the whole admission process and help you to build a strong application for the most selective colleges. It shows you how to make the most of your high school years by explaining you every part of the application and what matters the most. I was highly impressed about the book accuracy because, I am from Puerto Rico, and there were many things I didn't know about the admission process in United States colleges, but with this book, I could get to know everything I needed and it gave me a clear idea of how to use wisely these last High School years.

The books cover everything from acing the SAT and ACT (updated with information about the New SAT), and choosing the right classes on high school, to making an excellent essay and finding scholarships. Every chapter is written by an expert in the area; take the example of Evelyn Huang, from Stanford, who wrote the Financial Aid chapter, she won more than $110,000 on scholarships.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who will pass through the admission process. I just finished the admission process and, guess what? I got into MIT! Thanks a lot to College Matters because this book really helped me a lot during the process!!!!

This book is absolutely AMAZING! I just got my copy a couple of days ago, and have already read it from cover to cover. Fred Hargadon, former Admission Dean of Swarthmore, Princeton, and Stanford raves about the book in the forward, and rightly so. I've read a lot of the books on the market, but never one that was this thorough. It's packed full of info on everything from the new format SAT to winning scholarships and financial aid to advice just for parents. And the informatin is wonderfully thorgouh--the authors are obviously very knowledgeable and i'm just glad that they decided to share everything they've learned with us.

Plus, i was surprised at what frank and straightforward information that this book contained from admissions deans and experts, in special inserts that supplemented what the authors wrote. I was also impressed that it seems to address a diversity of concerns, without droning on and on. Best of all, it is a great, fun read. Like Dean Hargadon said in the forward, the authors were obviously serious about the work, without taking themselves too seriously. This is a book that even a kid who hates to read can pick up and enjoy and identify with, as it is written by young people.

The motivation behind the book is also amazing. It was written by students from an acclaimed student-run non-profit called College Matters that has helped thousands of students apply to college. All proceeds from the book are benefitting a scholarship fund for underserved students. So i know that not only did i get a great read; the little bit of money i spent on the book all went to a great cause.

Overall, i would say if you are a high school student--or the parent of one--this is a book that you cannot afford not to read. The information contained inside could easily make the difference between getting in and getting rejected from your dream school, or winning or not the money to pay for your education wherever you go (BTW, despite the title, the book talks about applying to a wide variety of colleges, not just so-called elite colleges, so even if your not considering the traditional "elite" colleges, it will still be super useful).

My about-to be 15 year old, only child grand-daughter is very very bright, but her parents have fairly minimal experience at college choice-making, and we all want for her to be able to leave no stone unturned in the continuingly more complex, but sometimes generous options available to the college-bound. I plan to send it to her for her June birthday. Not much glitz or teen appeal, but she has more than a modicum of tolerance for delayed gratification, and loves schools and achievement. I think this book is excellent in its approach, its readableness (neologism ?), and the broadness of its' scope. I have read a library copy and can't wait for her to own one.

I found the book to be very informative. It covers everything from what courses admission officers' like to see on transcripts, to tips on how to save money for college without having it deducted from, if your applying for it, financial aid.

The book doesn't contain anything about specific schools (like admissions, GPAs, etc..), it is more of a overview on things like deciding location, size, and other factors involved in choosing a college.

One thing I found really interesting was that the book gave all sorts of hints,tips, and facts on colleges. It also proved and disproved many myths surrounding college entrance.

Overall, being a highschool sophomore, I found it well worth the price. This book takes you from beginning to end on the ABCs of college and gives steps on how to prepare no matter what age or level you're at. It really helped me, and I would highly reccomend it to anyone who is planning to go to college and doesn't know where to start.

College Planning For Gifted Students by Sandra L. Berger, adjunct instructor to George Mason University, teaching curriculum differentiation and former guru of the Ask ERIC answer desk and USA Today hotline, is a straightforward guide to selecting the right college for one's needs and getting in. Chapters discuss choosing the right college to apply to, weathering the application process, common pitfalls to watch out for, scholarship and financial aid options, and a wealth of appendices covering useful resources. Enthusiastically recommended, especially for anyone with their eye on the most prestigious colleges.

Many books argue that parents and their kids should look beyond the Ivy League. To my knowledge, however, none have focused specifically on gifted kids. The author's extensive background in gifted education enables her to provide a comprehensive guide with a focus on issues that are of particular relevance to gifted high school students. As a volunteer in my daughter's math/science magnet high school, I found the suggestions about gradually exposing gifted students to colleges long before senior year, then winnowing down the list based on in-depth research, to be especially important. If more gifted students followed the advice in this book, they might avoid much of the stress that often accompanies the college application process.

This is a book written in easy to understand terms, that takes away much of the fear-out-of-ignorance associated with mental illness. It has the potential of taking the reader from a state of ignorance to the level of being able to take a first crack at diagnosis.

These doctors do the general public a great service by sharing their thoughts on mental health issues. Columbia University is one of the premier colleges to participate in the revolution going on in the field of psychiatry. This book is recommended for any public or private library.

This is a fantastic book from a master of qualitative research. In addition to the important substance of the book, Rhoads' skillful writing style adds to the value of the content, particluarly in the way he weaves his personal story and relationship to the to subject into the text.

A majority of us have all heard or are familiar with the well-versed cliche, "change is a good thing." Certainly this statement holds merit in varied scenarios such as changing one's wardrobe, profession, household or the like. But, let us extend the parameters beyond the personal, individualistic realm of the person, and bring forth a bird's-eye-view of the macroscopic world which we inhabit-- namely society. Hence, with this in mind, the remaining components of this essay shall limelight the main ingredient which is absent in much of today's materialistic culture-- the ideal, the moral of caring. Step into the time machine, and allow the invention to transport us back to the 1950s, an epoch of jukeboxes, soda machines and rock and roll. The hearts and souls of most Americans at that time was filled with the proud accomplishment of having won the Second World War, and a general sense of patriotism filled the American psyche. Along this vein of thought, the 1950s was also posed as a period where the attribute of caring for another was a top priority, neighbors were well-versed with each others' names, faces and colleagues congregated around an apple pie or background barbecue was not uncommon. Now, contrast that to the world of today. In this scenario, the change does not herald a warm metamorphosis. Now enter into the realm of the 1990s, a society which is filled and brimming with the flipside of the 1950s: hatred, suspicion and isolation of one man from the other. Clearly, a stark contrast exists, and a rallying cry for restoration of a more heedful and conscientious society is put forth via the pen of Professor Robert A. Rhoads, specializing in the Department of Education at Michigan State University. Within the pages of his distinguished novel, "Community Service and Higher Learning," Rhoads (and I personally enjoyed these) commenced each chapter with anecdotal snippets of his youth, in which he described the agony and humility of his tortured youth, as he and his family struggled to make do with their meager subsistence. Despite the overwhelming odd of extreme poverty, Rhoads, through the sheer tenacity of his spirit, rose the socio-economic ladder to success and reflecting upon his tormented childhood years, built the basis for the foundation of his literary piece. Within the pages of his text, Rhoads injects the experiences of other individuals (mainly college students)in the quest for community service and caring, delivering case studies and personal interviews to enhance the reality and scope of these volunteer efforts. In complement, Rhoads also carries to the forefront a varied array of concepts and ideals which he holds true to his re-establishment of an ethic of caring in today's merciless society. Thus, in many aspects, Rhoads strikes a cord of reminiscience toward an ancient Chinese belief, one which has been implemented into me by my mother: the philosophy lies in the lilly plant. As any botanist will defend, a lilly plant begins its life deep in the mud at the bottom of a pond, a solitary seed buried within the dark confines of a rather inhospitable and unfavorable habitat for growth. Despite these harsh conditions, the lilly plant is able to survive, extending its long stem, eventually breaking the sticky layer of mud, and emerging into the dark water. As the plant continues to develop, it eventually breaks the surface of the pond, reaching its broad head into the wide expanse of air, inhaling the freedom it had thirsted for for such a long period of time. Similarly, Professor Rhoads has accomplished a similar goal breaking free from the bonds of poverty which fettered him, and held the determination to succeed against all odds. Thus, his childhood memoirs are a double-edged sword-- painful but which have molded him into the individual he is today-- for like the ancient Phoenix, Professor Rhoads arose from the ashes of his traumatic childhood memoirs and metamorphosed into an individual of great apathetic capability and a genuine core which defines, exemplifies, and places a face to the definitions of excellence, courage and tenacity of spirit and soul.

Why go to college? Is it to put off working? To have a fun time? Are you serious? Do you really understand? Is it --- just the thing to do? Did you know you can learn everything you need to by reading independently? Why don't we just do it like they do in France ---show up the first day, do all the study independently, show up for the exam at the end? The "Complete Book Of Colleges" is great. But, it doesn't answer the above types of questions about what this whole higher education thing is really all about --- what America's founding fathers, especially all-time education guru Thomas Jefferson, said was critical for college to accomplish for both you and America. So, let me give you a free heads up that will help you to understand, make the right decision, and save you from making a life-altering mistake down the road. Before doing anything, I recommend you first read the only book about understanding college --- "West Point", by Norman Thomas Remick. It's a book that explains in simple language , through Thomas Jefferson's founding of West Point (hence, the title), the reasons for having colleges in America. It brought all the questions about higher education into clear focus for me. For the first time, even as a professional, I really understand what it's all about. So will you. The book could have been called, "Life's Most Important Questions, Answered". It's the first book every college seeker, and college advisor, should read. Once you have a correct and intelligent perspective on college, then go through the great 5-star reference, "Complete Book Of Colleges", and find the right college for you.

I remember the uncertainty of the college search... Being the eldest of three children I did not know where to begin my quest for the perfect college. Frustrated by the lackluster quality of my overworked and underpaid guidance counselor, I sought an answer based upon one of the most prestigious and trustworthy names in the world of college reviews. The Princeton Review has quantitatively and qualitatively laid down the facts and fictions of individual colleges and universities throughout the United States of America. This comprehensive and full-scale review of institutions of learning provides even the most uncertain or apprehensive student with vital information to help facilitate the all-important college selection. I highly recommend this invaluable resource for anyone embarking on the first steps to obtaining the goal of higher education.