College and University Books

Hey! My grandpappy wrote that book!

BUY IT!

Joel Cabourne-Jones

Noteworthy treatment of an arcane topic. A premier source for this topic. The author, David Strohm, obviously knows his material.

This is a great book with a lot of background. So many great "Alisms!"

I picked up a few of these guides before choosing a school, and I'm definitely glad I did. Every section contains stats and data, which is cool, but the student quotes are the real highlight because that's information you just can't get anywhere else (and they can be pretty funny too). I mean, you're not going to find out about the quality of the dorm rooms or the cafeteria food by going on the school's website, I'll tell you that much.

This is plenty of story about a team that is larger than life.

Although it is out-of-print, "Alma Mater: Unusual Stories and Little-Known Facts from America's College Campuses" by Don M. Betterton is an interesting, fact-filled book about interesting, and little known facts about America's many colleges and universities. Being the country with the greatest number of higher-learning institutions in the world, the United States possesses a variety of schools that have been able to stand apart from one another due to their locations and/or school traditions.

This book, which was published by Peterson's Guides, the same company that publishes the thick college guides many high school students use during their search for the right school, is interesting because it discusses the little-known facts that you definitely won't find in an admissions brochure. From most preppiest schools, to the origin of many schools' names, this book will fascinate alums all over the country and world. I discovered that my alma mater was voted one of the five most preppiest in the United States (I wasn't shocked). I also read where many famous celebrities attended school, what they studied and who were Rhodes scholars (actor/singer Kris Kristofferson was a Rhodes scholar while studying at Pomona College during the 1950's).

If you are a person who loves interesting facts, then this book if the right choice for you. You will be surprised what you'll find about many schools in this book.

Alone Among Friends is the first full-scale biography of W. Robert Parks, the eleventh and longest-serving president of Iowa State University. The life of Parks and the evolution of his university are intimately intertwined compelling this biography to serve as a history of the nation's first land-grand university as well. Alone Among Friends shows how a people's college, under Parks' stewardship, went on to become one of the nation's great institutions of higher learning a the peer of even the more prestigious European university systems. Alone Among Friends is a detailed, candid, occasionally humorous, exceptionally well presented and highly recommended biography of the man who, more than any other, is inextricably linked to Iowa State University.

Why go to college? To put off working? Have fun? It's the thing to do? If you're serious about college, "America's Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report is a great reference. But, it doesn't answer the above types of questions. It doesn't clue you in on understanding the REAL purpose of higher education --- what America's founding fathers, especially all-time education genius Thomas Jefferson, said was absolutely critical for colleges to accomplish for both you and our Country. So, as an education counsellor in the know, I'll give you a free heads up that I've been giving others that will help you to make the right decision and save you from making a big, life-changing mistake down the road. I recommend the first thing you do is read the only book about understanding higher education, "West Point" by Norman Thomas Remick, in which Thomas Jefferson, through his founding of West Point (hence, the title), brings into clear focus the critical goals for you and America of higher education --- and does so in simple language. Once you understand, you'll look at college in a whole different way, and be prepared to make the right decision. Then you'll be ready to pour over the reference books, like this excellent one, "America's Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report.

Especially if you have more than one kid to send to school, this book is a must. Lists all the schools you can afford by State.

Excellent book if your area of research relates to the study of higher education faculty and their professional activities. Also look for a book from 1995 by Blackburn (Faculty at Work) that gives something similar from a decade ago.