Customer Reviews

America's Best Colleges for B Students: A College Guide for Students without Straight A's

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I feel that this guide might be misnamed. B students at strong schools where most of the students are college-bound probably could go to "more reputable" schools than the ones listed here. Not that reputation is important in itself, but one thing that's usually true is that a school that is hard to get into will (usually) have students who have better study habits, and your child's peers have a lot more influence over how seriously he or she takes his/her education than pretty much anything. For the most part, I think a B-minus or C student could have more luck with this guide than a solid B student.

However, there is a better guide for the "mid-range" student called Finding The College That's Right For You by John Palladino. (Again, probably most appropriate for students with an average lower than a strong B to C+ or C) It's much, much more thorough than this title and defends its reasons for choosing the colleges it recommends very well. This book (Tamara Orr's) is very spotty when it comes to discussing the individual schools. Some of the entries (such as Auburn's) are informative while others are too short and unhelpful.

I think Orr's book can be useful. For students who are not secure about their chances of getting into college at all, who are scared they'll fail out of college, or who just don't want to go, this book offers some confidence boosting advice in the front section. Also, while this book includes a few schools that are well-established as great choices for students who need nurturing as well as good enough for A students(such as Eckerd, Goucher, Agnes Scott, Guilford), most of the schools are ones that aren't listed in the other guides. Therefore, it can be a supplement to Finding The College That's Right For You or Colleges That Change Lives by Loren Pope.

I'm writing about the newest edition of this book, not the old one that others seemed to have reviewed. I found this book to be very helpful, especially with the feedback from admission officers and students. It gives you the confidence you need to apply to a college even if you aren't a straight-A student, and it gives you insight into what the admission officers really want. Most importantly, you will probably learn a thing or two about a college you might not have heard of before or considered.

I actually think this book should be called A College Guide For "C" Students. For the most part the schools were not put forward in a way that made them look at all appealing. Not nearly as helpful or hopeful as Loren Pope's book, "Colleges That Change Lives"

Very limited comments and list of schools. Did they have to pay to get into this? You mean the rest of the schools are either bad or only accept A students? Come on - I want my money back.

I thought this book was awful. It seemed to be written using a formula, and the author just cut and pasted the facts in for each school. There isn't a great deal of information here, and much of what is here is not reliable. I found lots of typos and mistakes. It was poorly researched and poorly written. Get yourself a copy of Loren Pope's wonderful book "Colleges That Change Lives" instead! There are lots of great options for B students in Mr. Pope's book, and much more useful information.

Is it appropriate that the author writes like a lazy "C" student? After just a few pages, you realize she uses the exact same phrases on EVERY page. Couldn't help but wonder how much work she actually put into actual research. Did she simply gather a few brochures from schools to craft this book? Two stars for having the info in one place, I guess.

If you have a child who is worried about getting into college due to poor grades then this is a good book to start with. It is an easy read written to the student and reads a bit like a pep talk of "You Can Do It!". I especially like how the author poses question after question to really get the student thinking about what type of college will be the best match for them and emphasizes that it is never too late to improve your grades or learn a skill needed to get into college (ie. how to write the essays). I sure wish someone had asked me these questions and told me what to expect as I was making my college choices! I am very glad that the impact of learning disabilities is at least brought up in this book and that supportive services are listed for each school since LDs are often a cause for not being a straight A student. The biggest downside to this book is that it is full of ideas but does not include specific information for implementing many of those ideas. I really wish the chapter on scholarships for B students had been more indepth. I read the latest edition (3rd) and it is a book to start with as you begin your journey to choosing a college.

I am a college counselor, and I was quick to purchase this book, for I anticipated that it would be helpful in helping my 12th graders looking for non traditional approaches to some over looked colleges. It is far from that. When one looks at some locally placed colleges in Illinois, the book refers to DePaul, Loyola Chicago, and Bradley. While there are students with B's on their transcripts attending these schools, these students also scored within a high 20 to mid 20 on their tests, and I am certain that they have 3.o plus gpas.

I guess my major difficulty with the book is that is doesn't deliver what the title promises. It promises information regarding school for "B" students. I don't think it did that well at all.

As far as the information provided, it is accurate, correct and quite comprehensively delivered.

When searching for "the best" college fit, getting information from several sources can be very helpful. This book, "America's Best Colleges for B Students," is an excellent addition for anyone gathering college information. The book offers a huge list of colleges and their individual profiles--a good place to begin in comparing what each of them has to offer. Many young adults do not have enough support or resources making the college search overwhelming. Solid step-by-step advice on finding support and resources are given throughout the first part of the book. The author also gives encouraging words and tips that are particularly helpful and essential to getting the college process started and moving forward. Anyone can look up college information online or get a list of colleges in a book. This book offers much more!

Book satisfied what we were looking for. Extremely satisfied with the EXCELLENT condition considering how very little it cost.