16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best All-Around College Guide, February 19, 2002
This review is from: The Best 331 Colleges, 2002 Edition (Princeton Review: The Best ... Colleges) (Paperback)
As a high school Junior, I've gone through my share of college guides (Fiske, Peterson's, College Handbook, etc) and my final conclusion is that Princeton's 331 Best Colleges is the ONLY general guide you need. Each college gets a full 2 pages in this book, which seems to be just enough. The format is the most comprehensive that I've seen, and the information is the most useful (for both parents and students). It tells you everything you need to know, right down to what the kids do for fun (from drinking, hanging out and doing laundry, skiing and hiking, to political protests), the Admissions information (SAT Ranges, ACT, GPA, things the admissions officers look for), quotes directly from the students about the student body and town/city, a general overview of the feeling of the college, a perspective on the Academic pressure and strengths/weaknesses, Financial Aid Info, and a general profile of the student body and of the social/extra-curricular life. It also shows a list of percentages of the diversity of the students, and "Survey Says" section (for example, it will say: Athletic facilities are great, Great library, Musical organizations are hot, Computer lab needs improving, etc). Other things that I've found to be helpful are the "Most Popular Majors" section, and the list of other colleges applicants to a certain college looked at and preferred/didn't prefer.
Generally, this book does not try to "sell" the schools, as all viewbooks directly from the colleges tend to do. The quotes from the students seem honest, from points of view on how challenging the workload is, to how diverse the student body is, to how much school spirit the kids have. Everything in the book is pretty candid, and I feel like the information is trust-worthy.
Overall, I feel much more informed about the colleges I plan to apply to after reading about them in Princeton's Guide. For another perspective, I'd also recommend "The Insider's Guide to the Colleges," which is written by college students. But overall, The Best 331 College is a good buy for anybody entering or in the middle of the college process, parents and students alike.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Outdated, outdated, outdated!, September 4, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: The Best 331 Colleges, 2002 Edition (Princeton Review: The Best ... Colleges) (Paperback)
I used this guide when I applied to colleges six years ago.
Guess what: the quotes have not changed since then! And now that I have a diploma from one of the colleges profiled in the book, I can see that some of the information (not the opinions, the information) is inaccurate and outdated. The face of a college can change a lot in six years (and who knows if the information was even fresh then?); I would use this as a jumping off point only. I have no idea if the other guides are more frequently updated; seems like a visit is the only way to tell.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing, November 22, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: The Best 331 Colleges, 2002 Edition (Princeton Review: The Best ... Colleges) (Paperback)
This book has so much to offer. It has student reviews about almost everything on the campus from academics to sports. It also gives admission requirements including SAT scores and GPA.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
