Customer Reviews

Getting the Best Out of College: A Professor, a Dean, & a Student Tell You How to Maximize Your Experience

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I enjoyed reading this book as well as learning what it had to say. The insights from the writers are helpful as a parent. My son is reading it now and I have given it to two new grad's. Simple, focused, funny and insightful. The obvious insights in the book are great for a parent who wants to share their college wisdom but time or communicatin may be an issue. It is modern with current challenges, dangers, and obstacles that a student might encounter. It also steers a student, new or transfer into areas that are fun and exciting that may lead to future interests. The area on working with the professors is very good and the whole book was terrific.

I was looking for a book to give my sister (she's had a little bit of a rough first year) to help her through college with some practical advice that she would actually read. It's a little tougher than it sounds. I checked out a couple other books and they either read like a textbook or were a little too cheesy. This book avoided both of those and made it sound like a real person was talking the whole way through, plus I liked the idea of having a prof and dean write it too.

Probably the best thing about the book was the way it broke down the major parts of college life and gave some very practical advice to make you more successful in each of them (like getting to know professors and keeping up with them after graduation....). I do wish the book had given more info on studying abroad for a semester but overall it was pretty comprehensive.

All in all, it was a great read, and my sister likes it. I recommend it for any undergrad.

When I read the book, Getting the Best Out of College, I immediately thought of how helpful it would have been for me, as a parent, to read it BEFORE my children went off to college. But that time for me has come and gone.

For upcoming high school graduates and their parents, the book presents a lot of very helpful information on college life - dorms, social encounters, and personal responsibility. One aspect I thought was wonderful was the encouragement to the new college student to look at the support system around him or her and appreciate and acknowledge it, whether it's parents or people who work in the dorms or campus to keep it clean and safe.

Better yet, I think the book is a great first-time read or re-read for a student IN college. The authors encourage students to contact their professors - THEY are people with interesting ideas, knowledge and contacts who are there to educate AND to give assistance with papers, internships, and recommendations for jobs and graduate school.

There is a tremendous amount of information in this book which would benefit college students and parents. Even the last chapter deals with preparing for life after college. The book has become my favorite high school graduation gift this year, plus I have also given it to my rising college senior to read now. I highly recommend Getting the Best Out of College.

As a teacher I am surrounded by students about to make the transition from high school to college. When I heard about this book I went out and got a copy. I read some passages to my husband out of the "Leaving Home, Phoning Home, and the First Trip Back to the Mothership" chapter. We were both laughing hard by the end of it. The true to life vignettes and insightful advice prove to be an engaging mixture throughout the book. Overall the book is informative, thoughtful, and humorous. The trio of authors blends their voices and experiences smoothly. I recommend this book to students and their parents.

This book ought to be required reading for all entering college freshmen. It's humorous, practical, and doesn't waste a word. The breadth of issues is perfectly complemented by just the appropriate depth of coverage. I learned these things as a college counselor and found these authors to be very up to date and tuned in to the reality of college and college students. It can innoculate students against the common errors and prepare them for real adventure. I'm gift wrapping it for my son as he finishes his college applications and requiring it before he finishes high school.

This book is so excellent. I TRULY wish I'd had a book like this when I was going to college. I knew virtually nothing about college when I went, having no older relatives, siblings, etc. to give me advice. Had this book been available, it would have made quite a difference, I think. I did stumble and bumble around initially at college and eventually figure out most things. And, by the grace of God, I met wonderful people and had a super experience there. But with the advice in this book I would have been much less anxious going into college. I would have been able to navigate the clubs and activities better, understand scheduling sooner, and have been more intentional about interactions with professors, just to name a few. I very much enjoyed reading this book--it's humorous as well as informative. I intend to have my son (11th grader) read it next summer, for sure. In fact, it's now THE gift I'll be giving to any high school graduates I know!

Peter Feaver and co-authors have put together a wonderfully well-written, very practical guide that is a "must-read" for all college bound freshmen and their parents. The book provides a great springboard for those tough "going off to college" discussions, and is chock-full of great advice. If followed, this advice would just about guarantee one's success in school. In this book, Feaver is definitely HOT!

This thoughtful book is a great read for a high school senior preparing for college as well as parents and educators trying to shephard them through this rite of passage. It takes us beyond 'getting in' to the importance of going to college well prepared to take advantage of all the experience has to offer.

I bought this book for my cousin who is about to graduate HS.....it is full of helpful ideas and an overall good-go-to for the transition for HS to College. I really wish this book had been around during this time in my life. Thank you for a wonderful, helpful book.

We purchased this book for our son who's in the throws of college and is struggling with the "what do I want to be when I grow up?" syndrome. Before he received it, however, we had to read it ourselves. We found the book to be full of insight, humor and good advice. Though parts of it are not applicable to our son's situation (the addressing of freshman year experiences and issues), we found the majority of the information able to help at any point in the college experience. It seems like it was a good investment and we hope he will gain some useful advice from a source other than his parents!