Customer Reviews

Greenes' Guides to Educational Planning: Inside the Top Colleges: Realities of Life and Learning in America's Elite Colleges

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This is the third college guide written by the Greenes I have read. So far, they have all been excellent. This book is an in depth analytical study extracted from a survey of over 3,000 students who attended twenty elite schools (8 Ivies, 9 private universities, and 3 top public universities). As usual, the Greenes writing is impecable and very lively, including numerous direct fascinating quotes from students. This makes digesting this occasionally dry material a lot more fun than expected.

This book is a reality check. Apparently, the character of these schools has really changed over the past several decades. Gone is the collegiate country club atmosphere some of these campuses may have had. Instead, the atmosphere is now described as intense, competitive, and cutthroat by 90% of the students in the survey. Also, 84% of the students indicated that the academic workload was their overriding concern. The grade pressure is intense and made doubly so given the exceptional student body. How can you possibly excel among straight As valedictorians with many of the classes graded on a curve?

The Greenes mention that going to such academically competitive schools may be a questionable choice to maximize your chance to go to top graduate schools. Regarding two Med school candidates with equivalent academic caliber, one has a 2.9 GPA from Yale the other a 3.6 GPA from State U. Who wins? The higher GPA candidate will win out. Additionally, the Greenes remove the illusion that if you go to Harvard undergrad you have a better shot at a Harvard graduate school. You don't. The top graduate schools recruiting throws a nationwide net looking for the best talent (the higher GPAs among other parameters).

The Greenes' survey removes any illusion that these top colleges represent ideal communities. They do not. Their academic pressure-cooking atmosphere results in numerous psychological and social ailments. The amount of drug usage, alcohol consumption, including frequent binge drinking is rampant. Binge drinking is practiced on a regular basis by 80% of the fraternity and sorority houses. For non-Greek members binge drinking practitioners still represent 45% of men and 36% of women. These behaviors result in occurrence of depression, date rape, sexual abuse, and other safety issues. In this regard, women are more vulnerable for obvious reasons. Within the survey, 50% of women indicated they were concerned about their safety on a daily basis.

Another result of the academic pressure and grade competition is the surprisingly high level of cheating. Within the survey, 29% of the students indicated that academic cheating had a direct effect on their class position or grades.

The survey feedback regarding academics was mixed. For instance, Harvard's faculty was criticized for being removed and not good teachers. Is this really the best college in the nation? On the other hand Princeton, Yale, Columbia received high praise for their faculty. Feedback regarding college social life was often more mediocre. As you can imagine extremely high IQ has no positive correlation with EQ. In other words, don't necessarily expect a healthy, balanced, and fun social life from these schools.

But the myth lives on. By many other standards, these schools remain the most successful ones in the nation. They achieve staggeringly high graduation rates ranging from 90% to 97% compared to only 40% for the nationwide average and about 70% for any pretty descent school. Also, 83% of the students indicated they would make the same school choice again if they relived their recent past. This is most probably far higher a percentage than for lesser schools. And, this is despite the high stress, the concern about academic workload, and often the criticism in the quality of the teaching delivered by the faculty. Is this masochism?

The Greenes indicate what it takes to remain sane in such a stressful environment. This entails being self-motivated, with a strong psyche, a creative spirit, a tolerance for ambiguity and uncertainty, and a sense of humor to let you take on adversity in stride.

The Greenes recommend an excellent method in selecting a college. First know thyself. Be aware of what academic, and geographical environment you will thrive in. What is your preferred classroom learning environment? How intellectually driven are you really? What are your relevant fears and weaknesses regarding your adaptative skills to the campus life? Only by asking yourself these tough questions, will you know what kind of school represents a good match. Next, look at your achievements (GPA/SATs) and within the pool of schools that represent a good match, you look at the best fit by investigating the schools in details. The Greenes have a three page list of investigative questions to ask administrators of prospective schools including issues on campus safety, campus social atmosphere, quality of campus living, alcohol and drug policy, availability of substance free dorms, crime record. This college selection is a sane alternative to the brand name obsession we have with the top schools.

I have studied higher education for 20 years and my greatest frustration has been the public's unwillingness to look beyond the designer label when choosing a college. Prestigious universities get and maintain their reputations DESPITE their typically offering extremely poor undergraduate education. Not only are classes often large and poorly taught, many students find themselves stressed into fearful quiescence in classes and into depression or eating disorders outside of class (with the colleges doing little to prevent it. And for the privilege, the four-year actual total cost of attending such institutions is nearly $150,000, with only modest cash financial aid available to the middle class. Finally, there's a book which, with painstaking documentation, tells some of the tale. I would only add that even the vaunted career-boosting of an Ivy diploma is seriously overrated. Because these institutions attract the nation's best and brightest students (They really can't be that bright if they're willing to pay so much for so little) they would get great jobs no matter where they went to college. Indeed, at less selective students, these Ivy-caliber students would stand out, thereby getting to hold leadership positions on campus, receive superlative letters of recommendation from professors and administrators, and insider leads on jobs--none of which is as likely at an Ivy institution, filled with student superstars. This book is a MUST read for anyone considering attending or sending their child to a "prestigious" college. The truly wise choice is to send your Ivy-caliber child to a public institution that has a substantive honors program. Some of the small publics may be particularly wise choices: Mary Washington, Evergreen State, St. Mary's College of Maryland.

This book holds no punches. It tells it like it is - from the students - on areas such as social life, drinking on campus, safety issues, various academic pros and cons, skill of profs, morale, racism, etc. Shows good differences between schools we think of as "the same" - eg, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth. I like the charts too - they helped me find the information I wanted quickly and clearly. Strong recommendation.

Very complete research on many aspects of life in "Select" colleges. Certainly a good book to read if you have a child, or are a student interested in the highly competitive colleges.

Howard Greene, the most esteemed of all educational consulants, writes of the social, academic, and campus experience of college students. This book is a clear must for anyone interested in what really goes on inside of well known colleges and universities throughout the country. Honest and interesting, Greene has sucessfully accomplished another outstanding book! I can't wait to see what he will publish next! Perhaps a piece co-written with his daughter, a college freshman?