Customer Reviews

No Sucker Left Behind: Avoiding the Great College Rip-off

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College is supposed to be an investment that guarantees a student's success - but this is no longer true. More than one out of three recent (2004) college graduates have jobs that don't require a college degree. Also, in 2004, more than one million college graduates were unemployed. The result is that the average high-school-only graduate has more money than the average college graduate for about the first 15 years after high school.

Colleges have found sports program success linked to increased enrollment - thus, athletic empires are not built just to appease alumni. Scheer also points out high marketing and salary expenses incurred by supposedly penny-pinching colleges. Revenues are further boosted by lots of extra fees - eg. parking. Savings do occur, however. Many professors don't teach (doing research) and are replaced in classrooms by graduate assistants, groundskeepers etc. are low-paid, and class size sometimes exceed 200. Meanwhile, revenues are further aided by numerous useless "requirements" courses.

"Faculty research" (economist Richard Vedder even suggests that professors are spending less time on both teaching and research work) is the reason given for much of the college cost escalation - news articles about contributing to medical research and NASA trips are favorite public relation tools. Scheer, on the other hand, provides compelling evidence that most "research" is of little/no value. More than 9 out of 10 arts and humanities research articles, half of those in the social sciences, and even 2 out of 10 in the sciences are NOT cited by other researchers within five years after they're published. (Science, 2/9/1991; 1/4/1991) Many other research studies receive such little respect they're never published.

(Actually, "No Sucker Left Behind" considerably overstates the value of most university research because most research, especially in the humanities, is on topics lacking value - eg. the 999th analysis of Shakepear's use of punctuation, education studies purporting to slightly improve pupil performance (that don't), management studies that dwell on trivial impacts vs. outsourcing, etc.)

Graduate quality is also often questionable, and even declining. The U.S. Dept. of Education 2003 "Assessment of Adult Literacy" found less than one-third of college graduates are proficient in basic reading and mathematical skills, and literacy levels have declined significantly among college graduates from 1992-2003 (2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy).

Probably the biggest sales pitch for attending college is the claim that, on average, graduates earn $1 million more in their lifetimes than non-graduates. Scheer deflates that belief as well. Using median incomes (not distorted by very high earners) and adjusting for income taxes and the costs of college, Scheer says $467,000 is more realistic. Of course, college costs are especially risky for the many students who drop out.

More surprisingly, Scheer also points out that a number of graduates in fields like engineering and science have difficulty finding jobs (WSJ, 11/16/2005 - "Behind 'Shortage' of Engineers, Employers Grow More Choosy.") Meanwhile, college graduate earnings are falling - Business Week (1/21/2008) reported that income for graduates aged 25-34 fell 8.5%, after inflation, from 2000-2007. Further, average salaries for business school graduates was relatively flat from 2000-2005, while tuition at top business schools rose 55%.

About half those enrolling in expensive doctoral programs ultimately drop out, and research found no difference in academic abilities between those who drop out vs. those who complete. It's estimated that 40-505 of all doctoral students drop out.

Some good news - Scheer suggests high-school advanced placement classes, and taking free classes at local colleges while in high school are good ways to reduce costs. He also cites research showing that higher-costing colleges are not linked to improved graduate incomes.

I would agree with an earlier comment that this book's title doesn't do its author, the text or readers justice. There is a gimmick undercurrent inherent in the title; however, once readers open the book I think they would be amazed at the breadth and quality of reasearch demonstrated to provide readers with such valuable and practical information.
Even though I feel the author's tone is hawkish, this should not distract the reader from the cost-saving tips and hindsight information that Scheer makes available. Every high school advisor needs this book, and most parents and college candidates should review this material before they get the wool pulled over them.

This is an excellent book that makes you think of college education in a whole new way. There is tremendous value to be obtained by going to college, but the days of investing in a college degree at any cost should be ending. The author shows the true cost of a college education, traps to avoid when deciding where to go, and how to get the most out of college.

Given the amount of money parents are saving and the amount of debt students are going into, I am surprised there aren't more books like this written. I'd recommend this to any parent or student that plans on going to college - you might not agree with everything in it, but the book will get you to open your eyes a bit.

A must read for all high school juniors and seniors.
I wish this book or one like it was available for me when I was a high school junior or senior.
At least, I was smart enough and lucky enough not to have to take out any loans to go to college.
But I wish I had skipped college all together.
And saved myself five years wasted on a piece of useless paper.

I am not pleased with the title of Mr. Scheer's book. I do not feel it reflects the quality and usefulness of this valuable resource. I found the text to be well-written and quite interesting. It opened my eyes to what our colleges and universities are doing to basically rip us off. My son just entered a university and I will use No Sucker Left Behind as a guide to all the methods and schemes employed by our system of higher education to squeeze every last dollar out of us.

I read this book as a 30-something and I still felt that it was pertinent. Colleges have no morality when it comes to reaping profits from our nations most vulnerable citizens. If you know someone that is planning on going to college, they must read this book to know what they are up against. It will assist any student in avoiding the scams that colleges engage in to get more money from them all. We trust colleges, and after this book... I realized that we shouldn't. They are corporations, multi-million dollar corporations, with customers. That is the end of the story. Be an educated consumer, and make sure your child is educated too. And I don't mean a 4 year degree!

A well-researched book which breaks down the costs incurred at college and graduate schools. It helps the unwary get the most for their money while pointing out what is really important to consider when choosing a school. This book is full of facts and commonsense needed by parents and students as they make their way towards college decisions.

Honestly, I wish this book existed even before I enrolled in community college. If college is what he REALLY describes, then where else we get our education. We need college degrees because employers require them. However with rising tuition and company layoffs, one must think if pursuing a college degree is really worth it. Indeed it is but a college degree doesn't guarantee survival. Life skills are more important overall.

Packed with information about the ways universities and colleges suck you into believing higher education is the only way to suceed in life. At the same time, a little light on alternatives to college.

Books such as this should be required reading for every high-school student's parent[s]. It is a sad commentary on how universities and colleges have deviated from educating young people to marketing for the benefit of their every-growing ancillary staffs.
Perhaps a hiatus of two years of working in the Real World while saving for college would be a wiser choice for high school graduates than rushing away from home to "party hardy"
for 4-6 years.
"No Sucker Left Behind" is an excellent perspective on what is gained, and not gained, from a college education.