How College Affects Students: A Third Decade of Research (Jossey-Bass Higher & Adult Education) (Paperback)

~ (Author), Patrick T. Terenzini (Author) "When we completed and published our synthesis of nearly 2,600 studies on the impact of college conducted primarily during the 1970s and 1980s (Pascarella &..." (more)
Key Phrases: Cooperative Institutional Research Program, National Study of Student Learning, Baxter Magolda (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“How College Affects Students is the essential reference for anyone trying to answer the question ‘What works?’ In this new volume, the authors synthesize the most recent body of research that refines this question for the diverse range of students and institutions.”--Jacqueline E. King, director, Center for Policy Analysis, American Council on Education

“Pascarella and Terenzini have produced another encyclopedic masterpiece ¾thorough, penetrating, insightful, and rich with implications.  It is the essential resource for anyone with a serious interest in college student development.”—George D. Kuh, chancellor's professor and director, Center for Postsecondary Research, Indiana University

 “In extending their landmark synthesis, Pascarella and Terenzini have reassuringly confirmed their original conclusions about college impact. But they also reveal how much broader and richer this literature has become through the addition of topics that range from diversity, through community colleges, to new theories of human development.  Their work remains definitive.”--Peter Ewell, senior associate, National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS)

 “Essential reading for both scholars and campus leaders.” --John C. Smart, professor of higher education, University of Memphis and editor Research in Higher Education

Product Description

This is the long-awaited second volume of Pascarella and Terenzini's 1991 award-winning review of the research on the impacts of college on students.  The authors review their earlier findings and then synthesize what has been learned since 1990 about college's influences on students’ learning.  The book also discusses the implications of the findings for research, practice, and public policy.  This authoritative and comprehensive analysis of the literature on college-impact is required reading for anyone interested in higher education practice, policy, and promise¾faculty, administrators, researchers, policy analysts, and decision-makers at every level.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 848 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (February 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787910449
• ISBN-13: 978-0787910440
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #24,470 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #27 in	Books > Nonfiction > Education > Education Theory > Administration
  #36 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Education > By Level > College
  #52 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Education > Administration

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible resource for those interested in this type of reseach, February 3, 2009

By	M. Miller (Durham, NC United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is a review and synthesis of literally thousands of studies on how students grow and develop during college. The authors have a gift for integrating multiple findings (even those that conflict with each other) and boiling it down to just the main conclusions and ideas.

That being said, they are summarizing a LOT of information. This is not the type of book that most people would read cover-to-cover in a few sittings. I have used it as a reference, reading the summaries near the back of the book, skimming sections, and then carefully reading only the chapters that pertain most closely to my interests.

The book is quite accessible to readers, but the readability does have a downside. Researchers may be frustrated by the lack of detail and statistical data regarding most of the studies. As thick as this book is, it is a compilation of summaries. However, the comprehensive bilbliography makes it very easy to locate all of the original sources, quickly identifying all major studies on nearly any topic within student development.

Overall, this is a comprehensive overview of a decade of journals, books, and presentations, all packed into one long but reader-friendly volume. Those looking for a brief or applied guide to practice may be frustrated or overwhelmed by the scope, but this book should be required reading for anyone who is at all interested in research on student development.

4.0 out of 5 stars How College Affects Students: A Third Decade of Research (Jossey-Bass Higher & Adult Education), July 20, 2009

By	D. Jackson (Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Book in great condition. Don't remember if I purchased it new, but there were yellow highlights. Very neat and not distracting. I would have highlighted the information, anyway. I refer this site to my students, colleagues, and peer students. Thanks for being available. Texts are far too expensive. The schools need competition. And I work for a university!!

6 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Terrible!, May 7, 2008

By	Bo Sox "book addict" (Des Moines, IA) - See all my reviews

Too heavy on research and not enough answers. Not easy to read and not applicable to real life. Most research is common sense and authors like to use the phrase "research was inconclusive".