Choosing the Right College 2010-11: The Whole Truth about America's Top Schools (Paperback)

~ John Zmirak (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Head-and-shoulders above all the other college guides. Among other things, it tells you which colleges have a real curriculum, rather than a cafeteria of courses, as well as the kind of atmosphere each campus has.” —Thomas Sowell, nationally syndicated columnist.

 

“A godsend for anyone who wants to know how to beat the academic establishment and actually get an education.”—National Catholic Register

“This is easily the best of the college guides.” —American Spectator

“Aimed . . . at exposing the political biases of academe, the prevalence of permissive sex and the lack of core curriculums to prospective students and their parents.” —New York Times

Product Description

Using on-campus sources to turn up the best and worst aspects of leading schools across the nation, "Choosing the Right College" is at once an insider's guide to almost 140 leading American colleges and universities and a high-minded mentor on how to obtain a serious education at virtually any institution of higher learning. ISI's editorial team analyzes the quality of curricula, the rigor and vigor of major academic departments, and the intellectual freedom that prevails - or not - on each campus. "Choosing the Right College" reveals which schools have vital intellectual atmospheres, safe campuses, and wholesome living arrangements, and which ones don't. And it names, recommending specific professors from whom to take classes and advising readers on which buildings ought to be avoided entirely - if possible. These features and many others have made "Choosing the Right College" the most trusted guide on the market for prospective college students interested in obtaining a genuine liberal education in a healthy environment. With a new introduction by Walter Williams, this 2010-11 edition has been entirely updated and revised to reflect the current state of play at each institution. This title includes in-depth essays on elite institutions; exclusive reports on campus politics and intellectual diversity; trustworthy advice on which departments, professors, and courses to seek out; and, specific guidance on how to build your own core curriculum at each school. School profiles and special features are now online at website.

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Paperback: 1100 pages Publisher: Intercollegiate Studies Institute; 7th edition (July 1, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 1935191608 ISBN-13: 978-1935191605 Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 2.5 inches Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #15,594 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in these categories: (What's this?) #20 in  Books > Professional & Technical > Education > By Level > College #27 in  Books > Nonfiction > Education > Counseling #28 in  Books > Reference > Education > College Guides

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	92% buy the item featured on this page: Choosing the Right College 2010-11: The Whole Truth about America's Top Schools 4.4 out of 5 stars (8) $18.48
	3% buy Choosing the Right College: 2008-2009: The Whole Truth about America's Top Schools 3.5 out of 5 stars (18) $18.48
	2% buy The Best 371 Colleges, 2010 Edition (College Admissions Guides) 5.0 out of 5 stars (7) $15.63
	2% buy Fiske Guide to Colleges 2010, 26E 3.9 out of 5 stars (13) $15.63

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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews 5 star:  (6) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review 4.4 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 35 of 36 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Nothing else even comes close, July 21, 2009 By  Liberty1000 - See all my reviews This guide is superior to every other college guide in every way. If you just want to know what tuition is, where the good party schools are, or what your total SAT needs to be, then by all means randomly pick up any of the other college guides on the market, they are all the same. Perhaps the most important distinction is that Choosing the Right College doesn't parrot school propaganda (no where will you find official school boilerplate). Instead, the reviews are put together by independent visitors who interview students, professors, and school administrators. Further, each school profile details what academic life and student life is actually like, what academic requirements are (in most cases actually giving class names), what the cultural and political climate is (religious conservative, secular liberal, etc...), and what courses and professors (where applicable) to seek out in order to put together a genuine Core Curriculum. The first reviewer of this book asks, "If you are interested in being forcefed an unreserved conservative criticism of some of the nation's top colleges, then look no further." I don't know if the reviewer in all her years of "college advising" and having "reviewed countless college guidebooks" in fact has children of her own. I however as a parent, do want to know ahead of time if there are co-ed bathrooms, whether LGBT clubs are permitted but ROTC is banned, whether there are "peer contraceptive counselors" (Harvard), and whether or not in four years of school if there are required courses in Western literature and US History. Are these exclusive "conservative" concerns? Ridiculous. Secondly, one CAN count all the college guide books, there are not that many. Together they do not come close to presenting a spectrum of "biases", unless of course you consider beige to be a vibrant hue. They are in fact all essentially the same bland regurgitation of filler you can find for free anywhere online. The editors of Choosing the Right College have done anyone wanting to know more about what a school is really like, regardless of their political persuasion, an invaluable service with this guide. 14 of 14 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars great investment if you are in highschool..., August 31, 2009 By  crazyforbooks "Lee" (Connecticut) - See all my reviews This guide is as comprehensive as they come. Reviews all the top schools in each region of the country (over 100) and gives a concise, objective review of their social and academic settings, including interviews of actual students at each university - so you bypass the school's own propaganda about itself for the real scoop from real students. Handy lists of facts, pro's, and con's follow each review and the schools you're looking for are easy to flip to and get the scoop on. I used an earlier version of this guide for my own college search and found its review of my alma mater - even after 4 years there - to be spot-on. I recommend it now to all the high-school students I mentor - in my own community, in my family, and beyond. There are so many schools out there beyond the usual Ivy league or State school options most highschoolers are given. There is a school for every type and every goal, you just have to know where to look to get the most out of one of the biggest investments of your life - and 4 of the most important years. I'd highly recommend this guide to do just that. Good luck! 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Most helpful college guide of all, September 23, 2009 By  P. Marchetti (Akron, Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    I used the last edition of this book to help my oldest son choose a college, and I found it invaluable. Yes, the author is conservative, but even so the critiques are fairly evenhanded. I looked up some of the colleges I have experienced first hand (Oberlin, Case Western Reserve University, Cornell) and found the descriptions spot on. The guide acknowledged their strengths but didn't pull punches about their weaknesses, either. I wanted to make sure that the college my son ultimately chose would provide a good, balanced education. This book definitely helped.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 4.0 out of 5 stars Just what I was looking for This book was just what I was looking for as we searched for the right college for our daughter. We had seen all the common statistics, GPA, graduating rate, etc. Read more Published 16 days ago by A. Booth 5.0 out of 5 stars Fastflyer What is important is not choosing the "best" college, according to some statistics that conceal the arbitrary choices behind the objective-looking numbers. Read more Published 16 days ago by Fastflyer 5.0 out of 5 stars A Guide that will help me find a college that is consistent with my view of educational importance. My daughter is 14 and will be heading to college in a few years. I've had some grave concerns on whether college would be a good thing for her. Read more Published 20 days ago by kaabee 5.0 out of 5 stars Book Captures the Real Side of Colleges I attended 2 of the Universities reviewed in this book (undergrad and grad school) and the author captured the true essence of the Universities and what students experience.... Read more Published 1 month ago by Will 1.0 out of 5 stars Want Bias? Look no further than this book . . . I've done my fair share of college advising and, as such, have reviewed countless college guidebooks that proport to give "an insider's view" of the nations top schools. Read more Published 4 months ago by Paige McPherson Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 1100 pages
• Publisher: Intercollegiate Studies Institute; 7th edition (July 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935191608
• ISBN-13: 978-1935191605
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 2.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #15,594 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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

  #20 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Education > By Level > College
  #27 in	Books > Nonfiction > Education > Counseling
  #28 in	Books > Reference > Education > College Guides

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nothing else even comes close, July 21, 2009

By	Liberty1000 - See all my reviews

This guide is superior to every other college guide in every way. If you just want to know what tuition is, where the good party schools are, or what your total SAT needs to be, then by all means randomly pick up any of the other college guides on the market, they are all the same.

Perhaps the most important distinction is that Choosing the Right College doesn't parrot school propaganda (no where will you find official school boilerplate). Instead, the reviews are put together by independent visitors who interview students, professors, and school administrators. Further, each school profile details what academic life and student life is actually like, what academic requirements are (in most cases actually giving class names), what the cultural and political climate is (religious conservative, secular liberal, etc...), and what courses and professors (where applicable) to seek out in order to put together a genuine Core Curriculum.

The first reviewer of this book asks, "If you are interested in being forcefed an unreserved conservative criticism of some of the nation's top colleges, then look no further." I don't know if the reviewer in all her years of "college advising" and having "reviewed countless college guidebooks" in fact has children of her own. I however as a parent, do want to know ahead of time if there are co-ed bathrooms, whether LGBT clubs are permitted but ROTC is banned, whether there are "peer contraceptive counselors" (Harvard), and whether or not in four years of school if there are required courses in Western literature and US History. Are these exclusive "conservative" concerns? Ridiculous. Secondly, one CAN count all the college guide books, there are not that many. Together they do not come close to presenting a spectrum of "biases", unless of course you consider beige to be a vibrant hue. They are in fact all essentially the same bland regurgitation of filler you can find for free anywhere online. The editors of Choosing the Right College have done anyone wanting to know more about what a school is really like, regardless of their political persuasion, an invaluable service with this guide.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great investment if you are in highschool..., August 31, 2009

By	crazyforbooks "Lee" (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

This guide is as comprehensive as they come. Reviews all the top schools in each region of the country (over 100) and gives a concise, objective review of their social and academic settings, including interviews of actual students at each university - so you bypass the school's own propaganda about itself for the real scoop from real students. Handy lists of facts, pro's, and con's follow each review and the schools you're looking for are easy to flip to and get the scoop on. I used an earlier version of this guide for my own college search and found its review of my alma mater - even after 4 years there - to be spot-on. I recommend it now to all the high-school students I mentor - in my own community, in my family, and beyond. There are so many schools out there beyond the usual Ivy league or State school options most highschoolers are given. There is a school for every type and every goal, you just have to know where to look to get the most out of one of the biggest investments of your life - and 4 of the most important years. I'd highly recommend this guide to do just that. Good luck!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most helpful college guide of all, September 23, 2009

By	P. Marchetti (Akron, Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I used the last edition of this book to help my oldest son choose a college, and I found it invaluable. Yes, the author is conservative, but even so the critiques are fairly evenhanded. I looked up some of the colleges I have experienced first hand (Oberlin, Case Western Reserve University, Cornell) and found the descriptions spot on. The guide acknowledged their strengths but didn't pull punches about their weaknesses, either. I wanted to make sure that the college my son ultimately chose would provide a good, balanced education. This book definitely helped.