Looking Beyond the Ivy League: Finding the College That's Right for You
Product Details | Similar Products | Customer Reviews | Author: Loren Pope List Price: £10.25 Availability:  |
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 | Product Details: Paperback 288 pages Release Date: 18 December 2007 Publisher: Penguin Books ISBN: 0143112821 Rating:  Sales Rank: 207100 | | Look for similar books by subject: | | Customers who bought this item also bought:
| | Customer Reviews: Excellent, and informative (24 June 1999)This book is a must have for anyone who is considering application to an Ivy League school. It's witty, informative, and at times, humorous. If you are a senior in high school, than you must read it before you even apply to any school. This book changed my life (21 February 1999)Haven't written reviews here before, but seeing with delight that this book is still around I had to write one. I read this book midway through my junior year of high-school and, struck by the sensible and sound reasoning that informs every argument, I applied to a completely different set of schools than I initially considered. Ultimately I feel I profited invaluably from attending a small liberal-arts college instead of a big brand name: I was going through a lot of troubles, and the individual attention and support I was able to obtain from small departments, small classes, and concerned and caring professors (even outside of my major) allowed me to find my inner strengths and embark on a life path I would not have dreamed of when I first arrived at college. Now how many of my friends who went to big-name research universities can say that? Thanks, Mr. Pope. The key book for our student's college search--a gem. (18 December 1998)My son and I found this book to be sensible without being pedantic, and written in a pleasant, readible style. It was the key resource in his college search. Pope clearly favors small colleges and makes his case well. Because of Pope's recommendations, my son is now loving his experience in a small liberal arts school. We can only thank our lucky stars when we hear his friends tell stories of huge lecture hall classes and almost slum-like high rise dormitories at their big schools. Choose the trendy, big-name schools if you want, but please, not until you've read Pope's insights about small liberal arts schools. (And don't miss the reprinted news article he closes with.)  This book shattered my (erroneous) view of higher education. (04 December 1998)Loren Pope's intelligent writing not only makes the college selection process less daunting, but it forces one to evaluate and question his/her educational values. After years of poor performance and intellectual aloofness at two state mega-universities, I dropped out and took some time to get my bearings. During that period I read _Looking Beyond the Ivy League_ and now consider it to be one of my greatest literary influences. When it was my time to go back and finish college, I had the tools and criteria in place to make a knowledgeable decision. Though Pope never mentions my alma mater in his book and would probably even chide it as a "commuter" school, it nonetheless upholds the values in education that he and I hold so dear. Why only four stars then? Mr. Pope is slightly antagonistic towards computer technology and vocational knowledge - I personally find this unsound as well as elitist. A liberal education is excellence in itself, but it is even better when applied to practical matters and everyday problems. Bottom line: this book provides a better basis for decision than bumper stickers or college football rankings. This book may turn your college search upside down. (02 October 1998)This book, and Loren Pope's other book "40 Colleges That Change Lives," were key factors in college selection for the seventh of our childen to attend college. Without Pope's wisdon she would probably be at a top-name university which is best suited for graduate students, and not the community of learning of a small liberal arts school. What's more, she was offered merit scholarships (not need-based) from 7 of the 8 schools on Pope's list of 40 to which she applied. (The so-called "top" universities give very few merit-based scholarships). She is in her second year at the College of Wooster, and I believe that she is happier and receiving a better college experience than she would have at Duke, where she was also accepted. The only drawbacks are that very few have heard of these excellent small liberal arts schools, and the nearly-universal "conventional wisdom" fails to recognize the important truths that Loren Pope's books explain. When our sixth child was ready to attend college, I suggested one of these schools for her to consider. Neither she nor her friends nor siblings had heard of it. Therefore she would not even consider it. Neither of the two of Pope's books mentioned above had yet been published. This book will give you new insights! | |
