Rating: 
Summary: The key book for our student's college search--a gem.
Review: 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.)
Rating:
Summary: I agree with the author's premise
Review: The author believes that too many people seek a college or university based on it's prestige, i.e., status. As the father of a high school age son, I see too many of my contemporaries living through their children. Pope is right in his premise; students should seek the school which is the best fit regardless of whether it's a "brand name." Pope illustrates, with specific examples, how many schools offer innovative programs which prepare their students to get into graduate school or otherwise do very well after graduation. There is other very useful information on strategies for applying to schools and composing essays. Pope also gives the pros and cons of certain types of schools. For example, did you know that many large state universities have a high attrition rate because they have an obligation to serve their state residents, so these residents are accepted but then are weeded out of the too large classes? This book has a great premise: that Harvard might not be the best fit for your child and that we should look for the school that is right for the particular student. The book also has lots of good information. I recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: ADMISSION, MONEY AND SATISFACTION AT COLLEGE
Review: The two books by Loren Pope changed the way we looked at college for our daughter and led to successful admission with generous financial aide with a school we would have overlooked. As caring parents who spent too many years connected to higher education, (mostly at large schools), these two books redirected the college search towards smaller, nurturing liberal arts colleges that also provide merit based financial aide; no longer did we consider college factories or schools with unjustified high reputations without commensurate attention to teaching. Of the 12(!)College guides we read, the two from Loren Pope were the best and directly changed our daughter's life for the better. These are a must read.
Rating:
Summary: ADMISSION, MONEY AND SATISFACTION AT COLLEGE
Review: The two books by Loren Pope changed the way we looked at college for our daughter and led to successful admission with generous financial aide with a school we would have overlooked. As caring parents who spent too many years connected to higher education, (mostly at large schools), these two books redirected the college search towards smaller, nurturing liberal arts colleges that also provide merit based financial aide; no longer did we consider college factories or schools with unjustified high reputations without commensurate attention to teaching. Of the 12(!)College guides we read, the two from Loren Pope were the best and directly changed our daughter's life for the better. These are a must read.
Rating:
Summary: Parents and students: let Mr. Pope open your eyes
Review: There's another review of this book by "steverthom@aol.com from Dayton, Ohio , December 17, 1998" who says exactly what my feelings are. My son and I used this book as our primary resource in selecting a college for him. He is now a freshman of 3 weeks, and he and I could not be more pleased with the school we found, using the framework Mr. Pope offers for making a decision. We supplemented this book with the 331 Best Colleges and, to a lesser extent, the National Review Guide and the Barrons Compact Guide. Buy the Pope book for your high school junior or senior if you are serious about your child's higher education.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, and informative
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: want more than a great football team? read this.
Review: This book is wonderful. Pope's arguments about why smaller schools might be more desirable than Ivies for many students do not sound like sour grapes rationalization, they are convincing and comforting for those who don't want to go to Harvard. It also includes tips on how to make yourself a competitive applicant and sections for people with particular difficulties. There is a section on schools that are good for students with learning disabilities, for example; I've never come across a book that's written for people who are not looking for tips on how to become the perfect applicant, and probably many people would find this extremely helpful. I read about two of the schools I'm applying to this fall in this book, Haverford and St. John's Colleges. I'm so glad because they both have very distinctive, unusual qualities that I might have skipped over in a massive guide like Fiske's, where you can't read every entry. In Pope's book there are lists of schools in categories, sometimes explaining their differences and similarities; it is an excellent start for anyone, whether they want to go to college for philosophy or to get a good job, for it addresses both.
Rating: 
Summary: Not so great ...
Review: This book was, informative but it was nothing that hasn't been heard before. Just because Mr. Pope is an 'authoritative figure' who does this (looking at colleges) for a living doesn't mean he is right. Also this book is terribly outdated. All the authors references are from the 60s too the late 80s. This is the year 2003 where this year 3 million high school seniors are competing for spots in colleges! It is also a time when tons of international students are comming in making it harder for 'average joe' to get into college. This book is focusing on the wrong things - there is just not enough about other colleges just his expierances with his clients. I was just very disapointed - if you want to read this book go to the library.
Rating:
Summary: This book may turn your college search upside down.
Review: 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!
Rating:
Summary: This book may turn your college search upside down.
Review: 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!
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