Rating: 
Summary: Much better than most college guides, but can be improved
Review: A breath of fresh air among all the colege guides! It stands out in several ways: Firstly, the name of the book is very catchy (in a subtle Harvard-slighting way). Secondly, the whole book is an interesting read becasue the author intermiexed his advices with a series of stories, including his own and his children's college applications and college lives. Thirdly, chapters 13, 14 and 16 are the real treasures of this book. The information is not found in any other guide books.The main messages in this book are three: One, you don't need to go to the Ivy League or the most selective colleges to be successful in life. In fact, lost of successful people come from no-name schools. Two, U.S. News & World Report misleads parents and students, which I couldn't agree more. Three, college selectiion is a process to find a match for you, not to seek prestige or recognition. The list of 100 recommended colleges at the end of the book is also wonderful. A lot of these schools are hidden gems. If this book is so good, why do I only give it 4 stars? Well, it is mainly because there are so few quantitative data quoted in this book to back up the author's claims. If people can be just as successful going to selective vs. non-selective schools, where is the research data to back it up? Why didn't Harvard provide the author a great educational experience? Are there research out there that showed how and why research universities have failed the undergraduates? ... Do I recommend people buying this book? Absolutely! But I think it can also be improved.
Rating: 
Summary: Harvard is not best for everyone
Review: Mathews' biggest points are to find a college that fits, be your self, and you can be, as many others have done, a success without an elite school degree. "A college, like a new suit, has to fit. I don't care if it is number one on the U.S. News & World Report list and has an endowment of $20 billion. If it does not offer the courses and activities that feed your soul, it is no good. If the dorms are awash in alcohol and you only drink tea, if there is no football team and you ache to yell your lungs out on Saturday afternoon, if the economics department is Keynesian and Milton Friedman is your man, go somewhere else."
"Unfortunately, many seventeen-year-olds don't enjoy analyzing their likes and dislikes in such detail. I was like that when I was their age, and the teenagers I know today are the same. They will latch onto two or three things that strike them as pleasing or annoying but not conduct a full audit. And they will let other people set their agenda for them, including the college recruiters and tour guides who want them to choose a particular school."
Earlier this week I was thinking about my early encounters with Bill Veeck, the outspoken White Sox owner and author, who had some unconventional fan-oriented ideas about improving baseball. I started this book with its challenge to conventional wisdom sounding title and its early telling of how the author had started out at Occidental and did not appreciate how good an education he was getting until he transferred to Harvard where his courses "were full of contradictory theories that gave me a headache."
Mathews continued his outspokenness with "Your friends may tell you being admitted to a college with a luminous name will guarantee a life of happiness, but all the available evidence suggests they are wrong. Getting into a brand-name school like Yale, Stanford, or Amherst will not alter your occupational, financial, and romantic future any more than buying that French colonial on Elm Street. As we shall see, the notion that the brand-name schools can guarantee high salaries and satisfying careers for all their graduates is a scam. The success of many graduates of Ivy League schools is a matter of qualities established long before they ever got to college and has little, if anything, to do with what they learned or whom they met at those great universities."
Even if what he says is true about Harvard, his being a Harvard alumnus makes his statements more credible. If he was a state university graduate criticizing Harvard he might be regarded as jealous. While he continues
"While at Harvard I learned that many Ivy Leaguers, including me, assumed that we would one day wield great power. But once out in the real world, I've learned that my faith in the triumph of the elite was not well founded. Elite school graduates are not more immune that anyone else to the widening gap between youthful expectations and adult lives."
Mathews quotes a Harvard professor about the great importance of learning outside classes: "When we asked students to think of a specific, critical incident or moment that had changed them profoundly, four-fifths of them chose a situation or event outside of the classroom."
Mathews openly admits some biases: He prefers larger schools because they offer more surprises although he preferred the education he received at Occidental to that at Harvard. He dislikes the SATs although he does suggest that they might help a student with weaker grades.
Some of Mathews' theories I agree with such as the importance of fit. His theory that colleges are looking for students with a passion.
Some the aspects of college admissions that outrage him are not very well known such as the massive wait lists with very little movement off of them at many elite schools.
A former Harvard professor, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, died this week. He like Mathews had a provocative effect on many as he "never shrank from following evidence wherever it led and speaking his mind when he got there." Some of Mathews' comments about elite schools and the disadvantage of going to elite high schools will enrage many who are deeply invested in those institutions.
Rating:
Summary: Harvard is not best for everyone
Review: Mathews' biggest points are to find a college that fits, be your self, and you can be, as many others have done, a success without an elite school degree. "A college, like a new suit, has to fit. I don't care if it is number one on the U.S. News & World Report list and has an endowment of $20 billion. If it does not offer the courses and activities that feed your soul, it is no good. If the dorms are awash in alcohol and you only drink tea, if there is no football team and you ache to yell your lungs out on Saturday afternoon, if the economics department is Keynesian and Milton Friedman is your man, go somewhere else."
"Unfortunately, many seventeen-year-olds don't enjoy analyzing their likes and dislikes in such detail. I was like that when I was their age, and the teenagers I know today are the same. They will latch onto two or three things that strike them as pleasing or annoying but not conduct a full audit. And they will let other people set their agenda for them, including the college recruiters and tour guides who want them to choose a particular school."
Earlier this week I was thinking about my early encounters with Bill Veeck, the outspoken White Sox owner and author, who had some unconventional fan-oriented ideas about improving baseball. I started this book with its challenge to conventional wisdom sounding title and its early telling of how the author had started out at Occidental and did not appreciate how good an education he was getting until he transferred to Harvard where his courses "were full of contradictory theories that gave me a headache."
Mathews continued his outspokenness with "Your friends may tell you being admitted to a college with a luminous name will guarantee a life of happiness, but all the available evidence suggests they are wrong. Getting into a brand-name school like Yale, Stanford, or Amherst will not alter your occupational, financial, and romantic future any more than buying that French colonial on Elm Street. As we shall see, the notion that the brand-name schools can guarantee high salaries and satisfying careers for all their graduates is a scam. The success of many graduates of Ivy League schools is a matter of qualities established long before they ever got to college and has little, if anything, to do with what they learned or whom they met at those great universities."
Even if what he says is true about Harvard, his being a Harvard alumnus makes his statements more credible. If he was a state university graduate criticizing Harvard he might be regarded as jealous. While he continues
"While at Harvard I learned that many Ivy Leaguers, including me, assumed that we would one day wield great power. But once out in the real world, I've learned that my faith in the triumph of the elite was not well founded. Elite school graduates are not more immune that anyone else to the widening gap between youthful expectations and adult lives."
Mathews quotes a Harvard professor about the great importance of learning outside classes: "When we asked students to think of a specific, critical incident or moment that had changed them profoundly, four-fifths of them chose a situation or event outside of the classroom."
Mathews openly admits some biases: He prefers larger schools because they offer more surprises although he preferred the education he received at Occidental to that at Harvard. He dislikes the SATs although he does suggest that they might help a student with weaker grades.
Some of Mathews' theories I agree with such as the importance of fit. His theory that colleges are looking for students with a passion.
Some the aspects of college admissions that outrage him are not very well known such as the massive wait lists with very little movement off of them at many elite schools.
A former Harvard professor, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, died this week. He like Mathews had a provocative effect on many as he "never shrank from following evidence wherever it led and speaking his mind when he got there." Some of Mathews' comments about elite schools and the disadvantage of going to elite high schools will enrage many who are deeply invested in those institutions.
Rating:
Summary: Find the BEST school; not just the most selective
Review: Selecting a college is one the most important decisions many families make. Mathews both entertains and educates in making that decision a better one and, most importantly, making it one that both parents and students will be happy with. Calmly, clearly, with humor and zest, Mathews provides practical and jargon-free advice on how students can get the best education for them. From �this (the search) should be fun,� to, �remember, you are not stuck with your original choice,� �it�s the student, not the college,� and, �don�t make more of this than necessary� his clear-headed counsel will help everyone. Mathews use of first-hand experiences � his own daughter�s included � make his words that much more relevant and believable. Any student or parent will find themselves profiled here. In one especially valuable section, he corrects a misunderstanding about college costs � they are far lower than most imagine � that has kept too many lower income students from even considering college. Read this book and learn how to get the best education possible. It�s there for everyone, and Mathews show you how to get it.
Rating:
Summary: Find the BEST school; not just the most selective
Review: Selecting a college is one the most important decisions many families make. Mathews both entertains and educates in making that decision a better one and, most importantly, making it one that both parents and students will be happy with. Calmly, clearly, with humor and zest, Mathews provides practical and jargon-free advice on how students can get the best education for them. From 'this (the search) should be fun,' to, 'remember, you are not stuck with your original choice,' 'it's the student, not the college,' and, 'don't make more of this than necessary' his clear-headed counsel will help everyone. Mathews use of first-hand experiences ' his own daughter's included ' make his words that much more relevant and believable. Any student or parent will find themselves profiled here. In one especially valuable section, he corrects a misunderstanding about college costs ' they are far lower than most imagine ' that has kept too many lower income students from even considering college. Read this book and learn how to get the best education possible. It's there for everyone, and Mathews show you how to get it.
Rating:
Summary: Good Additional Resource
Review: The only reason I did not give this book 5 stars is because, as other reviewers have mentioned, it is somewhat superficial. More data would be very helpful, but in all fairness I don't think the author wanted to write a book like the Fisk Guide or the like. I was also somewhat put off by some of the inconsistencies between the theme of the book (elite schools aren't necessarily the best) and the student profiles used by Mr. Mathews -- people who run in crowds that consider Tufts a disappointment? Having to "settle" for Georgetown? Very few of the 100 schools listed at the back of the book as "hidden gems" figure in the actual body of the book. There, the discussion is all about William & Mary v. Harvard, etc. That's a real disconnect and frankly I didn't feel very sympathetic at all to most of the students. Be that as it may, the actual guts of the book and the listed schools make this worth a read. I like the fact that Mr. Mathews has a broader focus than Loren Pope's "Colleges That Change Lives", with an understanding that a large university might actually be the best choice, both academically and financially, for somebody -- a view that Loren Pope doesn't entertain in his book. This is a good resource for the college hunt, but not the only book you'll need. I would also suggest Mr. Loren Pope's books, despite my reservations, and at least on of the data heavy books like Fiske or Peterson's. At some point you'll WANT to have all that data at your fingertips.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best contrarian college guides.
Review: This book could be subtitled "What the Ivy League and elite private high schools do not want you to know." Indeed, the author breaks so many myths about elite secondary and higher education that it is funny. The author has a great sense of humor. His writing style is very lively, and makes this book extremely easy to read. Yet, he conveys very insightful information that you rarely find within other college guides. The author refers to a study by Stacy Dale, who found no difference in earnings between those students who had gone to Ivy league schools and those who had been accepted at those schools but had chosen to go elsewhere. She even found some indications that students who had applied and been rejected by the very selective colleges were doing just as well twenty years later as those who had gotten in. She named this phenomenon "The Steven Spielberg Effect." Indeed, Steven Spielberg was rejected by several of the top university film schools in Southern California. He graduated from a no name school. As they say, the rest is history. Thus, Stacy Dale in her study concludes that it is not the selectivity of the school that one attends, but the character, talent, intelligence, and drive of the student that really matters. The Ivies do not distinguish themselves by "what" they teach, but by "who" they teach. Given that the author is a Harvard graduate, he has instant credibility regarding his insightful criticism of the Ivies. Elite private high schools and magnet schools do not have any advantages vs. other public schools in sending their students to the elite colleges. To the contrary, the author makes a case that they have a handicap. This is because one of the key factors within the Ivy league admission process is class rank. A student with a strong GPA in an average school will stand out, and earn a top class rank. The same student with the same GPA would be lost in a crowd of overachievers at a top private school. His class rank would be much lower, and will prevent him from being accepted at Ivy League schools. Along the same lines, top schools are not comfortable admitting a high number of applicant from any one high school. Thus, it is in your advantage to apply to the schools that your classmates do not apply to. If they all apply to Yale, apply to Princeton instead. This is tough, as it entails fighting the human herd instinct. But, it puts the probability of being accepted very much in your favor. The author warns about marketing tricks colleges use. One of them is the "Search letter" that schools send to students with high PSAT scores. All it means is that a school views you as an attractive applicant who will allow the school to boost its selectivity (reduce its acceptance rate) and increase its average SAT score of the admitted applicants. Don't confuse this marketing gismo with a virtual guaranteed admission. It is not. The majority of search letter recipients are routinely turned down by the schools who sent these letters. Another trick is the Wait list. According to the author, the Wait list is a polite way for the school to tell you that they don't have room for you even though they acknowledge the outstanding caliber of your overall application. The author offers a whole lot more information and guidance for both parents and students on how to survive and thrive through the stressful college admission process. He also gives you a lot of information to maximize the chance of customer satisfaction (that students will like their college choice, and perform well). Among the information provided, he includes a list of 100 schools. Personally, I researched these and ended up selecting 43 as interesting prospects for our daughter. His list is more current and diverse than similar college lists provided by Pope ("40 Colleges That Change Lives").
Rating:
Summary: One of the best contrarian college guides.
Review: This book could be subtitled "What the Ivy League and elite private high schools do not want you to know." Indeed, the author breaks so many myths about elite secondary and higher education that it is funny. The author has a great sense of humor. His writing style is very lively, and makes this book extremely easy to read. Yet, he conveys very insightful information that you rarely find within other college guides. The author refers to a study by Stacy Dale, who found no difference in earnings between those students who had gone to Ivy league schools and those who had been accepted at those schools but had chosen to go elsewhere. She even found some indications that students who had applied and been rejected by the very selective colleges were doing just as well twenty years later as those who had gotten in. She named this phenomenon "The Steven Spielberg Effect." Indeed, Steven Spielberg was rejected by several of the top university film schools in Southern California. He graduated from a no name school. As they say, the rest is history. Thus, Stacy Dale in her study concludes that it is not the selectivity of the school that one attends, but the character, talent, intelligence, and drive of the student that really matters. The Ivies do not distinguish themselves by "what" they teach, but by "who" they teach. Given that the author is a Harvard graduate, he has instant credibility regarding his insightful criticism of the Ivies. Elite private high schools and magnet schools do not have any advantages vs. other public schools in sending their students to the elite colleges. To the contrary, the author makes a case that they have a handicap. This is because one of the key factors within the Ivy league admission process is class rank. A student with a strong GPA in an average school will stand out, and earn a top class rank. The same student with the same GPA would be lost in a crowd of overachievers at a top private school. His class rank would be much lower, and will prevent him from being accepted at Ivy League schools. Along the same lines, top schools are not comfortable admitting a high number of applicant from any one high school. Thus, it is in your advantage to apply to the schools that your classmates do not apply to. If they all apply to Yale, apply to Princeton instead. This is tough, as it entails fighting the human herd instinct. But, it puts the probability of being accepted very much in your favor. The author warns about marketing tricks colleges use. One of them is the "Search letter" that schools send to students with high PSAT scores. All it means is that a school views you as an attractive applicant who will allow the school to boost its selectivity (reduce its acceptance rate) and increase its average SAT score of the admitted applicants. Don't confuse this marketing gismo with a virtual guaranteed admission. It is not. The majority of search letter recipients are routinely turned down by the schools who sent these letters. Another trick is the Wait list. According to the author, the Wait list is a polite way for the school to tell you that they don't have room for you even though they acknowledge the outstanding caliber of your overall application. The author offers a whole lot more information and guidance for both parents and students on how to survive and thrive through the stressful college admission process. He also gives you a lot of information to maximize the chance of customer satisfaction (that students will like their college choice, and perform well). Among the information provided, he includes a list of 100 schools. Personally, I researched these and ended up selecting 43 as interesting prospects for our daughter. His list is more current and diverse than similar college lists provided by Pope ("40 Colleges That Change Lives").
Rating:
Summary: One of the best contrarian college guides.
Review: This book could be subtitled "What the Ivy League and elite private high schools do not want you to know." Indeed, the author breaks so many myths about elite secondary and higher education that it is funny. The author has a great sense of humor. His writing style is very lively, and makes this book extremely easy to read. Yet, he conveys very insightful information that you rarely find within other college guides. The author refers to a study by Stacy Dale, who found no difference in earnings between those students who had gone to Ivy league schools and those who had been accepted at those schools but had chosen to go elsewhere. She even found some indications that students who had applied and been rejected by the very selective colleges were doing just as well twenty years later as those who had gotten in. She named this phenomenon "The Steven Spielberg Effect." Indeed, Steven Spielberg was rejected by several of the top university film schools in Southern California. He graduated from a no name school. As they say, the rest is history. Thus, Stacy Dale in her study concludes that it is not the selectivity of the school that one attends, but the character, talent, intelligence, and drive of the student that really matters. The Ivies do not distinguish themselves by "what" they teach, but by "who" they teach. Given that the author is a Harvard graduate, he has instant credibility regarding his insightful criticism of the Ivies. Elite private high schools and magnet schools do not have any advantages vs. other public schools in sending their students to the elite colleges. To the contrary, the author makes a case that they have a handicap. This is because one of the key factors within the Ivy league admission process is class rank. A student with a strong GPA in an average school will stand out, and earn a top class rank. The same student with the same GPA would be lost in a crowd of overachievers at a top private school. His class rank would be much lower, and will prevent him from being accepted at Ivy League schools. Along the same lines, top schools are not comfortable admitting a high number of applicant from any one high school. Thus, it is in your advantage to apply to the schools that your classmates do not apply to. If they all apply to Yale, apply to Princeton instead. This is tough, as it entails fighting the human herd instinct. But, it puts the probability of being accepted very much in your favor. The author warns about marketing tricks colleges use. One of them is the "Search letter" that schools send to students with high PSAT scores. All it means is that a school views you as an attractive applicant who will allow the school to boost its selectivity (reduce its acceptance rate) and increase its average SAT score of the admitted applicants. Don't confuse this marketing gismo with a virtual guaranteed admission. It is not. The majority of search letter recipients are routinely turned down by the schools who sent these letters. Another trick is the Wait list. According to the author, the Wait list is a polite way for the school to tell you that they don't have room for you even though they acknowledge the outstanding caliber of your overall application. The author offers a whole lot more information and guidance for both parents and students on how to survive and thrive through the stressful college admission process. He also gives you a lot of information to maximize the chance of customer satisfaction (that students will like their college choice, and perform well). Among the information provided, he includes a list of 100 schools. Personally, I researched these and ended up selecting 43 as interesting prospects for our daughter. His list is more current and diverse than similar college lists provided by Pope ("40 Colleges That Change Lives").
Rating:
Summary: required reading for H.S. freshmen's parents!
Review: This book is appropriate in today's world of education, political correctness, and less-than-merit based selections. How good, really, have the "Harvard Schmarvards" become because of all these artificial manipulations of young people? The author is absolutely correct in saying you get out of college what you are willing to put in to it, and, the best colleges are the ones that bring out the best in you. That's also what Bacon and Jefferson said in their writings on education, according to the book by Norman Thomas Remick called "West Point: Character Leadership Education", which I read at the suggestion of other guidance councillors. I am of the opinion that West Point has to be the #1 college in our nation, if not the world, because it matches the intellectual education of the "Harvard Schmarvards", but exceeds them, and all others, in character education and leadership education. And, because it's a national institution, it's free. Whatsmore, everyone has a good chance of getting in. Everyone should at least look in to what West Point is all about. Students and parents can read the Remick book mentioned above, which is recommended-reading by West Point Admissions. West Point has certainly evolved into the best kept secret in education. In short, it's the best fulfillment of Bacon's and Jefferson's whole person concept of education. In the long run, that's what life (America) is all about.
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