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Rating: 
Summary: Author's response to Reviewer from Fair Oaks,CA
Review: "Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges" is the best selling book in the country for giving the student "a starter list of quality departments at quality colleges". This is the focus of the book. If one is looking for "college descriptions",you go a college book that focuses on college descriptions, not a book that focuses on college majors.
In the 25 years that my book has been available, very few days have gone by that a customer has not told us that the book is "extremely useful." If one reads the four page introduction, one will note that "schools should be added to the student's list by his/her counselor, from the counselor's own knowledge of the student, and knowledge of other colleges that might fit (match) the student. Fred Rugg, Author
Rating: 
Summary: Not Bad, But Not The Best
Review: I do agree that guidance counselors probably do need a copy of this book, and the author was wise to avoid the increasingly discredited practice of re-ranking schools each and every year. It's perfectly reasonable to list colleges in general selectivity categories, which he does, but more and more people are realizing that schools don't change markedly in the period of one year and the annual ranking lists are simply bad journalism.
However, I feel that this book is not as useful as Fiske's Guide To Colleges. Rugg's basically groups under each major a very long list of schools that are purported to be strong in that field. It's not a very stylish book, but it's effective and no-nonsense.
Here's the problem: If you pick any major (say art) and then find a school that is strong in that field (say Vassar) you're probably going to want to know a lot more information about Vassar and the only thing Rugg's will tell you is whether its student population is small, medium or large, and if you search through the back of the book you may find what other majors are strong at Vassar and their average SAT score. That's pretty much it.
Fiske also includes a similar list of majors and schools that excel in each field near the front of the book. Then each college is profiled in depth similar to books such as The Princeton Review Guide to Colleges. (Fiske is also better than Princeton Review for recommending strong departments.)
One thing to note is that Fiske covers about 300 of the most prestigious and best-known colleges which is great but not exhaustive. If the schools you're interested in aren't included in Fiske then Rugg's can probably still help because it lists about a thousand schools. Barron's Profiles of American Colleges also includes over a thousand schools and offers much more information on each school than Rugg's. However, with Barron's I do think you will need to at least browse through Rugg's because Barron's frequently only lists "most popular majors" as opposed to most recommended.
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Summary: Rugg's Recommendations - a valuable resource for 25 years
Review: In March of 2000, I posted a review of "Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges" (then in its 17th edition) on amazon.com. I have continued to buy multiple copies of each edition since then for myself and for the college resource center at my school. Now, five years and five editions later, I want to sing the book's praises again.
In the college counseling profession, we now take "Rugg's" for granted. Reaching for it and expecting it to be there is like turning on the water faucet or flipping on the light switch. We depend on it and if it isn't right at our fingertips, something immediately seems wrong.
Fred Rugg, a former school counselor, is respected by members of his previous profession and is known for his book and for the seminars that he presents for high school counselors across the country. The author does not rank colleges the way that USNews & World Report does, and this is one of the many reasons why counselors have respect for his work. Rugg's approach encourages students to find colleges that will be good fits while avoiding the "more selective the college the better it must be" mind set that drives the magazine rankings.
The book's enduring popularity (22 editions in 25 years) is testimony to its usefulness in the college search process, especially in the list-building phase. The foundation of the book is the lists of colleges grouped by majors and divided into three levels of selectivity. The colleges on each list are "recommended" for each major based on Rugg's conversations with students at the colleges and high school counselors, his own visits to college campuses, and other research.
Rugg, in his characteristically honest and straightforward way, states that his "book is not perfect." No publication in this field is perfect, and no one book or other resource has everything you need to do the college search and application process right. "Rugg's" is one tool in the toolbox; it performs a needed function and performs it well.
"Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges" is a helpful resource that contains good and current information. I am glad that it is widely available for students, parents, and counselors who need good information in the college search and application process.
Rating:
Summary: What Everyone Should Know Before Choosing A College
Review: Most of us know (or think we know)the top schools around the U.S. But if your high school student already has a solid interest in a particular major, this guide will open your eyes to possibilities you never knew existed. Rugg's extensive research finds those smaller regional and private schools which excel in a particular field but do not get the same publicity as the big name universities. If your child is leery of taking on a campus of 40,000 students or doesn't want to be 2,000 miles from home, this guide will help you find outstanding institutions of all sizes and in nearly every part of the country. Our son will be pursuing some area of computer science, and we found many highly-rated schools in this guide which were completely new to us. What is also interesting is to look at the listings for some majors and see what "name brand" schools are missing from the list. Don't assume that just because a particular college or university is of general high quality that it truly excels in the field your child wants to study! Give your college-bound child a REAL choice and eliminate much of the guesswork by using Rugg's.
Rating:
Summary: REAL help for parents and students!
Review: Most of us know (or think we know)the top schools around the U.S. But if your high school student already has a solid interest in a particular major, this guide will open your eyes to possibilities you never knew existed. Rugg's extensive research finds those smaller regional and private schools which excel in a particular field but do not get the same publicity as the big name universities. If your child is leery of taking on a campus of 40,000 students or doesn't want to be 2,000 miles from home, this guide will help you find outstanding institutions of all sizes and in nearly every part of the country. Our son will be pursuing some area of computer science, and we found many highly-rated schools in this guide which were completely new to us. What is also interesting is to look at the listings for some majors and see what "name brand" schools are missing from the list. Don't assume that just because a particular college or university is of general high quality that it truly excels in the field your child wants to study! Give your college-bound child a REAL choice and eliminate much of the guesswork by using Rugg's.
Rating:
Summary: Rugg's Recommendations - a perennial favorite
Review: Rugg's Recommendations On The Colleges is now in its 17th edition. New and updated editions have been published every year since 1988 (every 2 years before that). The book's enduring popularity is testimony to its usefulness in the college search process, especially in the list-building phase. I buy multiple copies every year for my college counseling office and always keep it within reach when working with students. The book is a staple in high school guidance and college advising offices nation-wide. The author is a former counselor and is well-respected by members of his former profession. He is also well-known for the seminars that he presents for counselors around the country. As a former counselor, Rugg knows what information students and parents need and he provides it. The foundation of the book is the 83 lists of colleges grouped by majors and divided into three levels of selectivity. The colleges on each list are "recommended" for each major based on discussions with students at the colleges and counselors across the country, and on Rugg's own research and visits. To the author's credit, he does not rank colleges the way that the national magazine (the one with two names and the ampersand) does. This is also a factor in the respect that counselors have for his work. Also to his credit, he states that the "book is not perfect." No publication in this field is, although a couple of them would like us to believe that they are. The book also includes other helpful hints and information such as a list of the 100 colleges that he hears the most nice things about, colleges that "offer students the best opportunity to maximize their education." It also includes a list of colleges that offer "wellness" dormitories. Rugg's approach encourages students to find colleges that will be good fits while smartly avoiding the "more selective the college the better it must be" approach that fuels the magazine rankings mentioned above. Rugg's Recommendations On The Colleges is a helpful tool that contains good and current information. It has always been available through guidance catalogs and from the author. I am glad to see it becoming widely available.
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Summary: What Everyone Should Know Before Choosing A College
Review: This book has been a perennial leader in college reference books. And, this edition is no different. It gives you all the information about all the colleges. But, how do you make the right choice? Want the answer? As an education counsellor, I'll tell you what I have been telling many others. The answer is UNDERSTANDING, understanding the REAL purpose of college education --- what our founding fathers, especially education pioneer Thomas Jefferson, said was absolutely critical that college education accomplish for both you and our Nation. I recommend, before you do anything, that you first read the only book about understanding higher education --- "West Point", by Norman Thomas Remick. In it, Thomas Jefferson explains in simple language, through his founding of West Point (hence, the title), the reasons for having colleges in America. It's a heads up that will help you make the right decision and save you from making a big, life-altering mistake down the road by bringing everything into clear focus for you. Once you understand and have a clear perspective, then go on and pour over the college reference books, especially the five-star "Rugg's Recommendations On Colleges".
Rating: 
Summary: Worst College Guide Book
Review: This is probably the most useless college guide book I have seen. Students seek a college educational experience that matches them. Their needs cannot be met by simple rankings of size by campus or selectivity by major.
Where are descriptions by the author for each college in this book?
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Summary: Highly recommended by professional admissions consultants!
Review: We are particularly fond of this book because it provides a comprehensive review of universities and colleges based on majors, size, and geographic region. Even if the college applicant has a particular focus with his or her college selection, this book is still likely to open your eyes to possibilities you may have otherwise overlooked. This guide is very useful for its thorough research and inclusion of smaller regional schools that excel in a particular field but do not get the same publicity as the more prestigious national schools.
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