Synopses & Reviews
From the astute editors of the
Washington Monthly, a highly awaited expansion of their widely circulated Annual College Guidea book akin to the bestselling
U.S. News and World Reports annual Best Colleges” guidebook, but flipped on its head. Rather than a resource organized around the concerns of the most affluent and academically competitive ten percent of students,
The Other College Guide is devoted to the needs and interests of the 90 percent. It poses different questions about the value of colleges based on factors including their ability to spur social mobility, offer research opportunities, and their commitment to service.
The guide includes the magazines signature ranking of the nations best bang for the buck” colleges; short school profiles written with the perspectives of low- and middle-income families in mind; the best college experiences for black, Latino, and other students of color; and chapters on how to chart a career path in public service and the nonprofit sector. It highlights critical information for first-generation students, and their parents, on applying to and paying for college, practical and cautionary advice on online education options, and pitfalls to avoid in that crucial first year after high school.
The Other College Guide will provide the great majority of American studentsand their families and guidance counselorswith the honest, clear, and practical information they need to transform the college process into one that makes sense and leads to the future they dream of.
Review
"A welcome and engaging alternative to typical college guides . . . a refreshingly down-to-earth approach to deciding what matters when choosing a college."
Diana Natalicio, president, University of Texas at El Paso
"Amazing and essential. Ive been waiting my entire career for a guide that empowers and supports all students and families."
Joshua Steckel, college counselor and co-author of Hold Fast to Dreams
"The Other College Guide is all about students, not school recognition and reputation . . . a wonderful and crucial resource."
Anthony Lising Antonio, associate director, Stanford Institute for Higher Education Research
Synopsis
A college degree has never been more importantor more expensive. If you're not made of money, where can you get an amazing liberal arts education without your parents having to remortgage the house or cash in their retirement fund? Which degrees will allow you to fulfill your dreams and earn a decent paycheck? What do you really need to know if you're the first in your family to go to college? How do you find good schools that offer a well-rounded campus life for black or Latino students?
From the staff of Washington Monthly comes a new kind of college guide, inspired by and including the magazine's signature alternative college rankings. The Other College Guide features smartly designed, engaging chapters on finding the best-fit schools and the real deal about money, loans, and preparing for the world of work. This essential higher ed handbook also highlights information on what to look for (and watch out for) in online programs and for-profit colleges and concludes with fifty profiles of remarkable but frequently overlooked schools. All things being unequal, The Other College Guide will provide American studentsand their families and school counselorswith the honest and practical information they need to make sense of the college process and carve a path to the future they imagine.