The select : realities of life and learning in America's elite colleges : based on a groundbreaking survey of more than 4,000 undergradutes / Howard R. Greene.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Greene, Howard, 1937-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

College students--United States.

College students.

Universities and colleges--Social aspects.

Universities and colleges.

United States.

Universities and colleges--Social aspects--United States.

Elite (Social sciences)--United States.

Elite (Social sciences).

Physical Description:

xxvii, 286 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Cliff Street Books, [1998]

Summary:

Based on the results of a groundbreaking survey of more than 4,000 students at twenty of the top universities in the country conducted by Howard Greene, America's preeminent college placement adviser and international spokesman, "The Select" describes the quality of education and daily life at these elite schools, and explores the dramatic changes in undergraduate life.

More than 200,000 students apply each year to the twenty universities and only 24% are offered admission. Competition for America's best universities is rising dramatically. By the year 2002, school enrollment will surpass the peak level reached in 1971, the summit of the post-World War 11 baby boom, and the number of high school graduates will increase 17% to more than 3 million. The demand for these elite schools is only intensifying.

Combined with such factors as a flooded job market, increased technological competency, and the rising costs of a college degree, the choice made by students and their parents is based increasingly on name recognition and prestige to position graduates well for post-college life. There is clearly a gap between how Americans perceive elite colleges and how they really are.

Howard Greene breaks through the "Halo Effect" to get to the truth about what life is really like at these schools. Using advanced polling techniques, extensive focus groups, and one-on-one in-depth interviews with students, Greene explores crucial, yet often ignored, issues--the academic life, the price of a prestigious education, dating and social life, safety on campus, alcohol, drugs and eating disorders, political activism and correctness, and diversity and racism.

Too often, students rely on prestige asthe key reason for applying to a college. "The Select" looks beyond the name to the day-to-day life at each of these schools, to give a real sense of the environment facing students in their undergraduate years. "The Select" is an essential book for any family seeking admission to the most prestigious schools in the country.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [285]-286).

ISBN:

0060178159

OCLC:

38898140