The Ultimate Guide to America's Best Colleges 2012

Profiling more than 300 colleges, this directory addresses their academics, majors, student life, athletics, student body, distinguished alumni, admissions/financial aid, and postgraduation success. Student quotes from a national survey accompany each description along with an honest appraisal of each college’s strengths and weaknesses. Extensive data for each college is provided, including statistics on the student composition, class sizes, most popular majors, admissions rates, required standardized tests, deadlines, college costs, and financial aid. There is expert advice on how to select the right college, complete the strongest college applications, and win the best financial-aid package from the college, as well as rankings of the 100 Best College Values.

 (6 customer reviews)

As a college counselor in a large urban high school where the majority of students are first generation college bound students, the college selection process can be a challenge. This book provides detailed information on many institutions my students would not have the opportunity to visit, from their point of view! There are so many guidebooks that give facts and figures but do very little to distinguish between the character of various schools. This book resonates with my students because it paints a picture for them as if they were there. As a counselor it serves as a quick reference when I am working with my students to assist them in finding schools that may be a good fit. In particular, sections like "Distinguished Alumni," "Graduate School and Employment Rates" and the "Merit Based Aid" provide nifty talking points I can use when trying to convince a student to explore a school that is new to them. It has become a part of my counseling tool kit.

The layout of this book and the information included, sets it apart from many of the college guides on the market. Students can quickly look at the highlights listed for each college and decide if they want to read more about the school. The detailed description of each school is well written, easy to read and includes information that other books don't have. I love the "You May Not Know" sections because it brings to life some of the history and/or traditions of the schools, creating a more personal connection for the reader. In addition, the information listed in financial aid and scholarships is invaluable because it identifies various scholarships and aid available to families. I will definitely use this book with my college bound students and their families and recommend it to anyone who's looking for a "must have" college book.

Book title: The Ultimate Guide to America's Best Colleges
Authors: Gen and Kelly Tanabe
Publication date: August 1, 2011
Where to purchase in Phoenix: Barnes and Noble, Metro Center

The Ultimate Guide to America's Best Colleges is incredibly detailed, and yet the important information about the college statistics is concise and to the point. Writing in a conversational style, the Tanabes document the best and worst aspects of 300 universities and colleges. Sidebars on the college profile pages give a quick and precise overview about the demographics of the student population, the school's hometown, and the university personnel.

Potential college applicants will find step-by-step information on the process of understanding the features of a school and the questions to ask to narrow down the choices. They will also discover tremendous help in the How-to Guides (picking a college, getting into college, and getting the most financial aid) and the...Read more