Draws on the insights of deans from leading American institutions to counsel recently accepted college students on how to make the most of the educational experience, sharing coverage of such topics as developing independence, focusing on learning and planning for life after school. Simultaneous.

"Deans at America's top institutions join John Bader to tell you what you need to know to have a rich and rewarding college experience. With wisdom, reassurance, and an insider's perspective, this lively and timely guide will help you develop strategies .. This second edition includes information on managing workloads and faculty relationships, as well as new material focused on first-generation challenges and international students."--From publishser description.

Finally, a college prep book that actually prepares students for college! Almost all first-year college students discover that college courses are more academically challenging than they expected, and certainly harder than classes in high school. Professors expect students not just to absorb material, but to analyze and synthesize it, consider multiple perspectives, evaluate conflicting evidence, and then apply what they’ve learned in new contexts. Thinking Critically in College explains how to do all this and more. Louis E. Newman draws on decades of experience as a professor at Carleton College and Dean of Academic Advising and Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education at Stanford, offering the guidance you need to succeed both in college and in life post-graduation. Unique among college prep books, Thinking Critically in College builds on the latest research in learning, spells out the key critical thinking skills you need, shows you how to tackle actual college assignments, and provides exercises throughout to reinforce the lessons. Written in a personal, engaging style, Thinking Critically in College explains how to do the work your professors will require—exactly the preparation you need, no matter what your academic background. Practical, accessible, comprehensive, and interactive, Thinking Critically in College is the definitive guide, not only for those in college or headed there, but for everyone who needs a refresher on thinking clearly.

2011 Educator's Award. Delta Kappa Gamma Society International2011 Outstanding Publication in Postsecondary Education, American Educational Research Association, Division J Degrees of Inequality reveals the powerful patterns of social inequality in American higher education by analyzing how the social background of students shapes nearly every facet of the college experience. Even as the most prestigious institutions claim to open their doors to students from diverse backgrounds, class disparities remain. Just two miles apart stand two institutions that represent the stark class contrast in American higher education. Yale, an elite Ivy League university, boasts accomplished alumni, including national and world leaders in business and politics. Southern Connecticut State University graduates mostly commuter students seeking credential degrees in fields with good job prospects. Ann L. Mullen interviewed students from both universities and found that their college choices and experiences were strongly linked to social background and gender. Yale students, most having generations of family members with college degrees, are encouraged to approach their college years as an opportunity for intellectual and personal enrichment. Southern students, however, perceive a college degree as a path to a better career, and many work full- or part-time jobs to help fund their education. Moving interviews with 100 students at the two institutions highlight how American higher education reinforces the same inequities it has been aiming to transcend.

This encouraging guide coaches African American and first-generation college students on strategies for maximizing their experiences and success on university campuses. Marked gaps in academic achievements continue to exist between white and black students on college campuses in America. This motivational book, with contributions from academic role models from within the African American community, provides tools to help ethnically diverse students choose the best college, improve their study skills, and cope with academic anxiety. From college selection to graduation, this practical resource provides firsthand accounts of successful college experiences and the strategies used by former students to obtain their degrees. This work is divided into four parts. After an introductory section that addresses how to find the right college for aspiring students, the second part discusses the culture of an academic environment and reveals what incoming students may discover on a new campus. The third section introduces the language and lingo used in college settings. Finally, the guide concludes with conversations with successful African Americans who have achieved their undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees. The content also features a helpful college and university directory.