<p>I just checked this book out of the library and while I really want to believe everything Mr. Pope claims, I find that he is very biased regarding the issue of small colleges vs. big universities. I think he overexaggerates the negatives of big and prestigious universities and colleges. If he didn't make make those universities sound so dodgy, I might've believed his "research" better. Because after all, big and prestigious schools can't be THAT bad, can they?</p>
<p>Can anyone tell me if the information provided in this book is fairly accurate and creditable?</p>
<p>Also, is it possible that these small colleges paid him big amounts of money for him to include them in this book?</p>
<p>Colleges that change lives is not for the sort of student that is attracted to and would do well at a large university
He is targeting students who need a more personalized environment and he does a great job at getting schools that aren't familar to all, more recognized.</p>
<p>I really doubt that he recieved any money beyond what the sale of the books brought him and I think to suggest so is ignorant.
Why would a reputable journalist allow himself to be bought?
He has a distingushed career for more than 50 years and the latest edition will be released next summer ( Happy 95th birthday Mr Pope)</p>
<p>I think it would be interesting to read, simply to see what he has to say about each of the lesser-known colleges. You can ignore the anti-university comments and just focus on the reviews, can't you?</p>
<p>The anti-university parts are mostly included in introduction "A Lifetime Guarantee". I'll still read the main content about the colleges but now I am going to think that he is strongly biased when I read, thus making me not taking him as seriously as I would have had I been assured that he is creditable.</p>
<p>And Emeraldkity4, I didn't know that he has a distinguished career for more than 50 years. What does he do?</p>
<p>Ultimately, the book is useful as an introduction to a number of lesser-known LACs, not as a tool to help students decide between universities and LACs. It's quite good at what it does. Most of the people I know who've found the book helpful are those who weren't leaning towards universities anyway (or only as safeties).</p>
<p>Isn't the content (or most of it) available for free on-line? The ctcl.com website seems to have a decent amount of info available on each school. It's kinda like buying the PR guides: Why pay when everything's on the website?</p>
<p>I thought "The Hidden Ivies" was good, but I don't know how schools like Amherst, Vanderbilt, Bowdoin, Wellesley, or any of the others count as "hidden."</p>
<p>Soconfused, If you are very assertive, self motivated, or have earned your way into an honors program at the undergraduate level, then a big university could work out well. There are perks that come with a big university. If you are more quiet, easily intimidated, feel that you could not learn on your own, feel that large lecture halls would not work for you, someone that could fall between the cracks, are reluctant to seek out the professors and teaching assistants, not getting the advantage of that honors program with smaller classes, then maybe you should go to a smaller school. There is a place for everyone.</p>
<p>Loren Pope was education editor at the NY Times for a time- he opened the Collegeplacement bureau to help families find colleges and has often writes articles and has written a few other college books.</p>
<p>this is from the CTCL website
*n Colleges That Change Lives, Mr. Pope seeks to provide college-bound students and their families with an alternative philosophy about college choice by educating them about the specific qualities and characteristics that are necessary for a meaningful, life-changing educational experience. Unlike many other guidebooks that rely on surveys completed by the colleges themselves or are a simple accumulation of public data on colleges and universities, Colleges That Change Lives offers the reader a more in-depth view of these 40 liberal arts colleges and universities, which have met Mr. Popes criteria for selection.</p>
<p>The schools selected for this distinction were, in many cases, neither aware of Mr. Popes stealth campus visits nor of his intention to write the book. The colleges and universities featured in Mr. Popes books do not pay to be included in his book. Conversely, Mr. Pope and Penguin Books do not fund the CTCL events or this Web site.*</p>
<p>We were very happy with his books. I also attended the "tour" when they were in town that represented a majority of the schools ( my D was out of town) I would have never heard of many of these schools-and it gave information about those schools that would have been hard for us to find.</p>
<p>Did your daughter decide to apply to any of the schools? I'm just asking because I often wonder if people read about the smaller colleges, then decide they're too unknown or lacking in certain areas to actually attend.</p>
<p>Oh wow, I've read about 10 college reviews and Mr. Pope constantly attacks the bigger, more prestigious schools. I really want to believe what he is saying, but it is hard because there is this skeptism in me that is saying big universities really can't be that bad like he says they are. </p>
<p>Mr. Pope fails to recognize that in order to make good arguments, one has to mention problems of both sides. I have yet to see him mention any negative aspects of small colleges other than that Denison used to be a racist school (40 years ago). </p>
<p>It is a useful tool that makes aware very unknown unique schools to the more people. It does not cover the negatives of the liberal arts college enough, agreed.</p>
<p>I read it this summer, at least about the colleges near my area, and it had us visit Clark which wasn't on the list. (son liked it enough to put it on) But he also met an intern that was working at a friends office that was a junior there, and that helped too. As stated in other posts, reviews and info books are all tools, but your review is the deciding one. Some people only hear about the top 10 which gets tiring, and there are so many great schools out there. For that alone, I'm grateful for books like Mr. Pope's.</p>