<p>Has anyone read Andrew Ferguson's new book, Crazy</a> U: One Dad's Crash Course in Getting His Kid Into College? It sounds like Ferguson reads CC. </p>
<p>Here is the WashPost review of Crazy</a> U.</p>
<p>Yeah, we heard about it.</p>
<p>Related thread:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1093951-cc-dissed-sound-money.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1093951-cc-dissed-sound-money.html</a></p>
<p>There is also the very humorous “Accept My Kid, Please!: A Dad’s Descent Into College Application Hell” by Hank Herman. A very quick and entertaining read!</p>
<p>OMG. The WashPost review was funny but it made me cry in the end. I am going to be a mess when my D goes to college!</p>
<p>I haven’t read the book but I’ve gotten some Google news alerts about it and about Ferguson’s College Confidential mentions. It sounds like he’s claiming that the blind lead the blind on CC.</p>
<p>I, on the other hand, often tell the press (when asked about the credibility of College Confidential) that all reader-generated content creates a buyer-beware situation, but CC is surprisingly accurate. Sure, there is info here that is misleading, confusing, and sometimes downright wrong, but much more of it is right on target … and any astute CC member can usually tell the difference.</p>
<p>Personally, I find the occasional opposing opinions on this site to be very interesting, it promotes healthy discussion and provides differing experiances. There are several issues that I would have never considered without reading posts on CC.</p>
<p>Overall I think that the advice on this site is much better than our students get from their high school guidance counselors. Guidance counselors are really so involved with just filling out paperwork and sending off transcrips that they have very little time to REALLY get to know students. Without knowing students on a personal bases, they have no clue as to what is best for the individual student. They also have little knowlege of specific colleges majors - outside of the school and major that they did.</p>
<p>Most of the advice here is good, and if it’s off-base someone else usually jumps in to correct - at least if you stay in the Parent area. I have learned a ton here and it really helped me when my kids applied to colleges. Both got into colleges that were a great fit for them.</p>
<p>What is pretty much useless, but people keep doing it anyway, is the “Chance Me” threads. Unless you’re sitting in an admissions conference with admissions decision-makers, you cannot predict someone’s odds of being admitted. Anything you CAN tell them, they could easily find out for themselves by simply looking for the stats for the previous year’s admitted students on the college’s website. Most colleges post them.</p>
<p>I have been reading it on my Kindle. Haven’t read any mentions about CC yet though. </p>
<p>I think a quick look at CC can overwhelm anyone. You have to sit back and just absorb for a few weeks before you can sort the wheat from the chaff.</p>
<p>the review sounds so funny. I might go read it.</p>
<p>“Overall I think that the advice on this site is much better than our students get from their high school guidance counselors”</p>
<p>@imagep, Well said. I would add Public high school guidance counselors as my S is in public hs and I see that.</p>
<p>The review of the Ferguson book sounds like my experience with my S2.</p>
<p>We were fortunate that our guidance dept (and GC) was good about helping the kids get INTO college. However, the financial advice on CC is invaluable for helping people PAY for the colleges they get into. I agree with Lafalum that the “chance me” threads are pretty worthless. Yes, there are varying opinions on many topics – and that is precisely what makes CC interesting & invaluable.</p>
<p>I only wish I had been aware of College Confidential when I went through the college search with my daughters! There is a WEALTH of information and advice on here that I would have given my right arm for at the time. The real positive about the author is that he has given the site some really great press. An interviewer on Fox News asked specifically about College Confidential. Every article that I have seen on this book has mentioned the site as well. Not only is Andrew Ferguson promoting his book, he is promoting this site.</p>
<p>Then there’s Dad handing his procrastinator a book on successful college essays and watching the boy vacantly turn it over in his hands. "I thought of the apes coming upon the obelisk in the opening scene of ‘2001: A Space Odyssey,’ " Dad writes. “He did everything but sniff it.”</p>
<p>ROTFL!! I have got to read this book. :)</p>
<p>Here goes, my first post, but this thread inspired me to go get the book on Amazon. I don’t comment on books until I have read them (I read Tiger Mom but didn’t dare post to that thread since it got so heated!). I’ll report back when I have read it.</p>
<p>As a colleague pointed out, the author seems to be startled that not all info posted by members of our CC community is accurate. That’s right up there with other Mr. Obvious statements like,
- Not all advice is good advice.
- Not everything on the Internet is true.
:)</p>
<p>Sounds like an entertaining read, though.</p>
<p>I will weigh to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the book and thought it was very true to life. The criticisms of CC are pretty true in my view, as well as other purportedly much more official and expensive sources of college admissions info. In any case the CC references are a VERY minor part of the book (although he does make a dig at Dean J at the UVa forum)…</p>
<p>Putting in digs on CC in general, I get that. One specific Dean on one specific forum? Okay, now that’s harsh. Obviously it’s his book, but I find it hard to find fault with ANY admissions officer that frequents CC.</p>
<p>disclaimer: I’m a Dean J fan ;)</p>
<p>just ordered Crazy U</p>
<p>Not sure it will be worth the money.</p>
<p>Have not read the book - just the reviews. Sounds mildly amusing. My irritation is that he criticizes CC for having so many opinions/answers per question. Well - that’s absolutely correct. The biggest answer to most college admissions questions is “it depends”. The process and the answers will be different for an “A” student and a “B” student, different for someone who want to stay in-state vs. someone who will wants to be OOS, etc. For him to go through the process one time with one son and jump to the conclusion that he now has all of the “correct” answers is just arrogant. Also somewhat ignorant.</p>
<p>I view CC as a shopping mall. There are some stores I never venture into as I never find anything I like there. There are other stores I frequent regularly. Same idea - some threads are very helpful - others just for people who like to argue. Some posters actually work in a college admissions related field or a financial aid office and really know what they are talking about - others - not so much. I do think CC can be overwhelming at first - but once you figure out which threads and forums meet your needs - I have found it to be most helpful. And I like the wide range of opinions and answers. It makes me think and consider other points of view. It also gives me new ideas that I would never have uncovered otherwise.</p>
<p>So - Crazy U? No - to Andrew Ferguson I simply say - Crazy You.</p>
<p>I just ordered it too!</p>