Is College Worth It?: A Former United States Secretary of Education and a Liberal Arts Graduate Expose the Broken Promise of Higher Education - eBook

I believe in the power of prayer and healing from our Lord. He never lets me down and I want others to know this too. His is the hand that is always there. This book helps you find God's healing in all things. I've given it to many others in need.

I was glad that the authors were so straightforward and honest! Let's face it, college isn't for everyone. Our country has strayed so far from what college once was - a track for those who were interested in things like medicine, law, etc. Nowadays, everyone is pretty much forced into college, whether they are gifted in an area or not. So many people end up in college longer than 4 years because they change their majors at least once (if not several times). College costs are so high that many kids are finishing up with such large debts that they have bills to pay for many, many years. Then, they can't get jobs in their field, so they end up having to work in entry-level positions, making low wages. They're stuck living at home with their parents because they aren't making enough to support themselves and pay off their debts.

While I pretty much knew all of this, it was very interesting to read the statistics and actually see it laid out in print.

I feel so much better about the decisions that we have made as a family, so far, and about the decisions that will be made in the future. This book has enlightened me in many ways. I am very thankful to the authors for stepping out and writing this book. I think every parent should read this book and familiarize themselves with the facts. Be prepared!

The idea of going to college is so deeply enmeshed into the American dream, it would seem silly to ask if college is worth the overall investment.

But things have changed, and it has become an important question to ask.

Former Secretary of Education, William Bennett, and co-writer David Wilezol ask, and attempt to answer, this question in their new book, "Is College Worth It?" (published by Thomas Nelson).

The answer is maybe ... and maybe not. It depends on a variety of factors, and the authors do a compelling job of presenting their readers with a myriad of facts to educate them that going to college isn't the simple decision it used to be.

Some of the issues people need to consider before sending their kids off to college, or returning to the classroom themselves, include the staggering cost and enormous debt a college education today often creates. Many students are finding themselves with a degree that cost them the equivalent of a mortgage, but doesn't come with the same old "guarantee" that they'll get a good job if they just graduate college. Many aren't getting those good jobs when they do get the degrees, and many others aren't getting the degrees because they can't stay in long enough to graduate.

Others aren't graduating because a failed K-12 education system did not adequately prepare them to go to college, and find themselves unequipped for higher education. Others are dropping out because they are discovering the quality of higher education has plummeted dramatically.

Still others are finding themselves holding a degree without having learned much because they bought into the party attitude prevalent on many campuses. Many young people find their lives spiraling downward into binge drinking and sexual promiscuity as they explore their new freedom away from parents.

Others are hesitant to go to college because many professors preach (not just teach) a politically liberal ideology which they expect their students to accept.

There are also many who fail at college because they should have never gone in the first place. They are not students and do not thrive in an academic setting. Other opportunities such as trade schools, internships, apprenticeships, or possibly

online education or community college would be more beneficial for them.

There's much more to the question of whether college is "worth it," and the writers do a concise job of laying out all the different factors of considering whether going to college today is still a good idea.

If you thought you would send your kids to college, or have been considering going back yourself, then "Is College Worth It?" is simply a "must read" for you.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

What will a college campus be like ten - or even five - years from now? What is right - and what is very wrong - with college curricula these days? Will a traditional college degree go by the wayside, now that there are online classes available in so many fields? Is a traditional college education the right choice for every young person? How can families choose the best post-secondary school for their young person? How should a young person go about choosing a major? Is a gap year a good idea? How do prospective students and their parents get an honest view of a school they're considering? Why do many students, whether in traditional face-to-face classes or online classes, leave school? Which colleges are the most innovative?

These are a sampling of the many questions William J. Bennet , editor at large of The Chronicle of Higher Education, answers in College (Un)Bound, and he answers them very thoughtfully. Readers won't agree with everything he says, and some things he says seem counterintuitive and contradictory ("get into the most selective college you can - BLAST the cost!" -- but then he discusses how appalled he is with high student loan debt these days). However, he does make some excellent points.

Bennet also points out all the non-academic features colleges have these days simply to attract students. I can understand offering nice residence halls and good food service, but why offer climbing walls?

I say four stars for this book because I would've liked to see more about what to do about the things that are going wrong. How do we put a stop to grade inflation and get the rigor back into college education? Also, as a college instructor myself, I would've liked to see more about one more important topic: What do we do with the students who come to campus underprepared? These underprepared students are both non-traditional students whose skills simply need a little extra time to come back to them, but also the eighteen-year-olds who somehow managed to slip through the cracks in high school.

Quick verdict: Very good, hits many problems right on the nose, but needs more!

Working in Higher Education, I was very interested to read this book. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the well thought out logical discussion this book presented. There are 12 scenarios to consider in the back as to whether college is right for you or not, and each chapter is full of research about colleges of all sizes and costs.

Over all, the argument that college isn't worth is for everyone is a solid one. There were several points I really disagreed with the author on such as the over spending of schools (this certainly does not apply to small private institutions!) and there were a few sections I wish were emphasized more, such as the life lessons that are learned from being on a college campus.

I also felt that although it is important to open the readers eyes to the systemic issues of college that begin with K-12 schooling, there really isn't anything the reader can do to change that issue, and so I felt that to much time and emphasis was placed on it.

Over all, I found this book to be well thought out and an interesting spring board for discussion. One large question I wish had been answered more thoroughly is whether the cost of college is worth the social benefits of being at an institution. If employers are most concerned with how a person conducts himself and how must they are able learn on the job, then the argument must be made that for many, college helps to develop these life skills.