Real College: The Essential Guide to Student Life

For the past 5+ years I have been an Academic Advisor for "Exploratory/Undeclared" first year students at Arizona State University. My career in Education includes: 6+ years of academic advising; 5+ yrs in Residence Hall Director positions; and 2 years as a high school counselor in a school w/ 80% of the senior class reported going on to college. This is a REALLY good book. I would recommend it for ANY student as well as any parent of a 4-year college bound student. Real College breaks down issues/concerns/challenges in a very real manner. For 222 pages of text, the authors are very comprehensive in the items addressed. [Even addressing the interpretation/misinterpretation of Email messages] The theme throughout the book is honest communication and being honest with one's self. Interesting tables contrast what a professor/parent says with what the student actually hears and vice versa. Again - I would recommend this book to EVERY student bound for a 4-yr. college or university. (I will use this book in the University Succcess courses I teach.) While this book may not apply totally to the first year community college student or the first time university transfer student - there is enough here that both can apply to their college experience. The key to this book is not the value of the information the authors provide. The issue is: Will the first year college student take this information and incorporate/apply it to themselves in order to create a successful, as well as satifying college experience?