Colleges That Change Lives (text only) Revised edition by L. Pope

by Loren Pope

Now fully revised—the perennially popular guide to choosing the right college Prospective college students and their parents have been relying on Loren Pope's expertise since 1995, when he published the first edition of this indispensable guide. This new edition profiles 41 colleges—all of which outdo the Ivies and research universities in producing performers, not only among A students but also among those who get Bs and Cs. Contents Evaluations of each school's program and “personality” Candid assessments by students, professors, and deans Information on the progress of graduates This new edition not only revisits schools listed in previous volumes to give readers a comprehensive assessment, it also addresses such issues as homeschooling, learning disabilities, and single-sex education.

Genres: Nonfiction, Education, College, Parenting, Reference, Childrens, Counselling

Paperback

First published September 1, 2000

About the author

Loren Brooks Pope was an American writer and independent college placement counselor.

In 1965, Pope, a former education editor of The New York Times, founded the College Placement Bureau, one of the first independent college placement counseling services in the United States.

His first book, "The Right College: How to Get In, Stay In, Get Back In" (Macmillan, 1970), was followed by a nationally syndicated article series, "Twenty Myths That Can Jinx Your College Choice," and his final and best-selling work, "Colleges That Change Lives" (Penguin, 1996). His top 40 schools would, he claimed "do as much as, and perhaps even more than, any name-brand schools to fully educate students and to give them rich, full lives."

Reviews

[Kris Hintz · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a college consultant, I recommend the late Loren Pope's classic book to my clients, but not as a guide to specific schools. What is most worthwhile is Pope's well-articulated point of view that college is not an exercise in grabbing the prestigious brass ring, or getting one's ticket punched for a first job. It is something much more.

College is an integral part of the personal and professional development that a young adult needs to experience in our sophisticated, complex society. It is a "laboratory" for nurturing academic passion, developing genuine appreciation for a broad range of liberal arts subjects, gaining firsthand experience in research, scholarship and leadership.

College is not a ticket for an already perfect, accomplished student. It is a transformative experience to help a student become an even more focused, contributing professional adult.

Pope clearly lays out the case that many elite graduate oriented schools do not create a transformative environment for undergrads, and therefore do not offer much value to college students except for "brand name" prestige. In contrast, there are many educational institutions out there, some well known, some not, that place more emphasis on the undergrad experience. That is the kind of atmosphere you should seek out if you are an undergraduate!

There is plenty of time later to "get your ticket punched" at a prestigious graduate school, particularly if you perform well and gain valuable hands-on experience during college. But Loren Pope is sayng, journey through those formative years first, and have something meaningful to show for it.

I would not simply make these 40 schools into one's college list. You need to check out every school for yourself, especially through visits, to ensure a school is a suitable match for you. But adopting Loren Pope's attitude toward the value of the undergraduate experience is a great place to start.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a tough book to rate overall.

It's a highly worthwhile read for anyone starting the college search because it not only brings small liberal arts colleges into the conversation it places them on center stage under warm, glowing lights. Each of the 40 colleges profiled gets a writeup of about eight pages that tells you the many reasons it's so wonderful. But lest you think each school is absolutely perfect there's always one relatively harmless criticism to snap the reader back into reality. Balanced it isn't. But a book like this won't succeed with balance. It succeeds by bringing cheerful attention to and inspiring the reader to explore a niche.

I researched several of the CTCL schools in www.niche.com and saw that most schools were reviewed very positively while some were very mixed. Finding those right (and affordable) colleges is a complicated process and requires multiple sources and this book has a place in the conversation.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Colleges That Change Lives is an important contribution to the ongoing conversation about college choice, and when it was published, it was somewhat revolutionary. Readers get a sense of the college landscape circa 1996, and certainly gain an understanding of the author's biases toward "good, small colleges."

Yet Pope displays his age when he makes comments like lauding (in paraphrase) a feisty girl who wrote comments to the college administration...in CHALK...on the SIDEWALK!...but it's all okay since the rain washes them away. He writes glowingly of week-long freshmen orientation periods in the summer before entering college, and unified freshmen programs, but fails to realize these sorts of things are extremely common among many colleges (including the demonized large state universities) and not just his favored few.

Many points remain salient, such as looking at the number of future Ph.D.s that a college produces, or percent of women in the science fields, but he fails to let us know where we can find out that information for ourselves for colleges that aren't in the book. And even for those 40, his numbers are either very old (1996) or getting older (the mid-2000s edition).

In short, it's well worth a read if you have any interest whatsoever about college choice. But it's more of a polemic instead of the academic study that the author pretends.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a non-fiction work, for parents and high schoolers, to talk about considering education at smaller schools (under 3,000), and the phenomenal work and experiences that are happening there. It was actually really interesting to read, and we considered visiting or applying to four of the schools on the list. Ultimately, none of them landed on the list, for varying reasons. But it really helped us understand what we were looking at. I might not have even added it to my "books read" list, if it didn't help my Purple Team with Education. Likely wouldn't have. But it does count, and maybe each percentage of a point makes a difference.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the introductory chapters carefully, then skimmed over the chapters of only several of the 40 colleges profiled. I certainly learned something from this author, who has many years of experience working in the higher education filed. He discourages the Ivies and other large research colleges, noting that: the professors often are more passionate about their research than teaching; classes often are taught by teaching assistants; there is little opportunity for personal relationships between faculty and students; and students don't need to work so hard (and therefore won't learn as much) to maintain good grades at such schools. Instead, he extolls the virtues of smaller (2,500 and under students) liberal arts schools where: there is a more diverse student body; students immerse themselves in a community of learning that includes very personal relationships with their profs and where students take an active role in planning their course of studies. Pope also offers advice about what to look for, and questions to ask when visiting prospective colleges. I'll keep his advice in mind....

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding book for any parent who is getting sucked into the name brand college vortex. Much to be learned from this book.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a real breath of fresh air about where students can be educated, really educated, outside of the "name" universities. The quote, "I fear that liberal education in the research universities, despite the recent hoopla, is a project in ruins.", written in 2005 by Dr. Stanley N. Katz, director of Princeton's Center for Arts and Cultural Policy Studies who is himself a Harvard University alum, starts off the book.

But liberal education outside of the Ivies is alive and well in the four year liberal arts colleges, especially the ones investigated and tracked and monitored by the author over a 30 year period. That is the premise of "Colleges that Change Lives", and I admit being encouraged after reading the first few chapters, and then the regional section on colleges near where we live.

Recommended for anyone who wants to know if you can go to college and really get educated, instead of being treated like a cog in a huge machine that spits out identically molded widgets. This version is the 2006-2007 version, which was a 10 year follow up on the 40 colleges the author investigated in 1996. I understand that Loren Pope died in 2008.

******************
A 2016 update.

Check out https://colleges.niche.com and look up the colleges listed in the book. We were able to steer away from some colleges that were truly not inclusive or respectful for those who had different opinions (for example, we found out that political diversity at St. John's College is almost non-existent).

[Hubert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good summaries of select liberal arts colleges that many high school students might not have heard of, but should consider. Common themes permeate through each vignette: dedicated faculty who work with students on projects with focus, requiring discovery and creativity; students who might not have been the A students in high school, but whose potential has been not entirely unleashed; study-abroad opportunities; opportunities for student-faculty governance; opportunities for community involvement.

I was most intrigued by discussions of the same-gender colleges (of which there are only a few), and the colleges with a reputation for being more conservative. I was also really fascinated by Cornell College (not Cornell U. in Ithaca, but Cornell College in Iowa) where students only take 1 course at any given time, and repeat this process eight times a year.

The book is best used as a reference, to scan, less so to read cover to cover (as I did). Nevertheless I did get some good pointers and reminders on why liberal arts colleges are good at what they do, and how many of the values espoused can transfer over to specific arrangements even within other more traditional university types.

[Elyse D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally changed my perspective about liberal arts colleges!! Also super helpful. Really enjoyed reading it... was a bit dry at times and felt kinda repetitive but otherwise good!!

[Robert Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is amazing resource to help start a college list. What I really did like about it is that it talked about each school from a academic, social, and economic stand point. It also successfully explains it in language that make the schools appealing to both a parent and the prospective student, which is key when you are trying to find a school that the parent finds safe for their children to live at but not have it be a bore fest for the student. However, one flaw of this book is that I cater to people who already have the idea that their “dream school” is going to be a small liberal arts college and have no interest in large prestigious university such as Harvard and Yale. For example, the book says this about Ursinus “Ursinus is a star of the first magnitude in the small galaxy of colleges that change lives.” From that quote you are given the hint that all the 40 of these schools will be particular small and will tell you the what is gained compared to what is lost by attending these smaller schools.
Overall I would rate this book at 3 stars. The reasons I gave this book a mediocre score even though I found it as a great resource is because the bias opinion to schools that are not small or liberal arts. The book will only work for a select few of students that can get past the fact that a liberal arts school like Reed College may not be as well known as Harvard but they are both schools that are changing their students lives for the better.

[Danielle Shroyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

As my oldest looks toward college, I can’t seem to find the information I care most about- will this school nurture her to be a curious and thoughtful learner? Will her critical thinking skills truly improve? How do they support and foster the whole person? Will she emerge as someone equipped to do good and be good in the world no matter what she does?

So I’m grateful for this book, which shares information about liberal arts schools doing just that- many of which I’d never heard of before. I feel encouraged as a parent.

One thing I wish the summaries shared more about was social life. Sometimes there was a sentence or two but I’d have loved to have had that covered more. What do students do on the weekends? What are some University traditions here? Etc.

[Tracy Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great information on colleges off the beaten path that do well for students looking for something other than name-brand colleges or Ivy Leagues. Pope makes the point that it is more important for students to find a college that fits their needs and personality than to go to a school to impress parents and friends.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't heard of most of these schools, and now I want to go to all of them.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

My oldest son will be starting his senior year of high school in the fall and has only recently shown an interest in choosing a college. Meanwhile, I’ve been freaking out about it since his sophomore year! One of my friends recommended this book to me. She and her son used it to choose his college a few years ago and he’s been really happy with his choice.

This book explores small liberal arts colleges that you may have never heard of but are still excellent schools. I went to a big state school (Go Mizzou!) so I didn’t know much about how liberal arts colleges worked before reading this book. The book is divided into sections by region - South, Midwest, etc. and there are a handful of colleges included for each. I liked that the write-up for each college was a narrative, not charts and graphs. The author includes quotes from both professors and students about their experiences with the school. I felt like it was a balanced view of the schools with both positives and negatives mentioned.

I learned a lot from this book. Not every college in this book requires a super high GPA or SAT score. Some of them are even “test-optional”, a concept that I hadn’t heard of before. Being smaller schools – it seemed like the average enrollment was somewhere around 3,500 so students get a lot of support at most of these schools. Most have financial aid programs as well. And there are so many different educational philosophies, unlike the fairly standard state school format.

When I bought this book, my son was planning on majoring in linguistics and wanted to study abroad at some point in his college career. Several colleges in this book would be ideal for that. (Note the post-its I used to mark the ones I thought would be the best. There are a lot!) Since then, he’s decided to major in music education and probably will go to a school close to home. However, I have three more kids, including another son who will be starting his junior year in the fall, so I’m glad I read this book. I found it educational and I’m glad I now have a good background on what liberal arts education is all about. Highly recommended.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

An online college counselor recommended reading the Fiske Guide to Colleges. Multiple reviews of that book recommended Colleges That Change Lives as a better resource.

By the time I picked up this book from the library, my daughter already had a list of 8 colleges that she intended to apply to, based mainly on her intended major and location. The early action deadline was coming up, so I didn't take the time to read the entire book. I read the introductory chapters. Then I looked up the website for each of the 40 schools to see what majors they offer. I skipped the chapters for the schools that do not have the course of study she is considering. That left 8-10 chapters to read.

In some ways, the schools sounded the same. They are small liberal arts colleges. For the most part, they are in small towns with beautiful campuses. They boast small class sizes with professors who really care and get to know their students. They require freshman seminars and senior theses.

But some differences are highlighted. There's the Quaker school where everyone gets along, the progressive school where conservative students might not find their place, the school that churns out the most PhD candidates,...

Of the chapters that I read, I ended up with three schools that I suggested my daughter look into. I don't think she'll end up applying to any of them because they are all in locations that are colder and more remote than what she is looking for.

Even so, the book was worth reading. The early chapters offer some good advice about what to look for in a university and suggest questions to ask. They can make you think about what makes a good college education. It would have probably been more useful to us to have read it earlier in our college search process.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very useful as a way to offer a counterpoint to the pressure many of today’s students place on themselves to get into the most prestigious program they can.

The section before the profiles is the part that was most interesting to us. In addition for making a case for liberal arts schools overall. It provided a lens for why prestige alone may not be the best way to pick programs and makes an argument for looking for what will make the college experience the transformative life experience we all hope for our children to have. He points out stats to look for - like if you are thinking of a PhD - see what percentage go on to get one from the schools in your consideration set.

While the ideas presented here weren’t new to me as a parent. They were a refreshing reminder about keeping our child’s actual goals in mind. And more importantly, the ideas were novel and interesting to our student. They provided concrete things for him to think about as he evaluates schools and have been another tool in his quest to make sense of the cacophony of college selection voices.

The college profiles themselves are interesting as a way of showing how some schools that seem more similar in Naviance or from brochures can be differentiated as you dig deeper. Really helps drive home that while no one expects him to know exactly what he wants from either college or life beyond college - if there are things that resonate or he knows he prefers - these can help narrow the search and improve the chance that college is a good fit for him. It is also hopeful to parents that college can be the transformative, growth experience we hope for him.

[Sera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid book about why the colleges described in this book are better than most of the Ivy League schools. The author is critical of the Ivies, claiming that they are primarily research rather than teaching houses. Professors rarely teach, let alone interact with their students. Most students get As and Bs with little effort and find themselves with a prestigious degree at graduation and not much else. In the modern era, competency is more important than the connections that students of the Ivies make during their tenure there.

Many of the colleges in this book are doing amazing things in preparing their students for what comes next after graduation. From reading The Great Books to having students take responsibility for their own education by designing their own learning curriculum, the opportunities that these schools provide are both unique and challenging. Moreover, your kid doesn't have to be a genius to get in, which is always a plus.

An interesting resource for those interested in education or may have a child getting ready to make the collegiate plunge soon.

[Matt Ely · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of necessity, it's brief. In trying to cover 40 colleges, many of them can blend together. At the same time, the book does identify some colleges that are truly, fundamentally distinct. You have to read the whole thing, however, to find out which are which.

I wonder if it would be better if there was some way of labeling and categorizing what puts each of these schools on the list. Some seem obvious like St John's (my bias, I go there) with it's Great Books Program or Marlboro with it's student-centered curriculum. But a lot of these schools seem to be something other than fundamentally different from many similar liberal arts colleges. If the biggest calling cards are small class sizes, an invested staff, and first-year seminars, there are a lot more than the few dozen schools profiled here doing that. Perhaps this list should be smaller and only include schools that are fundamentally distinct, though I can see how that could be read as unnecessarily exclusive.

[Susan Griggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loren Pope's Colleges That Change Lives felt like sitting down with a passionate college counselor who shares all the hidden gems tailored for you. The book profiles 40 colleges that go beyond the typical prestige game, focusing instead on liberal arts schools that invest in each student's growth and potential. Pope showcases institutions that are innovating in education—places where professors know your name, learning happens in small settings, and the focus is on developing critical thinking. You'll find yourself questioning what you want from a college experience and realizing that the "best" school might not be the one with the lowest acceptance rate.

The book does show its age, which means you'll want to do some homework before getting too excited about any particular school (some have even closed since publication). Pope's focus is squarely on smaller liberal arts colleges, so if your student is dead set on a large university experience, this probably isn't for you. Don't expect this to be your one-stop college search bible either—it's more like a philosophy lesson on what makes education transformative, with real examples to illustrate the point.

Pope does a good job of capturing the distinct personality of each school, even when covering so many institutions that you might worry they'd all blur together. By the end, you'll have a much clearer sense of the questions you should be asking when visiting colleges: Are students genuinely engaged? Do professors care about teaching or just research? Is this a place where my kid will be challenged to grow, not just get a degree? For parents and students willing to look beyond the usual suspects, this book is a reminder that life-changing education often begins in places you've never heard of.

[Mindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I sift through multiple books and info on colleges, I found this to be a worthwhile read although probably not for every kid. I agreed with Pope on the pitfalls of a large university but for some, including myself, the large school was the right fit so I didn’t agree with his disregard and biases against those institutions. But for a particular type of student, like my oldest, who wants small, one on one learning and does not care about football/basketball or Greek systems in the least, there were some prospective institutions. I believe we found 4 out of 40 that were worth looking into further, so some good takeaways. I do think I will hang onto for my third kid because there are some great schools listed for more B/C type students where they get more focused and individual learning than they would at a large state school.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of course, the book is a five-star read for the right reader, but it's targeted at a very narrow sector: once you understand what Oswald (building on Loren Pope's work) is looking for in the "Colleges that change lives" category (e.g. a focus on teaching undergraduates, a certain level of opportunity for study abroad and research with faculty, integrated curriculum, etc.) you have basically comprehended the whole book. Each chapter simply explicates how the college in question fits the criteria. It's a list, with lengthy annotations. Super useful reference and for getting yourself into a helpful mindset regarding assessing prospective schools, but tedious to read through.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a parent of a kiddo in high school, I'm looking for good advice about liberal arts colleges. Reviews of 40 colleges are divided by location in the USA (Northwest, South, etc). I'm in southern California and there are NO California colleges listed at all. The closest: Reed College in Oregon, two in Washington and one in New Mexico. I've discovered niche.com which is a great online tool for colleges, thankfully. I will skim through this book to see what makes the other 40 colleges in this book rate so high but am disappointed.

[Debi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jenn Vieman (College Beyond the States) said her search began with this book, so I was curious.

The the author touts the schools in this book as welcoming of B students, and rigorous in ways larger and more flashy schools are not.

Some of the listed schools piqued my interest long ago, others are less interesting because of location. None, I fear, will lure my son because these schools are largely bucolic and pastoral and he wants to live in a city.

It’s tough, I’m sure, to continuously update a book like this, but some of the factors are not static and need to be kept current.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am indelibly grateful to Loren Pope for researching and writing this eye opening book. There are so many colleges and researching them can be overwhelming. His book helped put my family’s search for the right college in perspective. That said, I would love a spreadsheet included to highlight and organize what each college has to offer. The Colleges That Change Lives website does have some useful tools.

[Marcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a fantastic introduction to some exciting American universities. The number of unique and intriguing programs students can find at these institutions is astonishing! These are both off the beaten path, but also schools that have excellent track records for students once they graduate. Many of these colleges are test optional and often take students who haven't necessarily done their best in high school.

[Susan Sweet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent resource for parents of high school students who are interested in a LOT of things and open to colleges all over the USA. Even if the exact schools aren't in the "Colleges That Change Lives" book, the helpful descriptions and POV of both Loren Pope and Hillary Massell Oswald (who updated the version I read) are illuminating. I've learned to ask really good questions on college tours after reading this book.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book to start your college search! As a parent this gave me a different perspective on the educational path and some great schools to put on our list. We are getting ready to attend the CTL fair next month and I wanted to have some info on some of the schools that would be there. I don't think I would have found most of theses on my own but I'm really excited about some of them now! It's surreal to be starting this journey!

[Gretchen Aerni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been in the mindset of larger state schools and universities. This book gave me great insight into the advantages of smaller liberal arts schools. In looking at schools for my own children, it opened my eyes to these schools and has been looking at them through a new lens. Both types of schools, good, just different. Great read.

[Elizabeth]

Great premise, but not very relevant in our case. It starts with about 20 pages of interesting text and then it breaks specific life-changing liberal arts colleges schools down by region. There were only a couple close enough for us to consider, and the rest I just flipped right past. I don’t think this needed to be a book.

[Rachel Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. I did not read all the specifics of each college but liked he idea of a smaller college. If I could do it all over again, I wish I had gone to a smaller college and gotten to know my professors better