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Choosing a College
Discusses types of schools, kinds of education, evaluation criteria, campus visits, and admissions procedures
- GenresEducation
224 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 1989
3 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Sowell
90 books5,620 followersThomas Sowell is an American economist, social philosopher, and political commentator. He is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. With widely published commentary and books—and as a guest on TV and radio—he became a well-known voice in the American conservative movement as a prominent black conservative. He was a recipient of the National Humanities Medal from President George W. Bush in 2002.
Sowell was born in Gastonia, North Carolina and grew up in Harlem, New York City. Due to poverty and difficulties at home, he dropped out of Stuyvesant High School and worked various odd jobs, eventually serving in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. Afterward, he took night classes at Howard University and then attended Harvard University, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1958. He earned a master's degree in economics from Columbia University the next year and a doctorate in economics from the University of Chicago in 1968. In his academic career, he held professorships at Cornell University, Brandeis University, and the University of California, Los Angeles. He has also worked at think tanks including the Urban Institute. Since 1977, he has worked at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, where he is the Rose and Milton Friedman Senior Fellow on Public Policy.
Sowell was an important figure to the conservative movement during the Reagan era, influencing fellow economist Walter E. Williams and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. He was offered a position as Federal Trade Commissioner in the Ford administration, and was considered for posts including U.S. Secretary of Education in the Reagan administration, but declined both times.
Sowell is the author of more than 45 books (including revised and new editions) on a variety of subjects including politics, economics, education and race, and he has been a syndicated columnist in more than 150 newspapers. His views are described as conservative, especially on social issues; libertarian, especially on economics; or libertarian-conservative. He has said he may be best labeled as a libertarian, though he disagrees with the "libertarian movement" on some issues, such as national defense.
Sowell was born in Gastonia, North Carolina and grew up in Harlem, New York City. Due to poverty and difficulties at home, he dropped out of Stuyvesant High School and worked various odd jobs, eventually serving in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. Afterward, he took night classes at Howard University and then attended Harvard University, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1958. He earned a master's degree in economics from Columbia University the next year and a doctorate in economics from the University of Chicago in 1968. In his academic career, he held professorships at Cornell University, Brandeis University, and the University of California, Los Angeles. He has also worked at think tanks including the Urban Institute. Since 1977, he has worked at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, where he is the Rose and Milton Friedman Senior Fellow on Public Policy.
Sowell was an important figure to the conservative movement during the Reagan era, influencing fellow economist Walter E. Williams and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. He was offered a position as Federal Trade Commissioner in the Ford administration, and was considered for posts including U.S. Secretary of Education in the Reagan administration, but declined both times.
Sowell is the author of more than 45 books (including revised and new editions) on a variety of subjects including politics, economics, education and race, and he has been a syndicated columnist in more than 150 newspapers. His views are described as conservative, especially on social issues; libertarian, especially on economics; or libertarian-conservative. He has said he may be best labeled as a libertarian, though he disagrees with the "libertarian movement" on some issues, such as national defense.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 25, 2018
Another good work by Thomas Sowell. While I would likely have ended up at either the same, or a similar college, it would have been beneficial to hear so much listed out in an easy to understand book. He identifies the importance of matching skills to schools, which is something often not mentioned. Perhaps this is most significant by emphasizing that people as a whole may not be best suited by the most prestigious school that offers them acceptance. Instead, he focuses on the importance of finding a school that is neither too demanding, nor too easy, and also meets social needs dependent on the individual. If someone reaches to get into a first tier school, they may be better suited at a second tier school. Someone that reaches to get into a second tier school may be better suited in a third tier school, and so on.
While a fair bit has changed since this was written, especially the financial side of college, the underlying premise remains intact. People would do well to heed his wisdom.
While a fair bit has changed since this was written, especially the financial side of college, the underlying premise remains intact. People would do well to heed his wisdom.
October 31, 2021
In the process of choosing grad schools, and this has been a phenomenal resource! Despite it being published before I was born 😅 I still found principles within it that remain true to this date. Highly recommend for anyone looking at colleges for themselves and even grade schools for their children. Thanks, Sowell!
December 26, 2012
Another great book by Thomas Sowell though a little dated. It would be great if he had updated it since 1989. But his general wisdom regarding the college application game is timeless. I particularly keep in mind his recommendation of not doing things to jump through hoops for college but to do ec's because the student enjoys doing them.
June 24, 2019
Oh my. This is quite outdated. Even for its time, the book comes off as conservative fear mongering to worried parents.
It starts out with the author talking about the prevalence of drugs and suicide on campus, and how one day on his way to work he walked by a girl’s body after she had jumped off the roof.
DNF. I knew it was time to put the book down when the author’s chief concern with the prevalence or lack of sexual promiscuity on campus and coed dorms was with protecting your daughters. Nothing about your sons.
He labeled women’s studies and a fad not worth pursuing and all but said you must be wary of campuses that push the gay agenda.
Oh good lord. How far we’ve come.
It starts out with the author talking about the prevalence of drugs and suicide on campus, and how one day on his way to work he walked by a girl’s body after she had jumped off the roof.
DNF. I knew it was time to put the book down when the author’s chief concern with the prevalence or lack of sexual promiscuity on campus and coed dorms was with protecting your daughters. Nothing about your sons.
He labeled women’s studies and a fad not worth pursuing and all but said you must be wary of campuses that push the gay agenda.
Oh good lord. How far we’ve come.
April 5, 2021
A bit dated, however, the book still provided a few points I found interesting and relevant.
March 6, 2022
He does more than just scratch the surface. He goes in deep detail
June 21, 2017
A must read for parents with kids entering college soon.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews