For most people, college is a significant investment but with an important you need to graduate from it to reap the benefits. But the statistics for successfully graduating are not good. Consider the Do I have your attention?
One person who takes these statistics seriously is Matt McCarthy, a multiple times award-winning professor at Arizona State University. Having taught over 70,000 students in his career, McCarthy has seen what separates people who complete college versus those who drop out. What helps is that McCarthy very nearly became a dropout statistic himself, and so he has seen what causes students to drop out from multiple vantage student, professor, and parent.
McCarthy uses numerous examples (often hilarious) in this highly readable book to drive home the lessons about what differentiates a college graduate from a college dropout. With his engaging writing style, McCarthy shares fundamental truths in a way that is accessible to both students and their parents. And, by adopting the lessons in these pages, a student is far more likely to graduate and realize the rewards of having done so. In my opinion, this book is the single most valuable gift that family and loved ones can give to their current or prospective college student.
As a student who just started college I read the book looking for really sound advice. Sadly, nothing groundbreaking was said in the book. I will say, I did find myself having a hard time to put the book down, maybe because the topics were so relatable? I’m not quite sure because the book just appeared to be written as a first draft, not necessarily a final copy. The last chapter—although informative—had a typo in the title. The book was easy to read and I zoomed through it but I don’t think I truly gained much from reading this book. Also sometimes the cursing was excessive.