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• Laura
  

  November 9th, 2010

  I think it’s worth noting that “Colleges That Change Lives” is a line given to the book by an editor to rile tempers. The real title (and value) of the book is in the tagline: “40 schools that will change the way you think about colleges.” The book is, frankly, poorly written. But you should not overlook the point: as the education editor for the NY Times, Pope got tired of hearing about the same big-name institutions over and over again, when he knew there were other schools out there doing great things but not getting the exposure. He basically said hey… I found 40 colleges who are doing really interesting, progressive things in the classroom and on their campuses in order to turn the A/B average high school student into college graduates who can compete in the real world with any graduate of a name-brand college who only accepts A+ high school students. It encourages students (and their parents!) to take the focus of the college search off of “where can I get in?” and instead turning it into “which college is going to provide the educational experience that is best-suited to me?” You make great points about what really changes lives, but I think you unfairly malign 40 wonderful institutions when you really mean to critique the book.

• Kylie
  

  November 10th, 2010

  Laura: I think your point is well taken. “Unfairly malign” is exactly what I hoped not to do because I know for a fact that the schools on that list are amazing. My point was merely one of frustration with a lack of data-driven research in an age where data is so readily available. I hope everyone reading this posting knows how much respect I harbor for the individual institutions mentioned by Pope. This is only meant to encourage conversation about ways we can measure changed lives.

• Jed
  

  November 10th, 2010

  Kylie: I do not think that you “unfairly malign” the other 40 institutions mentioned in the book as your post specifically states in its opening that your issue is with the book/author’s methodology, not the institutions. I also think that as a contributor for the “Vandy Admissions Blog,” you have done an excellent job of bringing to light some of the data that is readily available to prospective students should they choose to take advantage of it and ask the right questions. With recent articles (ie: https://tinyurl.com/2c37xvu) focusing on some of the more “shadier” admissions practices, if you will, it is refreshing and necessary to see a post that focuses on what prospective students can do to make the most informed decisions possible. Moreover, I appreciate that while this blog displays how Vanderbilt can “change lives,” it also leaves its audience with useful information and specific questions allowing each prospective student the opportunity to take control of their college search and research whatever institution they are most interested in—brand name or otherwise. Well done!

• John
  

  November 15th, 2010

  Ms. Stanley,

  Your informative post proved to me a few things, all while casting you and your institution in a positive light. Some colleges would rather see their admissions rates drop than admit the worth of a rival institution; I am drawn all the more strongly to Vandy because you did just that. Thank you.

• Justin
  

  January 15th, 2011

  As a student who transferred into Vanderbilt after two years at another institution, I can’t emphasize how important looking at the freshman retention rate is. At my first college, the freshman retention rate was around 75 percent, so not only did a lot of my friends leave the school entirely, but as you can probably assume, if 25 percent of the students hate the school so much that they leave, an enormous number beyond that felt a lukewarm-at-best relationship to the college.

  And yes, Vanderbilt has changed my life. 🙂