Profiling nearly 300 colleges, private and public, across the United States, Barron's Best Buys in College Education is an exceptionally practical and useful book. There's a plethora of colleges in this country, and there's a world of difference between $30,000 and $9,000 a year, so if you can find the quality of college you're looking for among the bargains, with the focus, size, and atmosphere you want, why put your family in debt for decades? As the author points out, it's not true that there is one and only one college right for you; nor is it true that quality always comes with a matching price tag--among colleges and universities, anyway. Barron's has "Quick Lists" to help you target what you're looking for, organizing the schools by colleges with 20,000 or more full-time undergraduates, those with 1,000 or fewer undergraduates, colleges with predominantly single-sex enrollments, colleges with chapters of the Phi Beta Kappa, and those 53 schools whose tuition and fees are less than $9,000 each. Then come the in-depth profiles, organized alphabetically by state, starting with Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama, and working its way through to the University of Wyoming. For each, the guide tells about the setting (city, small town, etc.) and whether it's private or public; what the student/faculty ratio is and how many undergraduate men and women there are; plus the freshman SAT profile; how many faculty members have Ph. D. s; and deadlines for applications and financial aid. It describes the feel of the campus and the sorts of people who make up the student body, what campus life is like, and what facilities and special programs they have. And then comes the bottom line, with a section indicating how many students get financial aid, and just what that aid might look like, plus a profile of percentages graduating in various fields, how many go on to graduate school, how many land jobs immediately, and in what sorts of firms. This book encourages the best sort of smart shopping that currently exists for colleges and universities. Perhaps you'd thought that the only college you could afford was the mediocre institution in the next town, but Barron's will show you otherwise. --Stephanie Gold - 1.17

Higher education reformer Muscatine founded Strawberry Creek College, a six-year experiment using full professors and small classes to teach lower-division students. Here, he offers a radical new design for American college education, drawing on lessons learned from Strawberry Creek. Although a well-established research scholar himself, he argues that post-secondary institutions have become large commercial establishments, selling research and expertise to business and government. He recommends major changes in the education of professors, including reconsidering both the requirement of the book-length dissertation and the current organization of graduate departments. Muscatine is professor of English emeritus at the University of California-Berkeley. Annotation )2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews. com) - 21.97

The Academic Quest(tm) "How to Financially Fund Your College Education" book helps you to simplify the process of funding your education by showing you when, where, and how to properly apply for scholarships. It can help you to discover numerous types of aid you may qualify for and you can use the monthly calendar and task checklist to keep on track. It includes leads for scholarships, grants and financial aid opportunities. - 29.99

A parent's guide to the college education experience addresses everything from paperwork and insurance to health care and furnishing a dorm room. - 10.74

ORIENTATION TO COLLEGE: A READER ON BECOMING AN EDUCATED PERSON offers a rich collection of articles designed to encourage students to reflect on the meaning of a college education, and to think about the opportunities for personal and professional development offered in college. This book takes a multidisciplinary approach, with readings written by experts in a number of different academic fields, government and industry. - 78.40

Saving for College Has Just Become Easier. College is becoming an increasingly vital path to career success. But as college costs continue to rise, parents and students like you are often left wondering if you will be able to afford a college education. In Financing College: How much You'll Really Have to Pay-and How to Get the Money the editors of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine answer questions like: -When is the right time to begin saving for college? -How much will college cost-and how much will you really be expected to pay? -How can you maximize financial aid? Whether you decide to attend a private college or a public university, Financing College will teach you how to: -Make the most of 529 plans, student-loan interest, and tax deductions -Find and win scholarships -Keep your student's at-college costs under control Packed with updated timelines, worksheets, and resource information, Financing College gives readers all the information they need to know to afford the college of their choice. - 17.05

O'Phelan offers students and their parents a variety of tips on finding out what college funds are available for financing a college education and reducing out-of-pocket costs. In addition to providing information about how to find scholarships, grants, and fellowships from a variety of sources that look at more than just a student's GPA, O'Phelan explains innovative ways to save money on other items while in college, including books, entertainment, and travel. O'Phelan previously worked as an advertising copywriter for agencies in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Los Angeles; she is currently an independent journalist and teaches online courses for several universities. Annotation )2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews. com) - 20.26

Offering straightforward answers to tough questions, a parent's guide to the college education experience addresses everything from academic programs to finances, discussing such topics as the benefits of a desktop or laptop computer, how to select the best meal plan, budgeting and spending, working while attending school, and more. - 11.92

Most futures depend on it. This comprehensive, fully updated edition shows readers how to get scholarships, find the best financial aid packages for academic or sports skills, improve oneB's chances of receiving financial aid, take advantage of the new tax laws to build a college savings plan, and much more. Also includes a newly updated yellow-pages directory with names, addresses, and information on where to inquire and how to apply for financial aid. ? A must-have purchase for anyone considering budgeting for or financing a college education - 12.76

Saving for College Has Just Become Easier. College is becoming an increasingly vital path to career success. But as college costs continue to rise, parents and students like you are often left wondering if you will be able to afford a college education. In Financing College: How much You'll Really Have to Pay-and How to Get the Money the editors of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine answer questions like: -When is the right time to begin saving for college? -How much will college cost-and how much will you really be expected to pay? -How can you maximize financial aid? Whether you decide to attend a private college or a public university, Financing College will teach you how to: -Make the most of 529 plans, student-loan interest, and tax deductions -Find and win scholarships -Keep your student's at-college costs under control Packed with updated timelines, worksheets, and resource information, Financing College gives readers all the information they need to know to afford the college of their choice. - 15.34