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Alex Chediak

Helping young adults thrive at college and beyond

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The College “Ranking” Systems

June 25, 2012 by Alex Chediak

Zac Bissonnette, in his excellent book Debt-Free U: How I Paid for an Outstanding College Education Without Loans, Scholarships, or Mooching off My Parents, debunks the overly hyped U.S. News & World Report college ranking, metric by metric. Then he notes:

But the larger problem with ranking colleges is that it is based on the premise that attending college is like an amusement park ride: a passive experience where the student picks the most thrilling ride he can handle, straps in, and holds on to his digital camera. College is nothing like that….What they get out of their education is a function of the effort they put in.

But what’s really fascinating about Bissonnette’s book is that he paid for his college education entirely on his own (and even wrote the book before graduating). He does an excellent job dealing with the issue of affordability and the enormous danger that student loans present (particularly in a down economy).

I don’t agree with all his conclusions. For example, he thinks that public universities are superior to private schools, mainly because of affordability. And he seems to think campus visitations are a worthless exercise for prospective students. I see his point in one sense–students often put too much stock in their subjective impressions of the campus–but I’m not sure it’s wise to completely throw out the baby with the bath water. Nevertheless, all around this is an excellent book for parents and students considering the important question of how to pay for an increasingly expensive college degree.

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Filed Under: Thriving at College, Culture

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"Written by an ‘insider’—an excellent gift for high school seniors."--Jerry Bridges

 

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Also by Alex

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With One Voice

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Praise for With One Voice

This relatively short book packs a powerful bang for the buck, providing much biblical and practical advice for young men and women seeking to glorify God in relationships.

Alex and Brett Harris
Best-selling authors of Do Hard Things

Alex and Marni Chediak offer sound biblical advice and a clear Christian framework for working through the maze of confusions surrounding modern marriage.

R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Publishers have been cranking out books with all sorts of directions to help Christians navigate the treacherous waters between the buoys of singleness and marriage, and I know of none that is more clear, concise and helpful than With One Voice.

J. Ligon Duncan, III Ph.D.
Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church

With One Voice is clearly written and God-centered. Our eighteen year-old daughter just read it and restrained herself from underlining nearly the whole thing!

Dr. Bruce A. Ware
Professor of Christian Theology
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

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