The best 12 Higher Education books

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Higher Education Books: Don’t Go Back to School by Kio Stark

Don’t Go Back to School

Kio Stark
A Handbook for Learning Anything
3.7 (63 ratings)

What's Don’t Go Back to School about?

Don’t Go Back to School shows how not having a degree doesn’t doom you to an unsuccessful life. In fact, quite the contrary: chalked full of real-life examples, this book presents a strong case for independent learning as well as principles you can immediately enact to make independent learning a part of your life.

Who should read Don’t Go Back to School?

  • Anyone interested in learning outside of school
  • Anyone who wants to improve his or her knowledge and skills without breaking the bank
  • Anyone on the fence about whether to spend the money to go to college or university

2
Higher Education Books: The End of College by Kevin Carey

The End of College

Kevin Carey
Creating the Future of Learning and the University of Everywhere
4.3 (29 ratings)

What's The End of College about?

The End of College (2015) is about the American higher education system. These blinks give a historical overview of how the author sees the development of the American university and its evolution from European models. He evaluates its current status and advocates for the University of Everywhere – a remotely accessible university of the future.

Who should read The End of College?

  • Students of public policy and education policy
  • People curious about online learning
  • Historians interested in higher education

3
Higher Education Books: The Death of Expertise by Tom Nichols

The Death of Expertise

Tom Nichols
The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why it Matters
4.3 (56 ratings)

What's The Death of Expertise about?

The Death of Expertise (2017) examines the current attacks on science and knowledge that seem to be on the rise in our current technological and political environment. What has happened to objective truths being the truth and facts being indisputable? Why is science now a matter of political partisanship? Find out what’s really going on and why this is one of the most important issues of our day.

Who should read The Death of Expertise?

  • Citizens looking for facts rather than political rhetoric
  • Readers concerned about fake news and misinformation
  • Students of political science and communications

4
Higher Education Books: U Thrive by Daniel Lerner and Alan Schlechter

U Thrive

Daniel Lerner and Alan Schlechter
How to Succeed in College (and Life)
4.3 (32 ratings)

What's U Thrive about?

U Thrive (2017) provides the tools necessary to thrive on a college campus and beyond. Informative and actionable in equal parts, these blinks provide great insights and offer helpful advice on everything from alleviating stress during final exams to surviving nightmarish dorm mates.

Who should read U Thrive?

  • College students
  • Recent high school grads
  • Parents of prospective university students

5
Higher Education Books: Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be by Frank Bruni

Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be

Frank Bruni
An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania
4.3 (41 ratings)

What's Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be about?

Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be (2015) casts a critical eye over the mania surrounding the college admissions process in the United States. For decades, students and parents have become increasingly convinced that future success is dependent upon landing a spot at the most prestigious schools, while colleges have become engaged in their own competition for a spot at the top of the school rankings. Bruni argues that this has led to an out-of-control system that has caused people to lose sight of the real benefits of higher education.

Who should read Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be?

  • Prospective college students
  • Scholars who care about the state of higher education
  • Parents who want their kids to flourish in college

6
Higher Education Books: The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt

The Coddling of the American Mind

Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure
4.4 (252 ratings)

What's The Coddling of the American Mind about?

The Coddling of the American Mind (2018) seeks to go behind the scandalized reporting and to establish what’s really happening on US college campuses. Drawing on psychological theory and wide-ranging research, The Coddling of the American Mind demonstrates that university life has taken a worrying turn.

Who should read The Coddling of the American Mind?

  • Baffled readers trying to understand campus politics
  • Parents of college-aged kids
  • Citizens concerned about accelerating political polarization

7
Higher Education Books: Late Bloomers by Rich Karlgaard

Late Bloomers

Rich Karlgaard
The Power of Patience in a World Obsessed with Early Achievement
4.5 (278 ratings)

What's Late Bloomers about?

Late Bloomers (2019) explores why modern society is obsessed with early achievement. It explains the damaging effects a super-charged education can have on young people’s mental health, as well as how our family, our peers, and the media influence the life paths we take. Drawing on his own experiences, author Rich Karlgaard suggests that blooming later in life is not something to be ashamed of, but something to be celebrated instead.

Who should read Late Bloomers?

  • Anyone feeling stuck in their life and career
  • Parents concerned about the pace of their children’s development
  • Graduates unsure about what to do next

8
Higher Education Books: Post Corona by Scott Galloway

Post Corona

Scott Galloway
From Crisis to Opportunity
4.0 (103 ratings)

What's Post Corona about?

Post Corona (2020) is a ruthless analysis of how the COVID-19 outbreak has reshaped our world. This survey of the post-pandemic business landscape shows who’s benefited and who’s been harmed by the virus.

Who should read Post Corona?

  • Investors looking for solid financial advice
  • Entrepreneurs navigating the newly unstable business environment
  • Anyone trying to understand the post-pandemic world

9
Higher Education Books: Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?

Beverly Daniel Tatum
And Other Conversations About Race
4.4 (77 ratings)

What's Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? about?

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? (1997) explores the reality of race in the American public education system and sheds light on racial-identity development in both Black and white people. Updated with a new prologue in 2017, it also explains how talking openly about racism is essential for cutting across racial and ethnic divides.

Who should read Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria??

  • People seeking to understand the dynamics of race in America
  • Parents and educators who want to teach children about race
  • Those interested in social justice, equal opportunity, and democracy

10
Higher Education Books: The Price You Pay for College by Ron Lieber

The Price You Pay for College

Ron Lieber
An Entirely New Road Map for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make
4.4 (33 ratings)

What's The Price You Pay for College about?

The Price You Pay for College (2021) is a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about choosing a college and financing your education. Exploring mentorship, financial aid, and graduate salaries, it clarifies an often confusing world, aiming to ensure that students’ momentous decisions are informed ones.

Who should read The Price You Pay for College?

  • Parents with college-bound kids
  • High school students interested in the college-application process
  • Personal-finance buffs looking to brush up on a new niche

11
Higher Education Books: What They Teach You at Harvard Business School by Philip Delves Broughton

What They Teach You at Harvard Business School

Philip Delves Broughton
My Two Years Inside The Cauldron of Capitalism
3.7 (294 ratings)

What's What They Teach You at Harvard Business School about?

What They Teach You at Harvard Business School (2008) is a candid insider's view into one of the world’s most prestigious business schools, providing insights into its curriculum, culture, and impact on students' lives. Through case studies, math, and unsolicited advice, it follows one unlikely student’s memorable experience obtaining this coveted MBA, revealing both the strengths and shortcomings of the HBS education along the way.

Who should read What They Teach You at Harvard Business School?

  • Business and marketing students
  • Those curious about the inner workings of the world-renowned Harvard Business School
  • Anyone considering doing an MBA

12
Higher Education Books: Social Justice Fallacies by Thomas Sowell

Social Justice Fallacies

Thomas Sowell
3.6 (39 ratings)

What's Social Justice Fallacies about?

Social Justice Fallacies (2023) unravels the myths and misconceptions driving today's social justice movement. It turns out that many popular beliefs about how society should be improved often conflict with concrete facts. This exploration sheds light on the perilous path of good intentions paired with fallacious assertions.

Who should read Social Justice Fallacies?

  • Critical thinkers who find themselves questioning social justice movements
  • Enthusiasts of fact-driven political discourse
  • Anyone wanting to debunk widely accepted social narratives

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