college search & preparation
The Great Upheaval: Higher Education’s Past, Present, and Uncertain Future
Levine and Scott Van Pelt (2021), Johns Hopkins University Press
Levine and Van Pelt explore the transformation of American colleges and universities. For prospective college students and their parents, many of the assumptions that once guided the college search are becoming outdated. For generations, the process was relatively consistent: attend a reputable college, earn a degree, and find a career. The authors argue that this traditional model is at an important inflection point.
As I read the book, one of the authors’ most compelling assertions is that education is shifting from a “just-in-case” to a “just-in-time” approach. Traditionally, students built a broad knowledge base in college that they might need later. However, as technology and workforce demands evolve, education is becoming an ongoing process where individuals gain skills as they are needed. College is no longer a one-time preparation phase but the beginning of lifelong learning.
This transition to “just-in-time” learning also challenges the relevance of traditional degrees. While degrees will still matter, employers are increasingly prioritizing concrete skills and demonstrated abilities over credentials alone. This has contributed to the rise of competency-based learning and microcredentials, which focus on specific, high-demand skills. What students can do is becoming more important than where they attended college.
This shift towards skill based education is causing schools to move from teaching-focused to learning-focused education. Colleges can no longer rely on lectures and passive learning – students need project-based learning, internships, real-world applications, and hands-on experiences that prepare them for evolving careers. At the same time, higher education is shifting from time-based systems built around credit hours and semesters toward outcomes-based education centered on demonstrated mastery.
Although the authors’ outlook can feel bleak, they acknowledge that higher education institutions in the United States have survived major paradigm shifts before and some will survive this one. The future landscape will likely rely more heavily on online learning, modular education, and alternative pathways. Levine and Van Pelt suggest that the colleges most likely to thrive will be large research universities and highly selective residential colleges, while many institutions in the middle may struggle unless they adapt.
Overall, The Great Upheaval offers a thought-provoking examination of the future of higher education. Its core message is clear: students, parents, and educators must prioritize adaptability, flexibility, and lifelong learning in a rapidly changing world.
Final note: A more recent edition of the book includes a new afterward by the authors that address the changes in our political and education climate. In addition, they have a new book published this year (2026) titled From Upheaval to Action, which I have already added to my reading list.
Soundbite
Sara Harberson (2021), Hachette Book Group
When I first picked up Soundbite by Sara Harberson, I was skeptical. My introduction to Harberson was on Instagram, where she touts herself as “America’s College Counselor.” Her polished videos and advice made me question whether her approach was really about helping students or about teaching them how to perform success. From my perspective, she represents exclusivity more than authenticity.
With that mindset, I read Soundbite, and I was surprised to find that much of her advice actually aligns with my own philosophy of college counseling. Harberson’s main idea is that students should develop a personal “soundbite,” a concise statement that captures who they are and what they value. This closely mirrors the way I help students develop a personal thesis or narrative to guide their applications.
Admissions officers often reduce applicants to a bottom-line takeaway because they only have minutes to review each file. Harberson encourages students to take control of that narrative rather than leave it to chance. The soundbite becomes the guiding principle behind every part of the application, from activities and essays to recommendations and interviews. She emphasizes that a strong application is not just a list of accomplishments but a layered story where each component adds depth instead of repeating the same message.
At the same time, I found myself questioning whether this process sometimes asks more of teenagers than they are realistically capable of giving. Harberson’s method relies heavily on introspection, intentionality, and pragmatism. For some students, that clarity may feel empowering. For many others, especially adolescents who are still developing emotionally and intellectually, this pathway may feel overly aggressive and premature. Teenagers are still figuring out who they are. Should they already be crafting a polished personal brand or defining themselves through a single soundbite? There is something uncomfortable about asking students to package themselves so strategically while they are still kids. High school should also be a time for exploration, mistakes, uncertainty, and growth.
Another area where I have reservations is Harberson’s guidance around limitations such as learning differences or anxiety. While her advice to avoid overemphasizing weaknesses is practical, it does not fully address the balance students sometimes need between authenticity and self-advocacy.
Ultimately, Soundbite changed my perspective. I still have some skepticism about the branding surrounding Harberson’s work, but I also recognize the value in her framework. The book offers a thoughtful and practical approach to helping students shape meaningful narratives, even as it raises important questions about identity, pressure, and authenticity in the admissions process.
7 Steps to College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities
Elizabeth Hamblet (2025), Rowman & LIttlefield
A podcast where the author discusses a little of what she covers in the book:
Hamblet’s website
Elizabeth Hamblet offers a clear and pragmatic guide for parents and students exploring the opportunities and challenges students with disabilities encounter when applying to and attending college. The purpose of the book is to provide a straightforward, step-by-step guide to help students transition from high school to college while understanding both their legal rights to accommodations and their responsibilities as college students. While understanding disability laws is important, Hamblet emphasizes that self-advocacy, executive functioning skills, and independence are equally critical for success. I found this book practical and informative and would recommend it not only to students with learning disabilities, but also to parents, educators, and counselors supporting students preparing for college.
The first step focuses on understanding the laws that apply to college students. While Section 504 and the ADA protect students with disabilities in college, these protections differ significantly from the IDEA services students receive in K–12 education. Hamblet clearly explains that colleges provide accommodations, not special education services, and accommodations received in high school do not automatically transfer to college. She stresses that students—not just parents—must understand their rights and responsibilities before enrolling.
The second step addresses student responsibilities and rights. In K–12 settings, parents and school staff often play a major role in managing accommodations and academic support. In college, however, students must independently request accommodations, communicate with disability services, advocate for themselves, and manage deadlines. Hamblet makes clear that self-advocacy and independence are essential for college success.
Steps three and four focus on developing nonacademic and academic skills. Hamblet argues that executive functioning skills such as time management, organization, emotional regulation, and daily living skills are major predictors of college success. At the same time, students must build strong academic habits, including note-taking, study skills, reading stamina, and long-term planning, so they can transition successfully to independent learning.
Step five discusses finding the right college fit. Although all colleges are legally required to support students with disabilities, the quality and scope of those supports can vary widely. Hamblet encourages families to research disability services alongside factors such as class size, campus culture, and available support programs. Not all colleges offer the same level of assistance, making careful research essential.
Step six examines the college application process and disability disclosure. Students are not required to disclose a disability when applying to college, although some may choose to do so if they believe it will help explain their educational experiences or identify a better fit. Hamblet also points out that colleges are not required to alter admissions standards for students with disabilities; applicants must still meet the institution’s academic qualifications.
The final step explains how students request and use accommodations in college. Students are responsible for submitting documentation, meeting with disability services, and communicating with professors. Hamblet emphasizes that accommodations are only helpful if students actively use them and understand what supports colleges are likely to approve.
Across all seven steps, two themes remain clear: students must understand and communicate their needs, and they must be prepared for the independence college demands. Overall, Hamblet provides an effective roadmap for helping students with disabilities transition successfully to higher education.
Colleges that Change LIves: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges
Loren Pope (2012), Penguin Books
Check out the website https://ctcl.org/ for an updated list of Colleges That Change Lives as well as upcoming College Fairs where these schools are the focus.
Loren Pope’s Colleges That Change Lives is too old to use as a cornerstone for any college search, as the most recent edition was published in 2012; the costs and acceptance rates are generally inaccurate. But it does offer a compelling challenge to America’s obsession with prestige, rankings, and elite admissions that is perhaps even more relevant today than a decade ago.
Rather than encouraging students to focus on popular university names when applying to college, Pope argues that “for the very best undergraduate educations, seek out a small liberal arts college.” As a longtime education journalist and former New York Times education editor, Pope presents a compelling case that the best colleges are not necessarily the most selective or nationally ranked, but those that focus intensely on undergraduate teaching, intellectual curiosity, and personal growth. According to Pope, the colleges in his book “have one primary mission: educate the undergraduate… develop thinkers, leaders, and moral citizens.” He believes these small liberal arts colleges have remained the “cutting edge of higher education for decades” because they place students—not prestige—at the center of learning.
One of the strongest points in the book is Pope’s critique of college rankings and admissions culture. He argues that the factors used to rank colleges and universities “are totally irrelevant to education.” Rankings reward wealth, exclusivity, alumni donations, and reputation rather than transformative teaching or intellectual engagement. Pope observes that society continues to value rankings because they are “easier to quantify than life-changing classes or personal epiphanies.” He also challenges the widespread assumption that selectivity equals academic quality: “We’ve been taught that selectivity equals value or prestige or rigor. That’s bunk. But lots of people… buy it.” Pope believes students often choose colleges based on status and peer pressure rather than educational fit, a pattern he describes as “the cost of being a teenage sheep.”
The book’s “College Myth Busters” section reinforces many of these ideas. Pope argues that the best-sized colleges are often small liberal arts institutions where their “power is in how they teach… [and the] focus is on the student.” Small classes, collaborative discussions, and close faculty relationships create stronger learning environments than anonymous lecture halls at large universities. Pope also criticizes what he calls “the university as slack-filled merchandise,” where institutions market prestige and branding while undergraduate teaching becomes secondary to research, athletics, and reputation. In contrast, the colleges featured in the book emphasize mentorship, collaboration, and intellectual development. Pope writes that “teaching is an act of love” and that “learning is collaborative,” ideas that reflect the deeply student-centered philosophy of liberal arts education.
The colleges Pope highlights—including St. John’s College, Hendrix College, Eckerd College, Whitman College, Clark University, and Beloit College—share many common characteristics. They emphasize undergraduate teaching, close faculty mentorship, interdisciplinary learning, and active student engagement. These schools are also “willing to take chances on students who show potential and curiosity,” valuing intellectual promise over perfect statistics or prestige-driven admissions standards. Pope argues that liberal arts education “teaches students to investigate and understand the world” while developing “skills you will always need to be an adaptive learner, an effective communicator, and a sharp-idea generator.”
The themes in Pope’s book connect strongly with best practices in education for people with learning disabilities. He argues that “dyslexia isn't a disability: It's a totally different way of processing information, one that doesn't align well with the ways most students in most K–12 schools are asked to think.” This perspective reinforces Pope’s belief that students thrive in environments where individual learning styles are recognized and supported. The author also notes that “small class sizes and relationships with professors can make a big difference in all students’ learning,” especially for neurodiverse students who benefit from mentorship and individualized instruction. The chapter on going to college with a learning disability emphasizes the importance of self-understanding and self-advocacy. Students must learn to explain how they learn best and seek environments where they can grow intellectually and personally.
Although Pope clearly favors liberal arts colleges, his central argument remains powerful and relevant. Colleges That Change Lives ultimately reminds readers that transformative education comes not from prestige, rankings, or selectivity, but from communities where students are challenged, supported, and inspired to grow.