First published 2014
William Deresiewicz witnessed a troubling pattern during his years teaching at Yale. The brightest students in America arrived on campus unable to grapple with fundamental questions about thinking and purpose. This critique examines the destructive academic pipeline that starts with parents and counselors obsessing over perfect grades and ends with the distorted college applications Deresiewicz evaluated as a Yale admissions committee member. Universities have abandoned humanities in favor of supposedly practical fields like economics and computer science, leaving students unable to think creatively. Deresiewicz argues that college should foster self-discovery, allowing young people to develop personal values and define success on their own terms. Drawing on correspondence with students and graduates, he exposes the failures of contemporary higher education while offering concrete remedies for parents, educators, and anyone concerned about America's future direction.
Genres: american, social-issues, education, non-fiction, academia, academic
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: social-commentary
Setting: Yale
Period: Contemporary
245 pages · Hardcover · Free Press