College Success Concise

Reviewed by Summer Baber, Human Development Instructor, Mt. Hood Community College on 9/4/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The book does an excellent job of including the essential/critical topics for students new to college. It has a comprehensive table of contents, index, and glossary.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The material is current and error-free.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The stories, graphics, and suggested websites/apps are interesting and relevant. Some sections, such as personal finance, will become outdated but can be easily changed as needed.

Clarity rating: 5

The book is written to be accessible by new students and jargon/terminology is explained using plain language.

Consistency rating: 5

Consistent terminology and framework.

Modularity rating: 4

There are heavy text sections throughout the book that might be due to condensing the full version into a concise version. This area could be improved to make the book more useful for 1-2 credit college success courses and/or for use by faculty who want to incorporate college success into their courses.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Easy to follow, logical format.

Interface rating: 5

There are no significant issues with the interface or navigation in the online and pdf formats.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors were found.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The text is not culturally insensitive; however, it could be more inclusive of a wider variety of backgrounds and experiences.

Comments

I have been looking for a shorter/condensed book for my 1-credit college success course. I plan to use this book for my online course this year. The topics are relevant, particularly the chapter on maintaining mental health and managing stress.

Pros: Has essential/critical topics for new students, well organized, written from the student perspective, and provides useful graphics and apps.
Needs Improvement: More graphics and stories that represent a wider variety of backgrounds/experiences.

Reviewed by Kile Behrends, Faculty, Minnesota West Community & Technical College on 5/25/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The book is filled with a comprehensive overview of what it takes to be successful in college.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Accurate and very up to date on college today.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The updated information, topics and data is relevant.

Clarity rating: 5

Clear and easy to read, learn and teach from.

Consistency rating: 5

Orderly

Modularity rating: 5

In order and can be broken down by topic/subject easily.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Excellent flow and order.

Interface rating: 5

Clean and easy to navigate from one chapter/topic to the next. Not flashy or busy.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammar errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Appropriate and updated.

Comments

This book was excellent and jammed full of useful charts, subject, talking points and data that can be used in the classroom or online teaching. I have taught in this subject area for years and was impressed.

Reviewed by Christine Pauly, SDV Adjunct Instructor, Tidewater Community College on 4/24/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The “College Success” textbook is comprehensive and covers relevant topics such as Time Management, Planning Your Academic Pathway, Campus Resources, Studying, Notetaking, Test Taking, Understanding Civility and Cultural Competencies, Financial Literacy, Healthy Lifestyle as well as Planning Your Future. The textbook teaches students about navigating college and how to be successful.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The “College Success” textbook is Accurate and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content is relevant to college success and includes emotional and mental health which seems to be more relevant since the pandemic. The textbook can easily be updated to include emerging trends and technology.

Clarity rating: 5

The textbook is well written and user-friendly. Students can easily understand the content, samples, graphics, and pictures.

Consistency rating: 5

The structure is consistent and easy to follow throughout the textbook. The chapters are not overwhelming and easy to follow with consistent terminology.

Modularity rating: 5

The textbook is broken into sections that are easy to read with student profiles, examples, charts/graphics and pictures.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The chapters are arranged logically, clearly and flow. The textbook is well organized. As with most college success career planning is near the end. Some colleges, want career planning taught earlier in the semester and this chapter could easily be taught earlier and the material would still flow.

Interface rating: 5

I saw no issues with the interface. The textbook is consistent, user-friendly, and easy to navigate.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The “College Success” textbook has no or few grammatical errors. The textbook was well written.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The textbook provides pictures, context, application, surveys, examples, and profiles embracing diversity. Diverse student experiences are highlighted throughout the textbook. Within the Understanding Civility and Cultural Competence chapter, students gain the understanding that they will interact with individuals from different backgrounds and ages.

Comments

I found that the “College Success” textbook is comprehensive and covers the relevant topics you find in most college success courses. The textbooks also provide students with useful links to apps that help them set goals, be organized, keep track of assignments and due dates; as well as other apps to be successful in college and beyond. I really liked the Develop Your “Why” segment which would go great with a video I currently use in my Student Development Courses. I will be looking at ways to change my online course to incorporate parts if not the textbook into my online course and eliminate the need for students to purchase a textbook.