By Terri Schlichenmeyer
“Make College Your Superpower” by Anna Esaki-Smith, ca. 2024, Rowman & Littlefield, $30.00, 189 pages
“Rethinking College: A Guide to Thriving without a Degree” by Karin Klein, circa 2024, Harper Horizon, $29.99, 256 pages
There will soon be a lot lasts in your household in the next few months.
The last first day of school. The last homecoming, the last Christmas program or sporting event you have to attend. The last spring break, prom, and the last day of school – all of it will be bittersweet, but you’ll get through it. Like those new books about college, you’ll have to make important decisions first.
To college or not to college? That’s a big question for every high school graduate. And the answer is…
In her new book “Make college your superpower” (Rowman & Littlefield, $30.00), author Anna Esaki-Smith says: “It is a Great Time to be a student,” because although life is “strange” with the pandemic, closures and the like, “technology has changed everything.”
For one thing, today’s students know a lot about technology – possibly more than their professors, giving students a “head start.” Facial recognition on various campuses has recently shown more “happy” faces than ever before.
To be one of those happy students, don’t go by magazine rankings, she says. Learn how to be smart about applying to the right college. Emphasize what you do best, not what you love most. Take the tests and workbook-style questionnaires in this book and get to know yourself. Be smart about finances and the lack thereof.
And get out and meet people! That’s what college is for.
On the other hand, college is not for everyone.
In the new book “Rethinking College” by Karin Klein (Harper Horizon, $29.99) you’ll learn that, contrary to what you were told for most of your high school years, you can be successful without a four-year college degree.
Volunteering is a great way to gain experience that can open doors to environmental groups, food banks, and service groups that offer paid positions within the organization. An apprenticeship can be a way to learn a trade through hands-on instruction while earning a salary; an internship could do the same. It’s always possible to figure out how to turn your talents into a career, especially if what you love to do is in high demand. Or you could use your visionary skills and start your own business with surprisingly less money than you thought possible.
This is the kind of book you want to give to a high school student who is not called that College material, or those who are reluctant to go to college. It also opens up a whole world of possibilities for those who are older and long past high school.
If these books aren’t exactly what you or your high school student needs for the next few months and beyond, ask your local librarian or bookseller for help. They have books for you on how to survive freshman year, knowing what to expect in college, being homesick and missing your teen, and how to get a great education or a job at a nonprofit or start your own business. Your librarian or bookseller has something for your year of last things and the first book you need to succeed.
