Excellent sheep

by William Deresiewicz | 04 June 2015
PAPERBACK
Categories: Sociology
As a professor at Yale, William Deresiewicz saw something that troubled him deeply. His students, some of the nation's brightest minds, were adrift when it came to the big questions: how to think critically and creatively and how to find a sense of purpose. Now he argues that elite colleges are turning out conformists without a compass. Excellent Sheep takes a sharp look at the high-pressure conveyor belt that begins with parents and counsellors who demand perfect grades and culminates in the skewed applications Deresiewicz saw first-hand as a member of Yale's admissions committee. As schools shift focus from the humanities to "practical" subjects like economics, students are losing the ability to think independently. It is essential, says Deresiewicz, that college be a time for self-discovery, when students can establish their own values and measures of success in order to forge their own paths. He features quotes from real students and graduates he has corresponded with over the years, candidly exposing where the system is broken and offering clear solutions on how to fix it. "Excellent Sheep is likely to make.a lasting mark..He takes aim at just about the entirety of upper-middle-class life in America..Mr. Deresiewicz's book is packed full of what he wants more of in American life: passionate weirdness" (The New York Times).
€14.49
43 Reward Points
In stock online
Extended Range: Delivery in 2-3 working days
Free Delivery on this item

Any purchases for more than €10 are eligible for free delivery anywhere in the UK or Ireland!

As a professor at Yale, William Deresiewicz saw something that troubled him deeply. His students, some of the nation's brightest minds, were adrift when it came to the big questions: how to think critically and creatively and how to find a sense of purpose. Now he argues that elite colleges are turning out conformists without a compass. Excellent Sheep takes a sharp look at the high-pressure conveyor belt that begins with parents and counsellors who demand perfect grades and culminates in the skewed applications Deresiewicz saw first-hand as a member of Yale's admissions committee. As schools shift focus from the humanities to "practical" subjects like economics, students are losing the ability to think independently. It is essential, says Deresiewicz, that college be a time for self-discovery, when students can establish their own values and measures of success in order to forge their own paths. He features quotes from real students and graduates he has corresponded with over the years, candidly exposing where the system is broken and offering clear solutions on how to fix it. "Excellent Sheep is likely to make.a lasting mark..He takes aim at just about the entirety of upper-middle-class life in America..Mr. Deresiewicz's book is packed full of what he wants more of in American life: passionate weirdness" (The New York Times).
Quantity:
In stock online
Extended Range: Delivery in 2-3 working days
Free Delivery on this item
43 Reward Points

Any purchases for more than €10 are eligible for free delivery anywhere in the UK or Ireland!

€14.49
In stock online
Extended Range: Delivery in 2-3 working days
Free Delivery on this item
Quantity:
43 Reward Points

Any purchases for more than €10 are eligible for free delivery anywhere in the UK or Ireland!

Categories: Sociology

Product Description

Product Details