La Salle Professors Put 80 Years of “Know How” Experience into Book, Preparing for College: Practical Advice for Students and Their Families

During their combined 80 years in the classroom, there’s not much about college life that La Salle University professors John Rooney, Ph.D., and John Reardon, Ed.D., haven’t seen. Now retired, the two have written, Preparing for College: Practical Advice for Students and Their Families (Ferguson Publishing, $16.95 paperback; $34.95 hardcover), a guide for making the college experience easier and more fulfilling.

The authors approached the book not from compiling quantitative data (although there is relevant research and statistics) but from their experiences as teachers, advisors, and parents.

They explore everything from financing a college education, taking the PSAT, SAT and ACT exams, adjusting to campus life, and preparing for academic success at college.

In their experience and research, Rooney and Reardon state that when it comes to selecting a college, “Fit is the best choice: it’s the right college not the best college.” In addition to their own experience with the college selection process and with their children’s college selection experience, their involvement with professional organizations helped them learn about student experiences from faculty at other colleges.

Rooney taught psychology at La Salle for 40 years and founded one of the first summer pre-college programs designed to help incoming freshmen get acclimated to college life. He is now director of the University’s Master’s in Clinical Counseling Psychology program. Reardon taught accounting at La Salle for 40 years, and has been speaking to high school students about the college experience since 1971.  This past year alone, he made 42 visits to 26 high schools in the Philadelphia region. He records the feedback he receives from the students, their concerns, questions, and fears.

Something else the authors observed was that too many prospective students thought they could not afford a college education. Reardon says, “If you think you can’t afford college, then you are not aware of all the opportunities colleges offer you.”

Many people choose to attend a public university because of its less expensive tuition, but according to Reardon, the lower cost does not always produce a savings.  In 2007-08, state colleges offered students an average of $4,533 in aid; private universities offered an average of $14,000 in aid.

Reardon suggests that families view college as an investment and not an expenditure: “If a family buys a house they don’t pay for it all at once or even in four years; they usually have a 30-year mortgage,” says Reardon. “College is paid off in 10 years, and it’s documented that having a college degree will increase a person’s lifetime income.”

And when it comes to finding the best fit for a student, families should consider all the possibilities. Says Reardon, “Let’s say there’s a street called College Lane: on one side of the street are public schools, on the other side of the street are private schools. We want to stress the importance of shopping on both sides of the street.”

One advantage of private universities is that students usually earn their degrees faster than at public schools. (Because of their size, some state universities are unable to make enough classes available for students to complete requirements in four years.) The earnings that a graduate makes in the first year out of college make it worthwhile graduating in four years rather than taking five years to complete a program.

But the authors don’t necessarily recommend private colleges: between them, Rooney and Reardon have six college degrees and four came from public universities. If a state university is the best fit, even if it takes longer to finish, then that’s where a student should enroll, they say.

What also can delay getting a degree is switching majors, something the majority of college students do as a normal part of the experience of students trying to decide on a career that is right for them.

But finances aren’t the only focus of the book. Most students flourish in a college that is both challenging and supportive. Small classes, faculty who are enthusiastic and dedicated to teaching, and fellow students who are intellectually curious and serious about learning are far more important than the large arenas, architecturally innovative buildings, or nationally ranked athletic teams. Students who attend a college with the former attributes are more satisfied with their college experience and develop more as persons, says Rooney. Yet, each student must decide what is a good fit for him or her.  Some thrive in a highly competitive environment; others do best in a cooperative one. Some work well on their own; others learn better when they are part of a small group interacting with one another.

While working with college students and prospective college students, the authors saw that many students were not taking advantage of the opportunities that are available in college. “Students should take advantage of the opportunity to develop, not just academically, but by getting some experience in leadership positions, learning  how to relate to people, and developing mature values, including a sense of service and commitment,” says Rooney. “Some students go through four years of wasting their time doing the minimum they have to do, developing poor habits rather than valuable ones.” They also refer to research that indicates that students who attend a college within 250 miles from home do better than students who attend one farther from their homes and families.

But wherever a student attends college, the best advice the authors can give prospective students and families is a selection from the book’s final chapter: “The best scenario is to select a program that has rigor and challenge. You must be challenged if you want to grow intellectually. Challenges faced lead to success and, ultimately, exhilaration. You have climbed the mountain! To gain the greatest return on your investment of time and money, you must be focused on the challenges and problems that are a part of this lifestyle. As this process is ongoing, you will be less intimated and more confident.”