Author Alexander Astin researches American higher education and teaches at a major university. For this book, he relies on his experiences visiting 300 different campuses of every type and talking with students, faculty, administrators, and staff. Astin criticizes American postsecondary education’s emphasis on standardized entrance testing and enrolling the smartest students, and argues that instead, colleges and universities should pay more attention to developing the skills, knowledge, and personal qualities students need for employment and becoming responsible members of society. The author argues that the focus on “smartness” harms diversity and equality of opportunity, noting that even average students are denied equal opportunity to attend top-tier institutions. In particular, the author investigates the role of faculty in perpetuating this system, looking at their control of teaching and research as well as hiring and promotion. Annotation ©2016 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)