Student Development in College : Theory, Research, and Practice (Jossey Bass Higher and Adult Education Series)

Nancy J. Evans | Deanna S. Forney | Florence Guido-DiBrito

1 Theory Light
I applaud the authors' attempt to provide an accessible, easy to understand synthesis of student development theory, but they have sacrificed depth for breadth and left the reader with a text that, like over-processed food, provides some nutrition but ultimately fails to satisfy. The book is below the level of most master's degree students and practitioners in student affairs, though it might provide a useful introduction to theory for undergraduates or a useful reference book for administrators who don't have time to read original sources.

2 excellent overview
I also used this book in my graduate program. This book provides an excellent overview student development theory. It is an excellent introductory text. I had the added benefit of using this text in a course taught by one of the authors.

3 Excellent as reference or teaching tool
I needed this text for my graduate work, and it will remain on my shelf for many years. It does a great job of covering all of the major developmental theories and a few others!

How College Affects Students : Findings and Insights from Twenty Years of Research (The Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series)

A gangster assembled an engineer, a chemist, and a physicist. He explained
that he was entering a horse in a race the following week and the three
assembled guys had the job of assuring that the gangster's horse would win.
They were to reconvene the day before the race to tell the gangster how they
each propose to ensure a win. When they reconvened the gangster started with
the engineer:

Gangster: OK, Mr. engineer, what have you got?
Engineer: Well, I've invented a way to weave metallic threads into the saddle
blanket so that they will act as the plates of a battery and provide
electrical shock to the horse.
G: That's very good! But let's hear from the chemist.
Chemist: I've synthesized a powerful stimulant that disolves
into simple blood sugars after ten minutes and therefore
cannot be detected in post-race tests.
G: Excellent, excellent! But I want to hear from the physicist before
I decide what to do. Physicist?
Physicist: Well, first consider a spherical horse in simple harmonic motion...

Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.
-- Seneca