The author surveys American higher education, analyzing undergraduate character, campus culture, curricular trends, and motives for attendance. He examines common criticisms, contrasts elective and prescribed study, and emphasizes the formative power of personal relationships between teachers and students. Chapters describe campus life, student organizations, athletics, and classroom practice, and offer practical reflections on why students pursue college and how institutions can better prepare them for civic and professional life. The book argues for focusing on individual development and enlisting eminent teachers to kindle intellectual and moral growth.