Four Critical Years: Effects of College on Beliefs, Attitudes, and Knowledge by Alexander W. Astin (review)

Abstract

This retrospective book review looks back at one of the most influential and ambitious books examining college student outcomes: Four Critical Years: Effects on Beliefs, Attitudes, and Knowledge (Astin, 1977). The book has a “sequel” that is perhaps better known today: What Matters in College: Four Critical Years Revisited (Astin, 1993). Four Critical Years stands out for its unique contribution at the time in which it was published. In this review, I will provide a summary of the book’s content, discuss its contribution and influence on subsequent research, describe how higher education literature has moved forward since that time, and conclude with whether this book should be assigned in today’s student affairs and higher education graduate programs. Before beginning this discussion, it is crucial to consider the technological context in which this book was written. Here are a few points of interest: