Study: grit as an indicator of college success
May 1st, 2017Have you ever heard the word “grit” used to describe a successful student? I wouldn’t be surprised if you haven’t, but it has become a buzzword in the education community. The word encompasses three characteristics: persistence, determination and resilience. These traits are often more difficult to quantify than test scores and GPA, but college admissions offices are beginning to incorporate this into their process for determining college success.
The article posted today comes from the NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) website. In this post, author Tara Nicola shares a study that was used to look into the predictive power of grit. We’re excited to see more studies proving that it is important for colleges to incorporate more cognitive traits into their selection process.
Article below published on the NACAC website on February 14, 2017
Underlying the college admission process is the principle that colleges should strive to accept the most academically talented students. What are the factors that best predict academic success in college?
Historically, postsecondary institutions have relied on quantitative indicators such as high school GPA and standardized test scores to assess a student’s academic potential, and with good reason—there is strong evidence linking these factors with academic performance in college. Yet such measures are neither foolproof, nor do they capture key non-cognitive characteristics, like motivation, enthusiasm, and maturity, which also impact academic outcomes.
Read more at National Association for College Admission Counseling >>Tagged: Choices, College, Personal characteristics
Stop the Hate
January 30th, 2017Students bullied because they look or act different … students discriminated against because of race or religion … students who know misery because of peers’ unkind words and actions … I’ve been immersed in essays about such things as a reviewer for an essay contest sponsored by the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Ohio. My heart has been wrenched by vivid, distressing details and then uplifted as students described resolution and positive action taken.
The name of the contest drew me in: Stop the Hate. When a colleague put out word that the Museum needed readers, I signed up immediately. Like many of you, I’ve been especially troubled by the vitriol of the election season, by the fact that people with differing opinions no longer seem willing to hear one another, let alone show kindness to one another. Sadly, The New York Times has even seen fit to start a weekly series called, “This Week in Hate.”
Our actions in matters large and small can either push back against what we feel to be wrong, reflect complacency or, worse still, feed the hate. I choose the first. Reading essays for the “Stop the Hate” contest isn’t a big step but a first step for me; in my interactions with advisees and in volunteer mode, I hope to have an impact on people’s ability and willingness to understand one another. As a reader for the essay contest, I hoped to be inspired by the next generation and I wasn’t disappointed. Perhaps my own words and actions can stir others.
There’s no time like the present to think about what matters to us and what we can do to further causes that we believe in. What are you doing to make the world what you’d like it to be? We’ll welcome responses from students and parents alike and may share a compilation of replies in a future blog post.
“It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
End note: the essay contest is for students residing in counties in and around Cleveland, Ohio and the deadline has passed for this year’s competition.
Read more at Maltzmuseum.org >>Tagged: Essays, Personal characteristics
Not Yet: the power of believing that you can improve
December 12th, 2016Each and every day we are challenged with difficulty at work, school and even in our social lives. The question is, how do we cope?
Do you get discouraged and give up? Or do you have the mentality to push through it and strategize for a way to defeat the obstacles that lie ahead? In the link posted below, from TED Talks, Dr. Carol Dweck talks about the benefits of the “not yet” mindset. Read on for her great advice about how we can start taking steps in the “not yet” direction.
Link below posted by TED Talks in December 2014
Presentation by Dr. Carol Dweck
The power of yet.
I heard about a high school in Chicago where students had to pass a certain number of courses to graduate, and if they didn’t pass a course, they got the grade “Not Yet.” And I thought that was fantastic, because if you get a failing grade, you think, I’m nothing, I’m nowhere. But if you get the grade “Not Yet” you understand that you’re on a learning curve. It gives you a path into the future.
Read more at TED Talks >>Tagged: Choices, Personal characteristics
