University admissions can be a stressful and confusing time for both students and parents. With so many programs, schools, and experiences to choose from, students and parents alike can become overwhelmed. In addition to this, there is a great deal of importance placed on ‘student success’ in the university admissions process. But how do we define success?
Last October, Elmwood hosted a watch party in collaboration with Stanford Graduate School of Education and the Canadian Independent School Counselors titled “Challenge Success: A Healthier Approach to Post-Secondary Admissions”. Administered by Challenge Success, this research-based presentation aimed to quell some student and parent anxiety by redefining our conception of success.
Students often conceive of success in material terms. The researchers noted that student definitions of success focused on statements like “I will be rich…”, “I will have…”, or “I will get into X school…”. They also seem to conflate their idea of success with happiness, truly believing that they will only achieve happiness once all their goals have been met. When discussing the idea of success with parents, however, researchers noticed they defined it more abstractly, seeing attributes such as independence, happiness, health, and love as the defining characteristics of success. If adults who are successful determine that success is defined in abstract terms, then it follows hat students should adopt this perspective as well. By adopting this perspective of success, students are able to view their university options with greater discernment.
Did I actually want to go here or did I just want to attend because it’s prestigious?
Am I applying because I am interested in the program or because the school is selective, and therefore impressive?
Does the university’s ranking really matter to me?
Once success is redefined, the question of reputation and prestige is eliminated. Instead of applying to schools simply because of their academic reputation, students are able to explore a broader range of pathways that may suit their needs and interests better. How, you might ask, might parents and students find the school that fits them best without the use of undergraduate academic rankings? The researchers running the event at Challenge Success presented several alternative criteria for achieving success in university admissions: selectivity and engagement.
Selectivity
Highly selective universities are perceived as being better academically and more desirable for parents and students. This, however, is not the case. According to the research done by the team at Challenge Success, going to a highly selective school does not predict better outcomes in education, career opportunities, or satisfaction. In fact, in all measures except income, students who went to selective universities reported about the same outcomes as students who went to less selective schools. Income was only slightly affected by school choice. This research indicates that selectivity of schools is not a good indicator of how “good” of a school it is for your child. While some students might thrive in a highly selective and competitive environment, that is not the case for all students.
Engagement
The second criteria that Challenge Success asked students and parents to consider was that of engagement. When asked, adults answered that the most impactful parts of their university experiences were the opportunities available and the relationships they made - being an engaged member of their university community is what had the greatest impact on their adult life. Challenge Success encouraged students and parents to seek out schools and programs in which they could see themselves being most engaged. Is there a school where they have an interesting co-op opportunity in your field? A mentorship program? A club/society you’ve always wanted to join? A student who is engaged with and passionate about their learning environment and community is primed to achieve success in whichever field they decide to pursue.
By redefining success and readjusting our criteria, students can discover schools and opportunities they may have not otherwise considered. Instead of asking “What is the best school you can get into?”, students should be asking themselves “What school will be best for me?”.
Thank you so much to Jon Kleiman from Challenge Success for sharing your knowledge with all of us. A special thank you to our Director of University Counselling, Ms Alyson Bartlett for organizing this informative event.
Discussion questions for parents and students:
- What are you most excited about learning, doing, and experiencing in university?
- What types of places or settings do you imagine you will most enjoy?
- What are your interests outside of academics that you want to cultivate?
- Are there specific resources, supports, or types of classes that would help you be fully engaged?
- Who do you want to hang out with? What kind of social scene do you want?
Resources: