The college admissions process often feels like the culmination of years of preparation and hard work for students and their parents alike, but in reality, much of the pressure placed on students is misguided. See below for several resources and practical tips parents can implement to help reduce the pressure and honor a broader path to “success”.
The Challenge Success Team
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QUESTIONS TO ASK STUDENTS
Consider asking your students some of these questions to find out more about their experience:
- How much do you worry about getting into the college of your choice?
- What does “success” look like when you think about college and why?
- What are you most excited about learning, doing, and experiencing in college?
- What kind of social scene do you want in college?
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TIPS FOR PARENTS
- Think about the first thing you say at the end of a school day. Does it reflect your family’s definition of “success?”
- Reflect on your stake in where your student goes to college. How is that influencing your student’s choice of colleges?
- Don’t let college dominate every conversation. Establish “college free” zones and plan for specific times to talk about college.
- Help your student make time to unwind, relax, and consider essential questions involved in growing up: Who am I? Do I belong?
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Can’t get enough of the college admissions information? Here are some of our favorite articles and books on the topic.
“Pandemic Creates Longer Wait Times for College Acceptances”
KCBS Radio with Dr. Denise Pope
“Are You Putting Too Much Pressure on Your Child During the College Admissions Process?”
Making Caring Common Project Checklist, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Brennan Barnard’s work
Forbes
Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be
The subtitle of Frank Bruni’s book is “An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania,” a nice summation of what this text accomplishes.
Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions
Jeffrey Selingo examines admissions offices to offer guidance to prospective students on how to honestly assess their strengths and match with the schools that will best serve their interests.
How to Raise an Adult
Julie Lythcott-Haims chronicles the detrimental effects of “overparenting” in high schools, college, and the workplace.
The Truth About College Admission
A Family Guide to Getting In and Staying Together - Brennan Barnard and Rick Clark offer sage advice from both sides of the college process: high school counselor and college admissions officer.
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FOR PARENT COMMUNITIES: HOST OUR COLLEGE WORKSHOP
Bring our popular college workshop to your parent community. Participants will learn practical strategies to help reduce unnecessary pressure around the college admissions process and ways to support their student’s overall well-being and readiness for life in college and beyond.
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FOR EDUCATORS: JOIN OUR SUMMER LEADERSHIP SEMINAR
Join a dynamic group of K-12 school leaders and educators from across the country for a virtual leadership seminar. Through interactive presentations, workshops, and dialogue with peers, you will learn new strategies to improve student well-being and promote academic engagement in your school community.
June 10th or July 27th
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FOR SCHOOLS: TRANSFORM THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE
Whether you are considering school-wide changes to improve school climate, adjusting student schedules, rethinking current assessment practices, or partnering more closely with parents and students through communication efforts, our change process can help. The Challenge Success School Program is a year-long, collaborative partnership that helps schools transform their students’ experience.
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INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING (IFSEL)
Join IFSEL’s upcoming Professional Development events that include institutes, workshops, and online courses. See the options here.
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STANFORD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Interested in other professional learning opportunities with the Stanford Graduate School of Education? Browse the current offerings and subscribe to quarterly updates.
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