Get the latest updates on our work to support student well-being and academic engagement.

[link removed]
[link removed] Share ([link removed])
[link removed]: https%3A%2F%2Fmailchi.mp%2Fchallengesuccess%2Fcollege-oct2019 Tweet ([link removed]: https%3A%2F%2Fmailchi.mp%2Fchallengesuccess%2Fcollege-oct2019)
[link removed] Forward ([link removed])


** What Matters in College Admissions?
------------------------------------------------------------

For many high school seniors, the stress of college admissions ramps up this time of year as early decision and early action application deadlines are approaching and final SAT and ACT testing dates are looming. Rather than expecting this to be a time of angst and anxiety, we encourage students, parents, and educators to pause and reflect on how the college process can be a time for exploration and self-discovery where teens can consider college choices that honor who they are and where they will thrive and be most engaged. The process offers opportunities for students to navigate joys, disappointments, and tough choices, and to practice resilience and independence.

Research shows that finding a “good fit” college where you can be engaged is more important for student learning, job satisfaction, and well-being than going to a highly ranked school. Here are several resources to share with students, parents, and educators to support a healthier, more balanced approach to college admissions. You can also find this info on the Resources ([link removed]) section of our website.

* Read Denise Pope’s latest blog post for parents, “A Different Kind of College Prep (#diffprep) ."
* Check out “Ten Tips for Surviving the College Application Process (#10tips) ” for juniors and seniors.
* Host a Challenge Success community education workshop for parents, students, and educators: A Well-Balanced Perspective on College Fit (#fit) .
* Share our white paper, A "Fit" Over Rankings: Why College Engagement Matters More Than Selectivity, ([link removed]) and a 2-minute video ([link removed]) with your networks via email and social media. Encourage your school to share the paper and video in their newsletter or website or host a discussion night like this Virginia school ([link removed]) is doing.
* Share Denise Pope's WSJ article “The Right Way to Choose A College ([link removed]) ."
* Listen to this episode of KQED's Forum ([link removed]) featuring former Challenge Success Research Associate and lead researcher on our white paper, Paul Franz.
* Explore resources from Making Caring Common such as Red Flags for Parents—Are You Putting Too Much Pressure on Your Child During the College Admission Process? ([link removed])

Warmly,
The Challenge Success Team

Do you know a school striving to create a balanced, engaging environment for all students? Learn more about how we partner with schools ([link removed]) or contact [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) for more information.
[link removed]

A Different Kind of College Prep
by Denise Pope, PhD

If you are the parent of a high school student, you may already feel the looming pressure of the college admissions process and the responsibility of making sure your teen is prepared for wherever they may go after high school. We often hear these types of questions from parents of college-bound kids:

● Should my child take more honors level or advanced placement courses?
● Is my child participating in the right number of extracurricular activities?
● What kind of SAT or ACT prep should my child be doing?
● How important are internships or summer work opportunities?
● Is it a problem that they haven’t saved the rainforests or found a cure for cancer?

While these are reasonable questions (well, some of them!), I invite parents to pause and reflect on a different type of college prep that may be more important than focusing on test scores, extracurriculars, and AP’s.
READ FULL POST ([link removed])

[link removed]

Ten Tips for Surviving the College Application Process
by Maureen Brown

1. Organize your info. It sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how many students don’t do it. Keep a folder with all of the college information you receive, and include SAT, ACT, and/or AP scores and dates of upcoming tests so that you have all of these materials in one place.

2. Look at the Common Application early. This will help you to identify what information will be required before you start filling in forms. Gather all of the basic information and try to draft at least the short answer essay before starting your senior year.

3. Decide which teachers you will ask for references and do it before you leave for summer at the end of junior year. Remember, your teachers are busy too. Put together a packet of information for your teachers such as your resume or a list of your activities and interests to help them know more about you.
READ ALL TEN TIPS ([link removed])
[link removed]

A Well-Balanced Perspective on College Fit
What Matters, What Doesn't, and What To Do About It

The college admissions process can be a source of stress and anxiety for students and parents alike. This research-based workshop addresses many of the important questions we hear from families and educators. What do college rankings really measure? Are students who attend more selective colleges better off later in life? What is “fit” and why does it matter?

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.
REQUEST A WORKSHOP ([link removed])

What We Are Reading
* The Truth About College Admissions — From College Admissions Deans ([link removed]) | Washington Post
* ‘Embrace the Struggle’: Stanford Education Professor Challenges Common Beliefs about Teaching and Learning ([link removed]) | Stanford News
* Students in High-Achieving Schools are Now Named an ‘At-Risk’ Group, Study Says ([link removed]) | Washington Post
* The College Admissions Blind Taste Test ([link removed]) | Forbes
* The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us ([link removed]) | Paul Tough

Want to see if Challenge Success will be coming to your community?
Find out where our team will be presenting parent education, professional development, and workshops at other educational conferences.
Check out our CALENDAR ([link removed]) .

============================================================
Strategies for Student Well-Being and Engagement with Learning

** Challenge Success ([link removed])
partners with schools, families, and communities to embrace a broad definition of success and to implement research-based strategies that promote student well-being and engagement with learning. We believe that our society has become too focused on grades, test scores, and performance, leaving little time for kids to develop the skills necessary to become independent, resilient, and ethical individuals. Learn more about our ** impact ([link removed])
and how to ** support ([link removed])
our mission. Challenge Success is a non-profit organization affiliated with the Stanford University Graduate School of Education.
** ([link removed])
** ([link removed])
** ([link removed])
** ([link removed])
** DONATE NOW ([link removed])
Copyright © 2019 Challenge Success, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you signed up on our website or signed up at an event.

Our mailing address is:
Challenge Success
P.O. Box 20053
Stanford, CA 94305
USA
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
.