I’ve noticed that families who make the conscious decision to enjoy the college admissions process together ultimately have kids who are not only happier in high school, but also more successful getting into college. It turns out there’s a scientific basis for that outcome.
Shawn Achor wrote The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work. I watched his PBS special last night and if you can get around the fact that it feels a little like an infomercial, the science behind his findings is pretty interesting. The gist is that happiness fuels success, not the other way around. When people are positive, they’re more engaged, motivated, energetic, productive, and generally more successful.
So the families who think that an admission to an Ivy League school will lead to a life of happiness have it backwards. Start by working on your happiness. Be positive about your opportunities in college wherever you go. Be thankful that you live in the country with the most open and accessible system of higher education in the world. And remember that your character traits like work ethic, interest in learning, and the way you treat people will be much more important than the name of the college on your degree.
Happiness really is the best admissions advantage.
Frank says
Great post. I’ve benefited my entire life from having a happiness advantage, and taught this material to college students for more than a year now. I’ve seen firsthand how it changes individuals and the lives of entire families who adopted these principles.
I recently started a project to share the happiness advantage with others through random acts of kindness. Check us out at sharetheadvantage.org and learn more about our project, and read about organizations who are realizing measurable benefits from employing Shawn Achor’s material.