Research + News

How Our Obsession With College Prep Hurts Kids

Most schools say they’re preparing children for college and a career. Ted Dintersmith argues that today’s K-12 education is preparation for neither. Read the article here.

Why Rural Michigan Teens Are Skipping Out On College. It’s Not Grades

The road to college can be scary for small town teens. Read the article here.

How I Helped My Kids Decide What To Do After High School

Growing Leaders president Tim Elmore provides a summary of what he and his wife did to prepare their kids for their post-secondary experience. Read his blog post here.

The Value Of Education

Young people are getting paid less than their contemporaries in the year 2000. Take a look at the data here.

The Perils Of Pushing Kids Too Hard, And How Parents Can Learn To Back Off

“Ask your kids the question ‘Am I pushing you too hard?’ ” says Colleen Fawcett, Wilton Youth Services coordinator. Don’t just ask once, she says, ask it periodically and keep the line of communication open. Read the article here.

What Parents And Students Should Look For In Colleges And Majors

Tim Elmore blogs some suggestions for both parents and students as they consider different college options. Read the post here.

3 Reasons That Career And Technical Education Doesn’t Preclude College

Confronting some misconceptions about future learners.

Read the full article here.

6 Questions College Students Must Be Ready To Answer

Students must be armed with at least six apologetics to be ready to answer the hardest questions they’ll face from professors as well as fellow students. Read the article from Cameron Cole on The Gospel Coalition website here.

Is Gen Z The Most Success-Oriented Generation?

A key characteristic of Gen Z is that their expectations are largely shaped around themes of academic and career success—more so than any other generation we’ve observed. Read the research from Barna here.

College Board CEO: How Religious Education Helps Us Rethink The College Admissions Race

The “soulcraft” found in faith-based learning is just what higher ed needs right now. Read the article here.

Share Of American Young Adults Living With Their Parents Highest In 75 Years

According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, 33% of 25-29 year olds lived with their parents or grandparents in 2016. Read the article here.

A New Study Shows That Students Learn Way More Effectively From Print Textbooks Than Screens

While new forms of classroom technology like digital textbooks are more accessible and portable, it would be wrong to assume that students will automatically be better served by digital reading simply because they prefer it. Read the article here.

Students Want Faster Degrees. Colleges Are Responding

Colleges are offering accelerated degrees, giving students the opportunity to graduate sooner and with less debt, but is this a good idea? Read the article here.

Teens Turn To Trades To Turn A Dollar

Today’s trend-setting teens are ditching the debt load of a four-year college degree in favor of learning trades and earning technical degrees. Read the article here.

Oldest Students In Class Most Likely To Attend College

The study found that those who were almost a year older for their grade were more likely to enroll in college (58 percent) than those who were almost a year younger for their grade (52 percent). Read the article here.

College Drinking Culture In Spain, Argentina, And The USA: An Examination Of Impulsivity, College Alcohol Beliefs, And Alcohol Outcomes

Perceptions about alcohol’s role in the college experience have been spread through various media including television and movies. This study adds to the growing literature showing college alcohol beliefs are linked to harmful alcohol outcomes. Read the full article here.

Higher Education Is Drowning In BS

Christian Smith argues that higher education is drowning and that it’s mortally corrosive to society. Read the article here.

It’s Time To Tell Your Kids It Doesn’t Matter Where They Go To College

You don’t need to go to a highly selective college to have a successful and fulfilling life. Read the article here.

Preparing Your Kids For College

Jim Burns writes on preparing your kids for college on the HomeWord blog. Read the post here.

A Game Plan To Prepare Yourself And Your Child To Head Off To College

Tim Elmore suggests different themes for discussion each month from now until your student heads off to college in the fall. Read his suggestions here.

The Research On What Creates Satisfied And Successful Kids

What Did the Most Extensive Longitudinal Study Discover About Kids? Read the blog post from Tim Elmore here.

Why An Honors Student Wants To Skip College And Go To Trade School

As worries about student debt rise, states and businesses increasingly push faster, cheaper paths to the workplace; parents are stumped. Read the article here.

How Is Digital Text Affecting Student Comprehension?

Researchers found that digital reading was faster but less effective as a tool for helping students process and learn information. Read more from the Growing Leaders’ blog post here.

Video Games As Varsity Sports At Some Colleges

Student-athletes compete in online games such as League of Legends, Overwatch and Hearthstone with other teams in the National Association of Collegiate Esports. Read the article here.

The Return Of The Classic Apprenticeship

Tim Elmore blogs that he’s happy to see apprenticeships making a comeback, but what do they look like in today’s workplace environment? Read the blog post here.

How To Build Snowmen From A Snowflake Generation

Read Tim Elmore’s blog about how and why “snowflakes’ appeared and what we can do to turn them into strong leaders. Read his blog post here.

Most Big Public Colleges Don’t Track Suicides, AP Finds

Nearly half of the largest U.S. public universities do not track suicides among their students, despite making investments in prevention at a time of surging demand for mental health services. Read the article here.

Laptops Are Great. But Not During A Lecture Or A Meeting.

Step into any college lecture hall and you are likely to find a sea of students typing away at open, glowing laptops as the professor speaks. Read the article here.

Help Teens Balance Jobs, College Apps During The Holidays

Parents can help high school seniors set boundaries with employers during the holidays so students have time for college applications. Read the article here.

Three Money Conversations Every Teen Should Have With Their Parents

Some conversations that families need to have around the topic of money. Read the article here.

The Home Stretch: Supporting Your College-Bound Child In Their Senior Year

Ready or not, prepared or not, after years of hard work and preparation, your child is in the final, defining and transitory, senior year of high school. Read the article here.

Generation Z Under Academic Pressure

In the age of globalization, it’s no surprise Generation Z members feel pressure about what to be when they grow up. Read the article here.

Nearly A Third Of College Kids Think ADHD Meds Boost Grades

But adolescent health experts say there’s no evidence to support that belief. Read the article here.

Yale Saves Fragile Students From A Carving Of A Musket

Yale’s Committee on Art in Public Spaces has discovered that a stone carving that has adorned an entrance to Sterling Memorial Library since it opened 86 years ago has become “not appropriate.” Read the article here.

The Beloit College Mindset List: Class of 2021

Beloit College Releases the Mindset List for This Year’s Entering Class of First-Year College Students.

Read the list here.

College Grads Have Nothing To Hide From Employers On Social Media

A few even think of their followings as an asset to employers. Read the article here.

Gap Year Planning

What is a gap year — and what does it mean to take one?

Read the article here.

Snapchat Throws Lifeline To College Papers

Some beleaguered college pubs are getting a boost, and possibly a new lease on life, courtesy of mobile visual messaging platform Snapchat. Read the article here.

How To Respond When Young People Doubt God

Fuller Youth Institute’s Brad Griffin says that “often what’s underneath those outbursts [of doubt] are really important questions.” Read his blog post here.

Five Decisions Every Freshman Needs To Make

First year students are about to enter an entirely new experience, and meet peers in a new environment for them. Read Tim Elmore’s blog about their upcoming decisions here.

Georgia Professor Allows Stressed Out Students To Choose Their Own Grades

A professor at the University of Georgia will allow his fall semester students to pick their own grades in an effort to reduce the stress levels of his students. Read the article here.

How To Nurture Positive Doubting

Many of us believe (or perhaps we fear) that if we question some of the fundamentals of the faith, we’re somehow “flawed” as Christians. Read the article here.

Top Questions To Ask College Students Before They Head To School

Kara Powell blogs for Fuller Youth Institute and says “it’s never too early to start thinking about life after high school.” Read the blog post here.

Why Go To College?

IIn partnership with the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), Barna asked American adults about their beliefs on the primary purpose of a college education. Read the results here.

Why Aren’t Students Showing Up For College?

According to research from Harvard, between 10% and 40% of the kids who intend to go to college at the time of high school graduation don’t actually show up in the fall. Education researchers call this phenomenon “summer melt,” and it has long been a puzzling problem. Listen to the story on NPR here.

8 Life Skills Your Teen Needs Before Starting College

When high school graduates move out of the house, many parents wonder “Are they ready?” or “Will they be OK?”

Read the article here.

The Surprising Effect Of Marijuana Legalization On College Students

After Oregon legalized the drug, its use went up—but mainly among teens who also binge-drink.

Read the article here.

Distressed Borrowers Say Student Debt Help Was Anything But

USA Today highlights experiences with so-called student loan debt help companies. Read the article here.

The Latest Research On Helping Students To Fail Forward

Are students passing classes even though they don’t complete assignments and they often fail tests? Tim Elmore explores this topic in a blog post.

Read his blog here.

4 Things Your Professors Wish You Knew Before You Start College

Here’s what several professors around the country offered as their advice for incoming freshmen. Read the article here.

Mis-Educating The Young

In this article for the New York Times, David Brooks says, “People in their 20s seem to be compelled to bounce around more, popping up here and there, quantumlike, with different jobs, living arrangements and partners while hoping that all these diverse experiences magically add up to something.”

Read the rest of the article here.

Poor Sleep Habits = Poor Grades

Study of college students finds regular slumber schedule a key to success. Read the article here.

Teens Invent ‘Smart Straw’ To Combat Date Rape

Three teenagers have developed a “Smart Straw,” which detects common date rape drugs in drinks. Read the article here.

Out Of The Nest

Tips for Successfully Launching Your Kids into College. A blog post from Rhett Smith for Fuller Youth Institute. Read the blog here.

5 Books More Christian High Schoolers Should Read

Christian classical school teacher Matthew Farrelly chooses five books more Christian high schoolers should be encouraged to read for Christianity Today. Read the list here.

Connecting With College Students Over Break: They’re Bringing Home More Than Their Laundry

Stephen Argue writes this for a blog for Fuller Youth Institute:

“The child you said goodbye to in the fall isn’t the same one who’s coming home this summer. Beyond their laundry, they’re bringing home other things that you need to consider.”

Read the full post here.

Adolescence Is a Gift, But Extended Adolescence Is a Trap

Nebraska senator Ben Sasse wants parents to get serious about shepherding kids into responsible adulthood. Read the article from Christianity Today here.

How to Get Your 20-Something Out of the Basement

A guest post from Andrew McPeak on the Growing Leaders blog. Read the blog here.

The Coddling Of The American Mind

In the name of emotional well-being, college students are increasingly demanding protection from words and ideas they don’t like. Here’s why that’s disastrous for education—and mental health.

Read the article here.

Potemkin Universities

Most campuses are bubbles of unearned self-congratulation. Read the article here.

College Students May Forget Class Content To Protect Self-Image

New research suggests forgetting content from a stressful math class may be one way to protect an individual’s belief that they are good at math. Read the article here.

This Is What American Teenagers Want To Be When They Grow Up

When it comes to careers, young people have stars in their eyes. Read the article here.

4 Answers for Parents About College-Level Classes in High School

These classes often require more independent learning and study time outside of class.

Read the article here.

Montreat students call life covenant ‘divisive’

MONTREAT – Some Montreat College students say the school’s new community life covenant, which has prompted some faculty members to leave, has divided the normally close-knit campus. Read the full article here.

Sun safety: hard lessons for college students

(NBC News) A recent study finds that despite college students’ quest for knowledge, real-world lessons about skin cancer are totally lost on many young adults.

Dr. Corey Basch of William Paterson University in New Jersey surveyed more than 300 students. 72 knew someone diagnosed with skin cancer, or even had it themselves, yet those students were more likely to sunbathe and get sunburned, huge risk factors for skin cancer. Read the full article here.

College students benefit from later class times

Starting school later may seem like just schoolkid’s dream; However, for college-age students, starting school later may be an academic advantage.

Some people argue that studying during the early morning is the optimal time for the brain to perform complex comprehension tasks. But a new study shows that sayings such as “the early bird catches the worm” may not apply to studying habits. Read the full article here.

What prospective college students need to know before they go — or owe

Why so many college students are lousy at writing — and how Mr. Miyagi can help

There are a lot of students who enter college as lousy writers — and who graduate without seeming to make much, if any, improvement. It is true in the arts as well as the sciences, anecdotally evidenced by some of the blog post submissions I get from a wide range of people whose jobs would suggest they can communicate well in writing but, as it turns out, not so much. Read the full article here.

College Students Regret A Lot Of Their Spring Break Behavior

Ask a few college students what spring break means, and you’ll probably hear a few common themes: sun, sand, drinking, hookups and … regret.

Read the article here.

Nearly Half Of Young Millennials Get Thousands In Secret Support From Their Parents

From the CNBC article:

“Forget buying a home — even renting a room is out of reach to many young people, especially in big cities. Wages have stagnated but rents haven’t, meaning workers just out of college are in a bind: To live where the jobs are, they need help.

For almost half of them, though they don’t often admit it, that help comes from their parents.”

Read the rest of the article here.

College Students Seem To Take Longer To Recover From Concussion

Average is 1-2 weeks, but study found some kids needed more than 3 weeks to get better.

Read the article here.

A Good Night’s Sleep A Better Alternative To Teen Nap Clubs

A look at lack of sleep, teen naps clubs, and the pressures high schoolers face, especially the pressure of getting accepted to college. Read the article here.

When College Kids Surf the Web in Class, Grades Fall

Study finds the habit hurts academics, and supports the notion of leaving laptops at home. Read the article here.

High Cost Of Education Limits Career Choices For Millennials

We’ve all seen the staggering student loan debt statistics: It averages more than $20,000 and 69% of Millennials have student loan debt, according to the Federal Reserve of New York. What the numbers don’t tell us is what is going on in Millennials’ minds before they take on this debt.

Read the rest of the article here.

KU Library Workers Push Inclusion Wearing Preferred Gender Pronoun Buttons

As part of a campaign promoting inclusion at the University of Kansas, school library workers are donning buttons announcing their preferred gender pronouns.

Read the full article here.

The “Post-Truth” World of Academia

From the article, “Radical ideas that defy reality can flourish at Universities that indoctrinate students with intellectual insanity while inculcating them against Biblical morality.”

Read the article here.

Connecting With College Students Over Break

Parents all over the country are anticipating their young adult kids coming home for the holiday break. For some, it’s the first time they’ve been home since they sent them off and set them up for the college school year. Home will feel like home again.

Read more of this blog post from Steve Argue on the Fuller Youth Institute site by clicking here.

A Professor In Post-Truth America

A look at truth, lies, and a “post-truth” culture from Rod Dreher. Read the blog post here.

Five Actions That Form a Healthy Identity

Tim Elmore blogs about the shift he’s seen during his lifetime reflecting the growing emphasis on personal self-esteem.

Read the blog post here.

How Colleges Are Fighting The Freshman 15

For parents worried about their college freshmen struggling academically or partying, add one more concern to the list: their food choices.

Read the article here.

The Dangerous, Costly Phenomenon (That Only Affects High School Seniors)

A closer look at senioritis, why it matters, how to address it, and how school counselors can make a difference.

Read the article here.

Does Selling Alcohol At College Sporting Events Make The Drinking Problem Worse?

From the article from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse:

“With the knowledge of the dangers of college binge drinking, many campuses have cracked down on student alcohol consumption. Yet others have begun selling alcohol at sporting events. The number of schools selling alcohol at football games more than doubled over the past six to seven years.”

Read the post here.

Let’s Kiss Dating Hello

A sociologist reveals her research about ‘ring by spring’ culture on a Christian college campus for Christianity Today. Read the article here.

5 Reasons Today’s College Students Are Nothing Like We Were

How can we connect with young people? The first step is understanding them. Read this blog post from Fuller Youth Institute here.

What You Need to Know About the ‘Red Zone,’ When Campus Sexual Assaults Spike

The “red zone” is a period from the beginning of fall semester to about Thanksgiving break when sexual assaults on U.S. college campuses seem to spike. Although every student, regardless of age or gender, is at risk, freshman females are the most vulnerable.

Read the full article here.

A Hostile System? How Colleges are Responding to Campus Sexual Assaults

As college students cope with concerns about grades and fitting in, they are also confronting one of the most painful issues playing out on their campuses every day — sexual assault.

Read the article here.

You Won’t Believe What Some Students Blow School Loan Money On

About half of students blow some of their school loan money on non-educational expenses, including 3% who spent it on alcohol and drugs, according to a new Student Loan Hero survey.

Read the full article here.

College Students Say ‘Drunkorexia’ Is More Than a Buzzword

A growing number of college are banning hard liquor on campus in a move to curb extreme drinking — but students are still getting their party on, and some are adding an extra element of risk to their binges.

Read the full article here.

Pot Use Rises on College Campuses, While Other Drug Use Declines

More college students are getting high on pot, and those who do smoke are getting stoned more frequently, according to the national Monitoring the Future study.

Read the article here.

Android or iPhone? Teens’ Favorites Hint At College Plans

It turns out that choosing an Apple iPhone (or a Google Android device) has implications well beyond bragging rights or peer pressure at your local high school. New data shows that phone choices convey a lot about teens’ likely college plans, too.

Read the article here.

9-Yr-Old Starts College, Wants to Become Astrophysicist: ‘I Want to Prove That God Does Exist’

While most other 9-year-olds are in fourth grade, William Maillis has graduated high school and is currently enrolled in college with plans to become an astrophysicist. Read his story here.

The Perils of Adolescence: The Risks of Underage and College Drinking

The age of adolescence is the most heightened part of development in humans. A time where risk taking is at its highest effect and may include the abuse of alcohol.

Read the article here.

Helicopter Parents Have Landed On Campus. Here’s How To Handle Them

In an age where college students can Skype, email and Snapchat with their families faster than it takes to read this sentence, it’s easy for parents to stay involved in the lives of their children who’ve flown the coop.

Read the full article here.

5 Money Lessons Teens Should Learn Before They Go To College

Have a high-schooler in the house? Here’s what you need to teach them, pronto.

Read the article here.

Textbook Trends: How U.S. College Students Source Course Materials

More than two-thirds (69%) of total expenditure on course textbooks continues to go towards print materials, according to data from Nielsen’s U.S. Student Attitudes Towards Content in Higher Education report. Read the article here.

How Colleges Use Kids’ Social Media Feeds

Learn how what you post can hurt — and help — the admissions process. Read the blog from Common Sense Media here.

Trauma From Childhood Bullying May Persist Into College

Seven Surprising Facts About College Students

These statistics offered from Tim Elmore might be helpful to pass along to a freshman, just entering the world away from home. Read the blog post here.

Forced Readings: A Twisted View of Censorship on Campus

This Salvo Magazine article takes a look at how liberal education is redefining censorship. Read the article here.

Making Modern Toughness

When I ask veteran college teachers and administrators to describe how college students have changed over the years, I often get an answer like this: “Today’s students are more accomplished than past generations, but they are also more emotionally fragile.” Read the full article here.