THE GAME
Set at the mythical Tabletop University, Success Prints Crash Course is the board game that challenges players to manage their time strategically between academic performance and social connections, all while handling stress, earning enough money to pay tuition, and responding to unforeseen life events.
You’ve probably heard students ask, “How do I balance it all?” as they transition to higher education. So much to juggle; class, work, social life, family responsibilities, and a large number of unknowns— there’s a lot to keep in play.
Success Prints Crash Course invites players to explore the ups and downs of college life, and learn the rules of the game before the consequences are real!
WHO’S IT FOR?
We designed Success Prints Crash Course to be fun and informative for anyone interested in learning how to balance the many demands of college life. The game works great with the following groups:
COLLEGE STUDENTS
Perfect for the first-year seminar, the game teaches about the many resources on campus. It’s also a fun way to build community whether in orientation groups or in the residence halls.
STUDENTS & FAMILIES
Great for the student preparing to go to college. The game demystifies college’s ‘hidden curriculum’ by introducing key people and programs on campus committed to supporting student success.
And as you can see from the video below, it’s fun to play with the whole family.
FACULTY and STAFF
Excellent for helping today’s higher education professionals realize the many demands that students face. A perfect addition to new faculty and staff orientation or a workshop for long-time professors and staff.
HOW IT’S PLAYED
Approximating the first semester, each week players look to their schedule to decide how to spend their 12 blocks of time. Some weeks, there are social events like a football game or an art opening. Other weeks, there is an assignment due. Many weeks have both an event AND an assignment. Just like real life.
Strategizing how to use time between class, assignments, work, hobbies, social events, and campus programs/resources is the name of the game. Players must be careful as spending too much time each week without rest will result in stress!
FINDING BALANCE
In order for players to be successful in college, they must balance the social and academic spheres of their lives, including the following factors:
Fail to set aside time to sleep and you’ll gain stress!
Going to class and using academic resources earns points for Midterms & Finals.
You’ll need at least 10 cash to pay for next semester.
GPA is earned during midterms, finals, and weekly assignments.
Social is earned by attending events and building friendships!
THE CARDS
Throughout a player’s time at Tabletop University, they will encounter many challenges faced by first-year students. Successful players learn, through playing, that there is a balance to college life that helps them achieve success!
FRIENDS
THE PEOPLE WHO’VE GOT YOUR BACK.
Remember, friendships require upkeep. Some friends are always going out downtown, requiring cash upkeep. Other friends are great study buddies. At the end of the day, it’s important to pick your friends wisely.
ASSIGNMENTS
CHOOSING A MAJOR DOES NOT HAVE TO BE STRESSFUL.
Players are dealt assignments a first-year student may receive in college. This gives players a window into what the coursework for each type of major may be like when they arrive at college.
LIFE HAPPENS
THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE AWFUL, AND THE AWESOME.
You never know what’s going to happen. One week you may be taste-testing peanut butter in the food lab for cash; the next you may have lost your homework. Part of life is rolling with it.
SO MANY PEOPLE SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS.
From the Financial Aid Office that can assist with accessing money to pay for school to the Career Center that can help you in landing a paid internship, every campus is full of resources. It’s up to you to realize their benefits!
CAMPUS EXPLORATION
WANT THE GAME?
WHAT IS BEING SAID
About Success Prints Crash Course
From Eric Waldo, host of swampED podcast, episode 221 - Fighting the Power: Oversight and Transparency in Higher Ed, Published March 21, 2019
“It’s sort of like a ‘Game of Life’ but for college and how would you actually handle being on a college campus and was designed with students, by students. It has the life moments whether, you know, dorm room parties, study halls, the different points system, the money you get, etc. and really kind of teaches what people describe as the hidden curriculum of college. I’m really excited about the enthusiasm that they generated at SXSW because the more we can do to make education something that is ingrained in students and we can gamify it and make it fun and just get that information out there, it’s really fun and exciting. It’s one of the things I saw that I thought, ‘wow, someone is trying to think about this in a different way than in a classic way and in a way that maybe will trick students to thinking about college and learning some key skills that they will need to be successful there.”
From Listening to Learn & Innovate: Reflections from a Non-Traditional Higher Education Event, published April 26, 2019 by Alex Aljets, Student Success Portfolio Manager, Oregon State University, on LinkedIn blog.
“. . . as a board game aficionado, I was immensely excited to learn about Dr. Tricia Seifert’s work to create a college transitions board game for high school students designed around the needs and challenges new students described when navigating college. The game is informed by Tricia’s research on student learning, development and success; she heads the Department of Education at Montana State University. In the game, players navigate “Tabletop University” as new students, allocating precious time tokens between academic, work, and social pursuits. Overcommit yourself and you get stress tokens that count against you later. I had an opportunity to play at the event. It was fun! The group of us higher education professionals had a great time geeking out over all the different creative elements of the game. As a former academic advisor, I particularly appreciated that it incorporates resource cards that introduce students to campus services like office hours, the counseling center, and tutoring. If this sounds neat to you too, you can follow the progress of their project, called Blueprints for Student Success, via Twitter, Facebook, or this blog.”
