I LEARNED THAT THERE ARE A LOT MORE SOCIAL ACTIVITIES THAN I THOUGHT.

IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY WEEK THERE IS SOMETHING NEW TO DO.”

The quote above was from a student attending a rural high school responding to what they learned about college life after playing Success Prints Crash Course®. This statement provides a window into a need in high school college and career readiness curricula to expand the conversation to the social opportunities that comprise many students’ college experience.

Teachers, counselors, parents — we talk a lot about the academic and financial legs of college preparation. Counselors register students for the right courses to be college ready and assist in the application for both admission and financial aid. Yet, the social side of college life is arguably just as important, but rarely receives much attention outside of what students see in the media or the memories parents share of their college days.

What is typically presented is limited to tailgate parties, fraternity parties, and parties downtown. But there is much more to campus social life and it was one of the parts of the Success Prints Crash Course® game students really seemed to appreciate learning about. They can be social and not just by partying.

Students often have little understanding of how to ‘do college’ once they arrive on campus. They simply do not know about the vast number of opportunities (social and academic). A huge part of college life is figuring out how to manage time between competing demands. 

 Some may suggest that orienting and onboarding students to college life is the responsibility of college staff and faculty. Certainly, this is a reasonable expectation. But for students who arrive for orientation two days before classes start (a disproportionate number of who are lower income and first in the family to go to college), the scene has already started. The quad is thumping with music; the social options seem endless. 

 This is why high school college readiness curricula must address not just the academic side of college attendance but the social. Managing time between going to a football game and tailgate party while completing a class assignment can be a complicated balancing act. Teachers, counselors, parents need to be open and honest with students about responding to competing demands. Success Prints Crash Course® provides that space for those conversations after game play. One student shared after playing, “I learned that there are a lot of things to do in campus life and you have to be smart about how you plan your week.”

Students at Florence-Carlton High School in southwestern Montana play Success Prints Crash Course®.

Educators have the opportunity to talk to students about the multitude of social activities available in any given week on campus. Better than just talking to students, Success Prints Crash Course® gives them the chance to practice managing their time between going to class or work, hanging out with friends, and doing the assignment due Tuesday. 

Leanne Deschamps, English teacher at Florence Carlton High School in southwestern Montana, shared “some of my students were shocked when a student went to every social event in week 1. By week 3, he was headed to the library! As a teacher supporting students' plans for post-high school education, Success Prints Crash Course is an incredible bridge of knowledge to ensure my students' success in college. Success Prints engages students in learning about campus life through an interactive game which teaches students about available campus resources, social activities, and academic programs. One student summed it up best by saying:

"The best part of Success Prints is that you can learn how to divide your time in a way so you can study, earn money, be social, and still get good grades while learning how to handle stress well."

Success Prints Crash Course® is a perfect addition to a college and career readiness curriculum AND is excellent for families to strategize together around the dinner table. Order your copy today!