With Bloomberg Support, Rice University Researcher Maps “How to Succeed in College”
What are common characteristics of student success in college? A team of researchers narrowed it down to several: having a sense of belonging, intrinsic motivation, personal goals and a growth mindset.
A group of academics – including one Rice University professor – reviewed existing research on improved outcomes for college students to see which intrapersonal and interpersonal skills best correlate with success, measured in higher grades and retention.
Six of eight studies reviewed found that a student’s belief that his or her intelligence can grow over time has a positive effect on grade-point average. (The opposite mindset, the researchers said, would be if a student assumed he or she is “smart” or “dumb” but that his or her intelligence would not change.) . .