Traditional Higher Education is Anti-Grit
• John Vandivier
This article argues that higher education should adopt grit-oriented education strategies.
Grit is better than IQ at predicting GPA and college graduation rate.
However, traditional higher education is anti-grit in several ways. If grit is already a dominant factor in spite of institutional resistance, imagine the potential which could be unleashed when institutions proactively enable grit-oriented education.
Grit-oriented higher education would allow for increased academic success and pursuant success such as increased income, welfare, and so on.
A typical 4 year degree program from an accredited institution is anti-grit in at least 2 ways:
- Selection into the program is based on standardized test scores. These scores indicate IQ, but not grit.
- GPA requirements and repeat policies limit the number of times a course may be taken. Grit depends on passion and persistence, but repeat policies prevent students from implementing long-term learning strategies.
- Due to added length and requirement stringency, these policies may significantly and disproportionately impact Ph.D. students. This may contribute to the current Ph.D. attrition crisis and the decline of the Ph.D., alongside weaker income benefits, dramatically higher prices, and better substitutes.
- Relax repeat policies.
- Admit students to study in spite of low standardized test scores if they can demonstrate grit.
- Reduce requirements for the study of material unrelated to the student's key interest. For example, a Chemistry student should have no requirement to take Spanish.
- Reduce the use of standardized testing within classes.
- Focus on continuity of learning within classes, and ideally even between classes through the program. For example, discourage the use of surprise exam questions which are other than that which the student has been practicing.
- Experiment with gamification.