You have probably heard the expression, “A big fish in a
small pond,” but did you know it was referring to Canadian University
College? First proposed in the early
1990s by educational psychologist Herbert Marsh, simply stated the Big Fish Little Pond Effect (BFLPE) is that most students will experience greater
academic success and satisfactory entry into their chosen career if they attend
a moderately-sized non-exclusive, open-admission school than they would at a
large, elite, institution that accepts only
the very best and brightest students.
In his latest book, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, Malcolm
Gladwell devotes an entire section to BFLPE.
He illustrates the effect with the story of Caroline Sacks, a bright
young lady who loved science and dreamed of being a physician since she was seven
years old. Because she was academically
gifted, Sacks went to Brown University, a very elite and competitive
institution. The future seemed bright
for Sacks . . . until she took Organic Chemistry.
Gladwell writes, If you were to rank all the students in the
world who were taking organic chemistry, Sacks would have been in the 99th
percentile. But, at Brown University Sacks was not comparing herself to all the
students in the world. She was comparing
herself to her fellow students. She was
a little fish in one of the deepest and most competitive ponds in the world—and
the experience of comparing herself to all the other brilliant fish shattered
her confidence.
This experience so demoralized Sacks that she abandoned her
dream of becoming a doctor and changed her major. There is overwhelming statistical evidence
that had Sacks gone to a school like CUC, she would have completed her degree
in science and her dream of being a doctor would have come true. (Links to some interesting studies can be found at the end of this article.)
Canadian University College’s moderate size, culture of
cooperation, and willingness to give all qualified applicants a chance to earn
a university degree are its most potent strengths. When it comes to ensuring students have the
opportunity to complete the degree of their choice and fulfill lifelong dreams,
CUC is not an underdog; it is a leader!
I recently heard a speaker say, “Education
has changed more in the last 365 days than it has in the last 365 years.” She’s right!
Over the next few years we will see at CUC dramatic changes in how university
education takes place. While we make several
exciting changes to our recipe for student success, the ingredients that matter
most, personal attention and a culture of cooperation, will not change. I am proud to be part of an institution that
offers students a double portion of those powerful, life-changing ingredients.
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