“There is so much in this innovative book that needs to be heeded by students, faculty, administrators, and policymakers.”
“A must-read for anyone in and around higher education who seeks to empower students to craft their own, more meaningful college-to-career pathways.”
“For anyone supporting college bound students or current undergraduates, Hacking College by Ned Laff, Ph.D. and Scott Carlson is a must read! I am only 48 pages in and IT IS SPOT ON with advice for helping students approach their education holistically and tips for creating meaningful, connected experiences to guide their development and increase career clarity and readiness!”
What is Hacking College?
A college education is one of the most crucial investments a person makes in a lifetime — and it’s a risky venture if you don’t know how to work the rules of the game. For most people, it’s a bet made on the ranking of a college and the name of a major, with lots of people losing those bets.
And colleges struggle to help students figure out career pathways that are both meaningful and marketable — and allow those students to shift into new careers and new roles, as the world continues to change rapidly, demanding expertise that crosses disciplinary boundaries.
How can students prepare to enter a world full of wicked problems?
Welcome to Hacking College.
Hacking College is a framework for helping families, educators, and institutions reimagine how students navigate the path from high school through college and into career. It focuses on agency, design thinking, and practical strategies that cut through the traditional disciplinary silos in higher education.
What is Field of Study?
Field of Study is an approach to exploring academic and career choices with clarity and intention. It helps students connect their interests, strengths, and goals to meaningful opportunities inside and outside the classroom.
When students go through a Field of Study process, they don’t follow a degree map, they design their course of study around their personal motivations, the learning opportunities on campus, and the experiential-learning opportunities they create for themselves.