#068 How to Get the Most Out Of College with Elliot Felix

Flourish Coaching

May 2, 2023

In this episode Lisa and Elliot discuss:

The importance of trying new things before college.
Changing the mindset from where to go to college to how to go to college.
How to encourage your high schooler to know themselves.
Instilling resiliency in your children of any age.

Key Takeaways:

Think about your college experience as something you design to fit your personality and dreams. Design your college experience to what you love, don’t just drift through aimlessly.
Do a bunch of stuff! Curate experiences, both good and bad, to figure out what you do like, what you don’t like, and everything in between.
Nothing you try is a waste of time – every failure tells you just as much about yourself as successes do.
With a bit of research before a college tour, you can tailor your experience to what you want out of college, not just the general information given to all students.

“Before you get to college, you want to test lots of things out, whether it’s an instrument, a club, a sport, an internship, or something career-related. See what’s resonating. You’re trying to help students find their people, find their place, find their path, and that doesn’t happen by accident.”

– Elliot Felix

About Elliot Felix:

Elliot Felix is an author, speaker, teacher, father, and consultant to more than a hundred colleges and universities. He uses his background in design to make college work for all students by improving the spaces they learn and live in, the support services they rely on, and the technology they use. Over the last 20 years, he has spoken at SXSW Edu, taught courses on innovation, and worked with top universities like Carnegie Mellon, MIT, NYU, NC State, and the University of Virginia. Brightspot Strategy, the education consulting company he founded in 2011 was acquired by Buro Happold in 2020 and has improved the experience of more than 1,000,000 students. You can find his work in Fast Company, Forbes, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. His book How to Get the Most Out of College was published in January 2022 by Alinea Learning. He lives in Minneapolis with his son Theo, daughter Nora, and wife Liz.