How College Makes or Breaks Us: A Conversation with Author Paul Tough on How Young Americans Navigate the Complex Processes of Applying for and Attending College and Moving on to Successful Adult Live

Best-selling author Paul Tough digs deeply into big ideas, and that certainly is true in his latest book, The Years that Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us. Paul spent six years exploring colleges in 21 states, including sitting through freshman calculus at the University of Texas and a philosophy class at Princeton. He interviewed faculty, SAT tutors and students from all walks of life, concluding that higher education as an engine of social mobility is breaking down.   Paul brings these issues to life through the chronicles of first-generation students trying to overcome barriers to admission to prestigious schools, community college students hoping to attain jobs that will pay the bills, and well-to-do students seeing their teen years defined by the anxiety that comes with intense parental pressure, high-stakes tests and frenetic schedules of résumé-building activities. He joins Marti & Erin this week to discuss highlights of what he learned and to offer action steps for college admissions, alumni, and public officials who make decisions on higher education funding.   What was your own path with regard to higher education and how did that work for you? How is that likely to be the same or different for your children? What ideas do you have for making good higher education attainable for the millions of young people who need it?   Related Resources: To learn more about Paul Tough, click here. How College Makes or Breaks Us Book Tour: To find out when Paul is in a city near you, click here. To listen to How Children Succeed podcast with Paul Tough, click here. To listen to Environments and Experiences that Promote Grit, Character and Success podcast with Paul Tough, click here.