For this cafe, Professor Schwarz gave a talk on his book about moving from high school to college and the few years post college.

Schwarz assessment of the senior year in high school and first few months in college really resonated with me. The frenzy of college admissions from the test scores to the actual application process was a fairly accurate portrayal of my experience. More importantly, he discussion of the first months in college made me wish I heard his talk a two years ago. The first few months at Cornell are so full of different obligations and opportunities that it is very easy to get overwhelmed. It is important to teach freshmen to take it slow and to not fear getting lost in the process.

Another topic I enjoyed was his defense of the American higher educational system. The system is often criticized, but such a large system will of course have places for improvement. However, it is important to recognize what is being done correctly. Moreover, the critiques can often be contradictory. “Allow more access to college, but also limit college debt” or “Increase mental health services, but also decrease tuition costs”.  People want goals that go against each other to be completed.