Time to Stop Hiding

For the next 4 weeks I’ll be posting some seemingly random stuff. It’s not random, I promise. It’s all for Seth Godin’s AltMBA program. Learn more about the AltMBA here.

After posting about my newest project here (I decided to move forward with just the second goal fyi). I received feedback from 5 fellow altMBAer’s that pushed me to reconsider my approach.

My formal written reconsideration is below...

Wow! Reading the comments, watching Seth Godin’s “Getting Feedback” video, mentally leaping to make changes, then rereading each comment is a powerful tonic!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to comment on my Project #1. I appreciate your candor.

Allow me to make the biggest leap first. Jamie forced me to level with myself about why I’m undertaking this attempt to alter the college admissions process fundamentally. And ya know what? It exposed me. Prioritizing why I feel committed to this goal three of my bullets stood out. First, I’m gravely concerned by the state of education in the United States. Students are fed more fear than courage. That’s a major problem. I’m dedicated to reversing that imbalance, no matter what it takes. The stakes are too high.

Integral to my educational calling is my family. My father and grandfather build a company based on helping good people who catch bad breaks. I’m indebted to not only their successes but the example they’ve laid before my feet. Writing this and thinking of what they’ve accomplished my eyes are swelling with tears of pride.

And now the hard truth. I want to be known. I want to be recognized. I want to be famous and rich. But mostly famous. Something about making an impact in the world people can point to and say, “Woah,” is viscerally attractive to me. Watching people my age create software that propels them from dorm room to conference stage; I’m inspired to believe it’s within reach. I know this sounds shallow, it might be; but I’m not going to hide from it.

I was overjoyed to have someone (Joe) with a background in higher education comment on this project. He’s right. The ZAT isn’t going to be an overnight success. No way. Too much inertia. I’m going to think about my siege of the system in two distinct tracks. Track one is recruiting students who are willing/able/in need of a new option. Track two is building alliances with stakeholders in the higher educational system. Then leveraging these alliances to find places where the ZAT can grow. It will take time. Good, I have it. No shortcuts just incremental steps to allow the inevitable and unforgiving bend of history to prove my efforts worthwhile.

Jacob comments awoke me to a huge asset I hadn’t considered as such. Every student who takes the ZAT can be an advocate for others in two significant ways. One, their performance in college and beyond can be another data point in my favor. Two, they can tell others, spread the story to their peers.

Furthermore, Tomas’s comments helped me realize something else — the SAT doesn’t have to be an “enemy.” It can just be. The ZAT and the SAT will likely co-exist for some time to come. That’s fine. Using the SAT to brand the ZAT is one thing but railing against a 50+-year-old system will see me labeled “crazy” long before “visionary.” Better to frame the ZAT as a different and complementary test.

Derek and Colby’s comments pushed me to rethink the plan of attack. How can it be more specific? More concrete? More room for accountability? I’ve amended my plan to incorporate this feedback into a combined plan of action/deadline outline below:

What’s the plan of action (italicized lines were additions from v1 to v2)?

• Finish building the testing platform (website/questions/test taker experience) and show it off to altMBA7 (October 1st).
• Share ZAT with any education involved altMBA7ers to get their feedback (October 2nd).
• I take the test and show off my answers to altMBA7 (October 2nd-9th).
• Read and summarize 3 books on standardized testing, share summaries with altMBA7 allies (October 31st).
• Connect with 5 different high school administrators/college counselors to solicit their feedback and share feedback with continued altMBA7 allies (October 31st).
• Connect with 5 different college admissions professionals to solicit their participation feedback and share feedback with continued altMBA7 allies (October 31st)
• Identify two small private colleges that are willing to accept the ZAT (November 30th).
• Identify and partner with 10 diverse high schools to execute a 50 student pilot run (December 15th).
• Execute test and share results with continued altMBA7 allies (February 5–12th).
• Evaluate and plan a 200 student test (Fall 2017).
• Notify altMBA7 of the dates and find ways they can notify their alma-maters/colleagues/allies to assist in spreading the story. (March 15th).
• In 2017 talk to 1500 students (60 sessions with 25 students) about their emotions/thoughts surrounding college admissions, standardized testing) and summarize+share what I’ve learned.

Finally, Colby’s comments about emotion are spot on. I want to make emotion a more transparent part of the ZAT. Both my fear of starting a new venture that could fail and fear that students feel throughout their schooling. The ZAT can be a tool for dismantling some of that fear if that’s a piece of the story that I make front and center.

Thanks, everyone! Onward and upward!