Paired Texts > Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail

by Angel B. Pérez

2012

We've identified these texts as great options for text pairings based on similar themes, literary devices, topic, or writing style. Supplement your lesson with one or more of these options and challenge students to compare and contrast the texts. To assign a paired text, click on the text to go to its page and click the "Assign Text" button there.

9th Grade Informational Text 1190L
Conformity
  • CommonLit Staff
  • 2014

The drive to conform to group norms is a powerful force in most people’s lives. This informational text about conformity helps explain why people tend to match their beliefs and behaviors to those around them. 

Pair “Conformity” with “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail” and ask students to discuss how students’ presentation of themselves on college applications could be seen as a type of conformity. Why might students think it is “safer” to present themselves as perfect? Why do you think admission officers would be less excited about a student who has conformed to an ideal of perfection? What are the potential benefits of being more genuine and avoiding conformity when you apply to college?
9th Grade Interview Non-Prose
Students’ Work Ethic Affected by Peer Groups, Desire to Be Popular
  • Shankar Vedantam
  • 2015

The text, transcribed from an original NPR interview segment, reports on the social pressure students feel to be popular in school as well as new research suggesting that among teens, peer pressure and popularity can have significant effects on education.

Pair “Students Work Ethic Affected By Peer Groups, Desire to Be Popular” with “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail” and ask students to discuss how the expectations placed on students can affect how they present themselves. How do the reasons why students avoid signing up for SAT prep courses compare to the reasons why students strive for perfection on a college application? What advice do these two texts give students for succeeding in school and beyond?
8th Grade Informational Text 940L
How Native Students Can Succeed In College: 'Be As Tough As The Land That Made You'
  • Claudio Sanchez
  • 2016

In “How Native Students Can Succeed in College: ‘Be As Tough As The Land That Made You’,” Claudio Sanchez discusses the obstacles Native American students face regarding college and how one particular program has helped.

Pair “How Native Students Can Succeed in College: ‘Be As Tough As the Land that Made You’” with “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail” and ask students to compare how both texts describe the process of applying to college. How do the two texts illustrate different obstacles students face in the application process? How do they comment on the skills and personal qualities that are most important for college success?
10th Grade Speech 1020L
Let’s Teach for Mastery — Not Test Scores
  • Sal Khan
  • 2016

In the TED Talk “Let’s Teach for Mastery — Not Test Scores,” Sal Khan discusses what he believes learning should be based on the mastering of concepts, rather than test scores.

Pair “Let’s Teach for Mastery – Not Test Scores” with “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail” and ask students to discuss the emphasis that is placed on grades in school. How do both texts explore how an emphasis on “perfect” grades disadvantages students? How might teaching for mastery encourage students to have a productive experience with failure?
7th Grade Informational Text
Lessons from failure: Why we try, try again
  • Bethany Brookshire
  • 2015

In the informational text “Lessons from failure: Why we try, try again,” Bethany Brookshire discusses a study that explores how people react to failure and their mindset when they decide to try again.

Pair “Want to get Into College? Learn to Fail” with “Lessons from Failure: Why we try, try again” and ask students to discuss how the two texts portray failure. How do both texts explore what it means to be persistent? What are the benefits of being persistent after experiencing a failure?
10th Grade Informational Text
New math: Fail + try again = real learning
  • Susan Moran
  • 2015

In the informational text “New math: Fail + try again = real learning,” Susan Moran discusses the benefits of failing and trying again when learning something new.

Pair “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail” with “New math: Fail + try again = real learning” and ask students to discuss the importance of failing. What skills does Angel B. Pérez believe students acquire from experiencing failure? How does this compare to the benefits of failure discussed in “New math: Fail + try again = real learning”?
8th Grade Informational Text 1040L
The best way to deal with failure
  • Selin Malkoc
  • 2017

In the informational text “The best way to deal with failure,” Selin Malkoc explores the effects of embracing the negative emotions associated with failure.

Pair “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail” with “The best way to deal with failure” and ask students to discuss the benefits of failing and focusing on that failure. Why might people avoid thinking about their failures, or experiencing failures altogether? How do both texts explore what one could learn from failure, or letting in the negative emotions that come with failure?
8th Grade Informational Text 970L
The Value of Being Confused
  • Barrett Smith
  • 2018

In the informational text “The Value of Being Confused,” Barret Smith discusses the benefits of allowing yourself to be confused.

Pair “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail” with “The Value of Being Confused” and ask students to discuss the importance of struggling, and even failing, to succeed. Explain the connection between feeling confused and allowing yourself to fail at something. What does it mean if you never fail or are never confused?
12th Grade Informational Text
Mentors play critical role in quality of college experience, new poll suggests
  • Leo M. Lambert, Jason Husser, and Peter Felten
  • 2018

In the informational text “Mentors play critical role in quality of college experience, new poll suggests,” Leo M. Lambert, Jason Husser, and Peter Felten discuss how college students benefit from having a mentor.

Pair “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail” with “Mentors play critical role in quality of college experience, new poll suggests” and ask students to discuss how the two texts explore succeeding in college. What are some of the challenges that students think first-year college students might face? How can experiences with failure and some sort of mentor help first-year students overcome some of these challenges?
11th Grade Informational Text
Why double-majors might beat you out of a job
  • Matthew J. Mayhew and Benjamin S. Selznick
  • 2018

In the informational text, “Why double-majors might beat you out of a job,” Matthew J. Mayhew and Benjamin S. Selznick discuss why employers are interested in double-majors.

Pair “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail” with “Why double-majors might beat you out of a job” and ask students to discuss the skills that are valued in college and the work force. What does Angel B. Pérez claim failing can teach students? Do students think that these experiences could also be considered valuable by employers? Why or why not?
12th Grade Opinion
Making college matter
  • Leo M. Lambert and Peter Felten
  • 2016

In the informational text “Making college matter” Leo M. Lambert and Peter Felten discuss how students can make the most of their time in college.

Pair “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail” with “Making college matter” and ask students to discuss how to prepare for and succeed in college. Why does Angel B. Pérez believe that students with experience failing are more likely to succeed in college? In “Making college matter” the authors discuss the importance of students challenging themselves. How might students avoid challenging themselves to avoid failing? What are the disadvantages of this?
8th Grade Informational Text 1200L
The myth of the college dropout
  • Jonathan Wai and Heiner Rindermann
  • 2017

In the informational text, “The myth of the college dropout,” Jonathan Wai and Heiner Rindermann discuss the success of college dropouts and graduates.

Pair “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail” with “The myth of the college dropout” and ask students to discuss the importance of experiencing failure. How do students think someone might react if they experienced failure for the first time in college? What if they didn’t know how to bounce back? How could this eventually lead to a student dropping out? Could they still be successful in life? Why or why not?
10th Grade Informational Text
Why it's time to lay the stereotype of the 'teen brain’ to rest
  • Dan Romer
  • 2017

In the information text “Why it’s time to lay the stereotype of the ‘teen brain’ to rest,” Dan Romer discusses how experts have relied on stereotypes about teenagers to explain their behavior.

Pair “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail” with “Why it’s time to lay the stereotype of the ‘teen brain’ to rest” and ask students to discuss the different types of risks teenagers can take. What kind of risks do you think can help teenagers grow and gain experience? How do both texts emphasize how taking risks and experiencing failure can help teens prepare for the future and adulthood?
9th Grade Opinion 1070L
What do you want (really, really want) out of your college education?
  • Richard Gunderman
  • 2015

In the informational text “What do you want (really, really want) out of your college education?” Richard Gunderman discusses what students can get from college that is more than just preparation for a high-paying career.

Pair “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail” with “What do you want (really, really want) out of your college education?” to provide students with additional information about the college experience. Ask students to discuss why it’s important to experience failure, especially in college. How might failure help students learn more about themselves and what’s important to them?
9th Grade Informational Text
Characteristics of Resilient People
  • Set to Go
  • 2019

The informational text, “Characteristics of Resilient People,” explains how to build resilience by discussing the qualities that resilient people share.

Pair “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail” with “Characteristics of Resilient People” and ask students to discuss the importance of failing. How does failing boost resilience? What skills does Pérez believe students acquire from experiencing failure? How does this compare to the characteristics of resilient people discussed in the text “Characteristics of Resilient People”?