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Gladwell: Big Fish, Little Pond Key to Success
16 Feb
Summary
- Malcolm Gladwell advises against elite STEM programs for most students.
- Relative standing, not raw skill, impacts STEM persistence.
- Success hinges on being at the top of one's class, not the institution.
Author Malcolm Gladwell has advised students to reconsider pursuing STEM degrees at elite institutions like Harvard. In a 2019 Google Zeitgeist talk and later on the Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know podcast, Gladwell explained that success in STEM is often dependent on one's relative academic standing, not just raw ability.
Gladwell's 'big fish, little pond' theory suggests students are more likely to succeed and persist if they attend a less competitive institution where they can be at the top of their class. He noted that data shows lower-scoring students at elite schools drop out of STEM programs at higher rates.
He further proposed a paradigm shift in hiring, suggesting employers should prioritize candidates based on their class rank from any university rather than exclusively hiring from top-ranked institutions. This approach, he believes, better identifies true potential and fosters confidence and self-efficacy in graduates.
