Beloit College Mindset List for the Class of 2014

I just wanted to let you know that the Beloit Report for the class of 2014 has just been released. It's written with college freshman in mind, but I would also keep this in mind for your high school students as well.

There are 75 items on this year's list and it is meant to remind teachers about the cultural differences between themselves and the incoming freshman class. Just think of the blank stares you might get when you discuss how Fergie is on the verge of bankruptcy.  They will rush out of your classroom and start downloading more Black Eyed Peas songs from iTunes in an attempt to help her out and not even realize you are referring to a princess.

Wait a minute...

Kurt Cobain is now on the classic oldies station?

Clint Eastwood is better known as a sensitive director than as Dirty Harry?

Czechoslovakia has never existed?

And Beethoven has always been a dog???

Suddenly, I'm feeling very, very old...and I'm not so sure I like this list after all.

See the Mindset List for the Class of 2014

Beloit College has published the Mindset List every August since 1998. It provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college this fall. The list is created by Beloit’s Keefer Professor of the Humanities Tom McBride and former Public Affairs Director Ron Nief and it has become a catalog of the rapidly changing worldview of each new generation. The Mindset List website at www.beloit.edu/mindset, the Mediasite webcast and its Facebook page receive more than 400,000 hits annually.