Bryn Williams-Jones (Université de Montréal) writes that while many students believe that following the curriculum and getting good grades is all one needs to be successful in university, playing the “academic game”—navigating the hidden rules and expectations of academia—is a necessary skill for success that is often discovered too late. Williams-Jones points to qualities such as intellectual initiative and creativity, saying that professors often incorrectly treat these as skills that will be acquired “by osmosis.” He explains that people with past experience with the postsecondary education sector will understand the implied rules of higher ed better than those without that experience. Williams-Jones writes that students should get involved and take intellectual risks, while professors should do more to level the playing field by making their expectations explicit.
