Part V: creating the EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 2.0

EQ-i 2.0 Higher Education Norms Supplement

Emotional Intelligence and Higher Education

Academic success is not just determined by cognitive intelligence skills, but is also a function of factors that are emotional and social in nature (Parker, Summerfeldt, Hogan, & Majeski, 2004). Many potentially stressful lifestyle changes take place during the first years of post-secondary education, such as learning to live independently, developing new friendships, and keeping up with the demands of a new academic environment. Students are also laden with increased financial stress, in addition to balancing part-time work and studying, as well as competing for fewer jobs (with higher education requirements than ever before). In fact, almost a third of first generation students (i.e., students whose parents did not attend college) report having major concerns about their ability to continue financing their college education (Your First College Year, 2012). Successful adaptation to these lifestyle changes is directly related to emotional intelligence (EI).

In the largest, most representative student survey that has been conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI), over 38,000 first-year students were surveyed from more than 144 post-secondary institutions (Your First College Year, 2005). This survey indicated that a large portion of first-year students felt overwhelmed (39%) or lonely (49%), or were worried about meeting new people (42%). They indicated concerns about having to break away from their families in order to succeed. Students described themselves as going through serious changes in self-concept during the first year of college or university. It is clear that the majority of these issues are not about academic skills or cognitive intelligence, but pertain directly to emotional and social skills that are connected to EI.

EQ-i 2.0:HEd results provide a framework for understanding one’s current EI skills in order to foster academic success. Areas of strength and areas for improvement are pinpointed. Finally, results can link directly to strategies and curriculum to improve facets of EI (e.g., through self-improvement techniques and training), and thus improve the likelihood of academic success.