Written by counseling psychologists Paul Gore, Wade Leuwerke, and A.J. Metz, Connections shows students from day one how to develop the mindset, drive, and strengths needed on their way to college, personal, and career success. The expertly designed program is firmly rooted in current research in positive psychology, using self-reflection as a tool for goal-setting; goal-setting as a tool for imagining one's potential; and imagining one's potential as the motivation for realizing it. Connections puts students at the center of their own personalized learning path, facilitates their purposeful choice of an academic and career plan, and develops all the skills they need--cognitive and non-cognitive, academic and life--to foster their self-growth and success.

The thoroughly updated new edition addresses current challenges and research, including the growth of online learning (Appendix: Online Learning), diversity and inclusion (revised Chapter 11: Social Belonging), and the science of learning (revised Chapter 5: Understanding Thinking and Learning). These updates are reflected in a new version of ACES--the powerful, state-of-the-art student self-assessment the authors revised concurrently with Connections.