THE CHARACTER FOCUS EXPEDITION

New Pilot Program for High School Students

Colleges value character. Admissions professionals want to see evidence that applicants have had hands-on experience growing the social-emotional skills and mindset that equal character. Colleges are pivoting to character-driven admissions because they know that character is a key indicator of potential, and college readiness. 

Outward Bound & The Character Focus Initiative

Outward Bound (OB) and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) are teaming up to advance character evaluation in college admissions. NACAC recognizes that character-building experiences with validated youth development programs, like Outward Bound, are valuable predictors of success in higher education learning communities. NACAC’s Character Focus Initiative (CFI) is dedicated to advancing character in higher education, and Outward Bound is dedicated to helping young people thrive. Together, Outward Bound and CFI will deliver a unique new character pilot program in 2025.

The Character Focus Expedition

OB and CFI invite 5 high schools and youth-serving nonprofits to join them in promoting character development, exploring character in college admissions, and investigating the role of character in a candidate’s college selection. Each participating organization will select 7 college-bound students for 8 days of:

Each crew of 7 participants will travel with 2 caring and expert Outward Bound instructors.

Insight + Credentials + Access

This pilot includes support for your team, and a special leadership opportunity for your students and staff.

The post program round table will bring together participating students and their high school or nonprofit leaders, CFI Board members, and OB leadership to explore the impact of the Character Focus Expedition, the role of character development in college preparation and selection, and the evaluation of character in college admissions. Students will have access to admissions stakeholders, and a unique opportunity to elevate their voices in higher education’s evolution to character-driven admissions.

Pilot Details

Outward Bound will offer reduced tuition of $17,640 total per crew of 7 participants.
5 new pilot partners will be selected by December 31, 2025.

Expedition dates*:
June 15-22
June 22-29
July 6-13
July 20-27
July 27-Aug 3
Aug 6- Aug 13

*Outward Bound will consider alternate 2025 dates to accommodate participating organizations.

Why Outward Bound?

As experts in social-emotional learning, Outward Bound has promoted character development and delivered validated experiential education for 60 years. Since the beginning, higher education has trusted Outward Bound to help students thrive and prepare for college. Outward Bound’s approach is time-tested and validated by experts in the character field.

Outward Bound builds character through 4 Domains of Thriving. These 4 ingredients are a social, emotional and physical recipe to thrive. When Outward Bound students try new things with others, engage their bodies, and reflect on experiences, something life-changing happens… they grow the character to thrive.

8 Great Character Traits

Character Focus Expedition participants will engage and explore 8 habits that, when practiced, become 8 great traits of positive character development:

compassion    curiosity    gratitude    grit
growth mindset    perspective-taking    purpose    self-control

These 8 traits are not exhaustive, but they do represent a collection of positive attributes that Harvard’s Making Caring Common and other character experts, schools and colleges recognize and value. Participants will practice these 8 key habits in the world’s best character classroom–nature.

The Round Table

The Character Expedition is designed to be challenging, supportive, fun and transformational. Together, students will investigate how character prepares them for their college adventure. Post-program, participants, as well as their school and nonprofit leaders, will participate in a round table discussion to share their experience, growth and learning. OB, CFI and higher ed leaders will listen, and invite students to help shape the future of character in college admissions.

Reach out to marlais.brand@vobs.org today

Learn More & Enroll Here