Dartmouth president Sian Beilock, a psychologist by training, made her name studying why people choke. Now she’s applying those insights to one of the most scrutinized jobs in America. No pressure!

• SOURCES:
  • Sian Beilock, president of Dartmouth College.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Growing share of Americans say the U.S. higher education system is headed in the wrong direction," by Kim Parker (Pew Research Center, 2025).
  • "Standardized Test Scores and Academic Performance at Ivy-Plus Colleges," by John N. Friedman, Bruce Sacerdote, Douglas O. Staiger, and Michele Tine (NBER, 2025).
  • "Americans’ Trust in One Another," by Laura Silver, Scott Keeter, Stephanie Kramer, Jordan Lippert, Sofia Hernandez Ramones, Alan Cooperman, Chris Baronavski, and Bill Webster (Pew Research Center, 2025).
  • Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have To, by Sian Beilock (2011)

• EXTRAS:
  • "Why Does Vanderbilt Keep Winning?" by Freakonomics Radio (2026).
  • "'A Low Moment in Higher Education,'" by Freakonomics Radio (2024).
  • "'If We’re All in It for Ourselves, Who Are We?'" by Freakonomics Radio (2024).
  • "Why We Choke Under Pressure (and How Not To)," by Freakonomics Radio (2018).

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