The Elective

Christian Niedan

Christian Niedan is a writer for The Elective, the College Board's education magazine

17 Articles

a young woman wearing headphones sits in front of a laptop as she codes a video game

10 Min Read

Interview

School Days Influences: Decoding the World of Video Game Designers

10 Min Read

a young woman college student sits in the bed of a red pickup truck doing homework

4 Min Read

News

Bridging One of the Widest Gaps in the Digital Divide

4 Min Read

An out of focus image of an empty classroom

4 Min Read

News

Districts Begin Forming Plans to Reopen Schools

4 Min Read

New Yorker cartoon editor Emma Allen smiles while listening to a person she's interviewing onstage

4 Min Read

Interview

New Yorker Cartoon Editor Emma Allen’s School Days Influences

4 Min Read

cartoon people painting white over printed text

15 Min Read

Interview

School Days Influences: Inside the World of New Yorker Cartoonists

15 Min Read

A young woman wearing blue headphones smiles as she listens to a podcast

6 Min Read

Extra Credit

Ten Great, Enjoyable, and Educational Podcasts

6 Min Read

screenshot of a virtual art gallery showing a shadow of a person looking at a painting

4 Min Read

News

College Galleries Get Creative to Showcase Student Work

4 Min Read

A young man sits at a voting booth during the 2020 presidential primary election

5 Min Read

News

The Data Behind the Youth Vote

5 Min Read

A row of college students wearing graduation regalia sit at a commencement ceremony, seen from behind

3 Min Read

News

Coronavirus Concerns Lead to Virtual Commencements

3 Min Read

a group of teenage young men and young women from the Evergreen Valley High School e sports team holding up signs promoting e sports

6 Min Read

Interview

A Career Path Winds Through Esports

6 Min Read

two male college e sports competitors pose standing back to back on a stage

7 Min Read

Interview

The Esports Boom Means Scholarships for Gamers

7 Min Read

a male e sports gamer wearing a black and maroon jersey wears a headset, has one hand on a computer mouse and another on his keyboard, and stares with focus at his computer monitor

7 Min Read

Feature

The New Power-Up on Campus: Video Games

7 Min Read

the top half of the front of a parked yellow school bus

3 Min Read

News

Can Anyone Here Drive a Bus?

3 Min Read

water running down a kitchen sink drain that is stuffed with 100 dollar bills

3 Min Read

News

Good Schools, Bad Investments

3 Min Read

a room full of empty school desks where a small table is attached to a colorful wood and metal chair

3 Min Read

Extra Credit

Say Goodbye to the Classic School Desk

3 Min Read

students in shop class working with a saw on a woodworking project

4 Min Read

News

Shop Class Is Back—and Gen Z Students are Here For It

4 Min Read

three young men chatting and laughing as they stand next to tractors parked on farmland

3 Min Read

News

The Next Big STEM Career: Farming

3 Min Read