College Uncovered

College Uncovered Season 4 is coming! The first two episodes drop Thursday, April 17th. This season, we're standing on the precipice of a “demographic cliff” threatening higher education. A drop in the number of 18-year-olds that are alive right now – triggered by a decline in birth rates after the  2008 Great Recession – is forcing colleges to rethink everything. Schools across the country are changing admissions, restructuring financial aid, rebranding the humanities, and finding new ways to recruit and educate young men, whose numbers are dropping even more precipitously on many campuses. We'll uncover how these changes affect students, families, higher education, the economy, and our society at largeCollege Uncovered is hosted by Kirk Carapezza and Jon Marcus, two skilled multimedia journalists with decades of experience in covering higher education in the United States. They offer students, their families, and anyone curious about the business of college, an unvarnished look at a uniquely American system – and help you make better informed choices. New episodes of College Uncovered drop each week through May and are available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Throughout the 2024 presidential campaign, President-elect Donald Trump railed against colleges and universities for being too expensive, too partisan and too “woke.”Trump's anti-elite, anti-immigration tone channeled the frustrations of many working-class Americans — and led him to a decisive win at the polls. So, with Trump returning to the White House for a second term, how much of his higher education message is rhetoric and how much is potential policy? And what comes next for students and colleges? As they wrap up this election year season, Kirk and Jon explore how college may change under a new Trump administration and ask a simple question: what comes next on campus? We hear from Michael Brickman, who worked as a senior advisor in the U.S. Education Department during Trump's first term, and Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, the nation's biggest association of colleges and universities. Then, Jennifer Thornton with the Business Higher Education Forum and Maria Flynn with Jobs For the Future explain why on-the-job training through apprenticeships is one policy likely to move forward quickly in a second Trump administration.We also hear from students who backed Trump and those who fear his return to the Oval Office, including Jenson Wu with The Trevor Project, who tells us a second Trump term could have a significant impact on LGBTQ college students.

Greater Boston – a region famous for its sheer number of colleges – is also home to an underground network that helps women receive abortion pills. Every week, a group including many Boston-area college and medical students meets to put together abortion pill care packages to send to women who need them. While the founders call them “pill packing parties” the work is not without risk. Women in Texas, Mississippi and other states where abortion is illegal or restricted can be prosecuted for aborting a fetus.College students have long been active in the abortion movement, but the activism looks very different today than it did in the 1960's. College Uncovered takes you to a “pill packing party” at an undisclosed location in Greater Boston and talks with college students mobilizing to help women get abortion medication wherever they live. We also look at the re-energized anti-abortion movement in the wake of the Dobbs ruling two years ago and hear from a leader of the “Post-Roe Generation.” GBH's Andrea Asuaje, senior producer for “Under the Radar with Callie Crossley” hosts this week's episode, taking a deep dive into the sweeping ways medication abortion and the Internet have changed college activism.Correction: A prior version of this episode misinterpreted Kristan Hawkins' comments at Harvard Law School and erroneously said she had an abortion. In fact, Hawkins' comments were referring to what other women have told her about having an abortion. We have updated the episode and GBH News regrets the error. ----------Credits:Hosts: Kirk Carapezza & Jon MarcusSupervising Editor: Megan WoolhouseEditor: Jeff KeatingExecutive Producer: Ellen London Mixing and Sound Design: David Goodman & Gary MottTheme Song and original music: Left-RomanArtwork: Matt Welch Project Manager: Meiqian HeConsulting Producer and Head of GBH Podcasts: Devin Maverick Robins"College Uncovered" is a production of GBH News and The Hechinger Report.

College presidents serve for less than six years on average. For women and people of color, that tenure is even shorter – a full year shorter. So what's going on? College presidents are under fire for what they say about issues like systemic racism, abortion access and war in the Middle East, as well as what they do — or don't do — about campus protests. So why would anyone want to be a college president? And, as a student, does it even matter who your president is? What questions should students and their families be asking of a colleges' top brass? We talk to former Colorado College president Song Richardson, who left her dream job because she wanted to speak freely about hot-button issues, and the current and former presidents of Macalester College, Suzanne Rivera and Brian Rosenberg, to learn more about what's driving people away from jobs at the top of the academic ladder.----------Credits:Hosts: Kirk Carapezza & Jon MarcusSupervising Editor: Megan WoolhouseEditor: Jeff KeatingExecutive Producer: Ellen London Mixing and Sound Design: David Goodman & Gary MottTheme Song and original music: Left-RomanArtwork: Matt Welch Project Manager: Meiqian HeConsulting Producer and Head of GBH Podcasts: Devin Maverick Robins"College Uncovered" is a production of GBH News and The Hechinger Report.

Colleges that embraced diversity, equity and inclusion initiative (DEI) in the wake of the 2020 murder of George Floyd by police are now fearing litigation and quietly eliminating their DEI programs. North Carolina is one of the latest to do so. At least 20 states have Republican proposals aimed at limiting DEI programs at public universities. State schools in Wisconsin and Alabama are preemptively banning DEI after threats by lawmakers to withhold money and raises.Even colleges in left-leaning states are no longer asking applicants to provide diversity statements for new faculty positions.So how is DEI defined and what's lost when it goes away? How has a “DEI bureaucracy” gone out of control? Will colleges increasingly eliminate scholarships designed for historically marginalized students?Special guest host and GBH Investigative Reporter Phillip Martin joins this week's podcast to talk about what's behind the changes.

Delta State University in rural Mississippi eliminated it's highly regarded music department. It' also cut English, math, chemistry, and about a third  of the courses that it used to teach.And Delta State's far from alone. Arkansas State, the University of North Carolina – Greensboro, Youngstown State in Ohio, West Virginia University have all made significant course cutbacks.That's a problem. People in rural America already have far less access to colleges and universities than people in cities and suburbs. Nearly 13 million people in the US already live in higher education desserts, places well beyond commuting distance to a college.But now many of the schools that exist to serve rural students are cutting programs and majors.We talk about this trend, and how it exacerbates the already wide economic, social and political divisions between many rural and urban Americans.

More than 40 million Americans have student loan debt, but should the government forgive all or part of it? It's a debate that's a source of extreme political division. Opponents call it a transfer of wealth from the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder to the top and people with college degrees; supporters say forgiveness gives some breathing room to graduates who are being crushed by the costs of repayment, in some cases without ever even having graduated. The cost of college is also forcing people to put off marriage, starting families, or buying a house and fuel the American economy. We'll hear from student loan holders and get advice on how to avoid going into debt in the first place.

Following intense, sometimes violent protests on college campuses last spring, colleges are taking new steps to encourage more civil dialogue and debate among students who disagree. Some schools are offering new guidance and coursework around how students should speak to one another in an effort to bridge deep differences. At the same time, colleges are tightening restrictions on campus protests related to the war in Gaza, and cracking down on protest tactics with heightened enforcement. We'll explore the new approaches and talk with experts about the efforts to help students speak across their differences.

Divisive protests, police crackdowns, and a chilling backlash against free speech are among the reasons that a growing number of students say they don't feel welcome on some college campuses. Conflicts over abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and DEI, as well as what can and can't be taught in classrooms are stirring up campus life against the backdrop of a contentious presidential election. A majority of students say abortion laws and restrictions around the discussion of race and gender would have at least some effect on where they go to college, according to Gallup polling. The same polls also find that some students at four-year universities feel as if they don't belong or disrespected.Students on the left and right alike say they're increasingly reluctant to express controversial opinions, but that it's okay to report on classmates or faculty who do. That's why we're exploring the politics of higher education this season. College has become a new battleground in the culture wars, and it's affecting where students enroll and what they're learning. Learn more from the Hechinger Report's College Welcome Guide!

College Uncovered Season 3 is coming! First episode drops on Thursday, September 12th. In our first two seasons, GBH and The Hechinger Report explored the business of college admissions and paying for your education. Now we're back with a special election year season, helping you navigate the politics of American colleges and universities.College Uncovered is hosted by Kirk Carapezza and Jon Marcus, journalists with decades of experience who specialize in covering higher education in the U.S. They offer students and their families an unvarnished look at a uniquely American system, so YOU can make fully informed choices.One episode will drop weekly and will be available wherever you listen to podcasts.

College application essays demonstrate literacy and creativity of high school students striving for higher education. As the producers of the "Dear College" podcast have found, what this rising generation says about themselves says a lot about all of us. In this bonus episode of "College Uncovered," Jenessa Otabor shares how a recent educational opportunity turned from stressful to rewarding; once she learned how to speak up for herself. Learn more about the Dear College podcast here: www.dearcollegepodcast.org

The essay is a vital piece in the college application puzzle; portraying the strengths and challenges of aspiring high school students. In this bonus episode of "College Uncovered," Tayana Antoine describes for the producers of the "Dear College" podcast, the similarities between a teen mom and an older sister. How her dual role as caretaker for her siblings and maturing adult sometimes can clash but also brings her much delight.Learn more about the Dear College podcast here: www.dearcollegepodcast.org

While there are a lot of tests to get into college, there are no exit exams to get out. Despite the soaring price of tuition and the benefits a degree offers, researchers have found that undergrads often spend little time studying compared to other activities like working, socializing or partying. As a result, many show limited gains in critical thinking — the hallmark of American higher education.

Students at one New York university have a surprise awaiting them: an $8,000-a-year “academic excellence fee.” We have to ask: Isn't academic excellence included in tuition? In fact, tuition is only part of the cost of college. Like car dealerships, schools are nickel-and-diming consumers with huge fees — fees for student activities, fees for athletics, fees for building maintenance, fees for libraries, even fees for graduation, the bills for which arrive just as students and their families thought they were finally done paying for college.

Student loans aren't the only kind of university debt. Colleges and universities have borrowed billions, mostly to build new dorms, dining halls and facilities, spaces they may – or may not – need as student enrollment declines nationally. Today, nearly 10 cents of every dollar in university budgets helps pay interest on institutional debt.

To boost enrollment and meet workforce needs, more states are offering free community college programs. But do these programs effectively help students graduate from college? And by offering college for free, does that diminish its value? We look at the research, as well as a new free college program in Massachusetts and an old one in Tennessee, where community college has been free for years.“College Uncovered” is made possible by Lumina Foundation.

Okay, so you're going to college. But will the college you pick still have its lights on before you graduate? It's a question more and more families face as colleges experience financial and enrollment challenges that force them to close or merge. We'll look at what colleges are doing to stay alive, whether should states disclose institutions' financial health to consumers, and what happens to students - and their credits - when their school suddenly shuts down.

Universities dole out more than half of the revenue they collect from tuition in the form of discounts and financial aid in their efforts to attract students. The US average is 56 percent. If a private company discounted its products by more than half, it would probably go out of business. So why do colleges use this self-destructive business model that leaves many prospective students thinking college costs more than it does? We explore.

Colleges work hard to make their prices seem much lower than they actually are. The problem has become so frustrating for families that now there's an effort to fix it. But don't hold your breath. Colleges are fighting attempts to make financial aid forms easier to compare and more understandable. We'll give you tips on how to negotiate for more financial aid and ask for a better offer.

Congratulations, you got accepted to college! The next notification you'll get: a financial aid offer, telling you what it will cost. And those financial aid offer letters are notoriously indecipherable and misleading, making it difficult to make college cost comparisons or even know how much you'll owe.

College Uncovered Season 2 is coming! First two episodes drop on Thursday, April 4th.

Colleges are quietly buying – or as they like to spin it, licensing – lists of potential student names and personal information from companies administering tests like the SAT and ACT. The goal? Recruit, but also recruit to reject. The more applicants a college recruits, the more selective and prestigious they seem in the college rankings. In this final episode of Season One, Kirk and Jon explore how both selective and less selective colleges and universities use enrollment and financial aid management strategies to increase their applicant pool, lower admission rates and meet their bottom line. And here's the key: college is the only industry – outside banking – that can legally access all of your income information and make decisions on your ability to pay before charging you a price.  Kirk and Jon trace the origins of these practices back to Boston College in the 1970s and follow the evolution of enrollment management systems into a multi-billion dollar higher ed shadow industry. Colleges now rely on their enrollment management systems to survive and compete for students. And their opaque analysis of a family's budget can determine whether a student receives steep tuition discounts or “merit scholarships” that can dramatically lower the cost of tuition. These backroom practices have some former administrators concerned about the effects on access to and equity in higher education – and they're calling for renewed transparency in college . “College Uncovered” is made possible by Lumina Foundation.

Some colleges and universities now spend more on marketing than on financial aid. They're hiring marketing professionals who have worked at Fortune 500 companies and using digital marketing tools to follow you around the internet. They know how much time you spend on a website, when you save something for later, and what other sites you visit.  A growing number also sneakily collect your personal information so they can target you for recruitment by touting their graduates' high paying jobs or connections within competitive industries. Some less scrupulous schools have been warned by the Federal Trade Commission to stop exaggerating their claims about the kinds of jobs their graduates get, and how much they earn. Kirk and Jon reveal the increasingly sophisticated ways that colleges and universities try to get your attention — and offer up tips for consumers trying to navigate a sea of slogans.  They'll tell you what consumer advocates say about how to resist the slickly crafted tugs on your emotions that can get you to open your wallet. “College Uncovered” is made possible by Lumina Foundation.

A bachelor's degree in four years is one of the most basic promises colleges make, and one of the biggest frustrations their customers face. Fewer than half of students will actually graduate in four years. And the numbers are even worse for Black and Hispanic students. Consider this surprising number: at more than 100 US colleges and universities, not a single student graduated within four years. In this episode, Kirk and Jon talk about what colleges don't want you to know around graduation rates, and dig up the behind-the-scenes maneuver by a famous senator that has helped colleges keep the problem hidden. They also look at the ways colleges slow students down, by piling on extra requirements for graduation, failing to offer enough sections of required courses, or offering lackluster student advising. But there is hope for savvy college consumers. A few colleges have created three year bachelors' degree programs to help students save time and money. “College Uncovered” is made possible by Lumina Foundation.

Many students go to a two year or community college thinking it's a bargain: attend for two years, then transfer to a four year school, saving tens of thousands of dollars in tuition. But it doesn't always work out that way. Nearly half of all college credits don't end up transferring when a student changes schools. Kirk Carapezza and Esteban Bustillos talk about why the transfer system short-changes students, and how colleges and universities have wide discretion when it comes to deciding which credits to accept or deny. Many students are left with so-called “stranded credits” in the transfer process, a big problem for many students, but especially low-income and first-generation students whose families might not know the intricacies of the system. How can students avoid falling in the transfer trap? Experts say they should be on the lookout for colleges that guarantee transfer credits, or ask if a college has a transfer agreement with a four-year college or university. A growing number do. Listen and learn more about how to avoid common transfer pitfalls. “College Uncovered” is made possible by Lumina Foundation.

While colleges make it seem like they choose applicants solely on their merit as students, that's not always the case. Former admissions officer Kyra Tyler shares her experience working in an admissions office, where she was asked to prioritize less academically qualified students with family connections and wealth. GBH's Kirk Carapezza and GBH guest host Kana Ruhalter also dive into new research that exposes a shift in how colleges distribute financial aid. Researcher Steven Burd studied admissions packages at hundreds of selective public and private colleges and found that colleges are spending billions on students, spreading it around among students who don't necessarily need the aid. This happens at the expense of needier students. And reporter Fazil Khan from The Hechinger Report discusses new data showing the net price of college is actually rising faster for lower-income students, exacerbating the disparities in higher education. “College Uncovered” is made possible by Lumina Foundation.

Getting turned down by your dream college doesn't always mean you've been categorically rejected. Some applicants who fail to get in as freshmen, for example, are invited back … as sophomores. They don't even need to reapply. It's one of many secrets admissions officers prefer to keep quiet. Colleges don't do this kind of thing out of the goodness of their hearts. They know a shamefully high number of freshmen – about one in four on average, will drop out. That's a lot of seats they need to fill. Colleges also know that the students they accept as sophomores won't count in all-important college ranking calculations, which are based mainly on the characteristics of entering freshmen. This makes it a way to admit the children of alumni and donors who might not have made the first cut. The Hechinger Report's Jon Marcus and GBH's Kirk Carapezza dive into how secret sophomore admissions works — and whether it might work for you. “College Uncovered” is made possible by Lumina Foundation.

The 2019 Varsity Blues scandal exposed just how far rich, famous and entitled parents would go to get their kids into big name colleges. But the truth is there are many ways colleges already give preferences to wealthy students. And they are completely legal. GBH's Kirk Carapezza and Jon Marcus of the Hechinger Report dig into how college admissions favor students who can pay giant tuition bills out of pocket. And this happens even as the U.S. Supreme Court withdraws affirmative action advantages benefiting low-income students of color. In this episode, we explain how early decision benefits wealthy students who can afford to commit to a college before seeing a financial aid offer. And explore the world of private college advising. You'll hear from elite coaches and experts to find out why college coaching is needed in the first place. “College Uncovered” is made possible by Lumina Foundation.

Colleges are increasingly hard up for students so they make a lot of promises they don't keep. In this episode, GBH's Kirk Carapezza and Jon Marcus of the Hechinger Report talk with students, economists and industry experts about what you need to know before handing over that giant tuition deposit. And it all starts with how much college will cost. Although it's one of the biggest lifetime investments a person can make, most consumers don't know what they'll ultimately spend on a degree. Colleges overwhelmingly do not disclose – or simply understate – how much families will pay. They tie themselves in knots to avoid using the word “loan” even when students need one. Most freshmen think they'll graduate with bachelor's degrees within four years, but that's not usually true. More than half will take more than four years, further increasing the cost. Good luck finding this out, though; thanks to lobbying by colleges, the graduation rate reported by the government represents the proportion of students who finish in six or eight years, not four. Colleges aren't entirely honest about what a diploma gets you either. While they boast that most graduates are gainfully employed, colleges know the whereabouts of less than half of alumni.  Forty-four percent to be precise. Getting a degree still pays off, especially considering that people who have one earn $18,000 a year more by the middle of their careers than someone with a high school diploma. But this misinformation contributes to the fact that many Americans with college educations are underemployed and working in restaurants and as coffee baristas. It's no wonder that only about a third of Americans say they have a lot of confidence in higher education. “College Uncovered” is made possible by Lumina Foundation.

Higher education looms large in the American psyche: as the route to prosperity, a good job and a stable career. But the college dream can also be the source of crushing debt, an unfinished degree, and, sometimes, both.