College Uncovered

GBH News · wgbh.org

In a world focused on getting in, do you know what you’re getting into? College Uncovered, from GBH News in collaboration with The Hechinger Report, pulls back the ivy on American higher education, exposing the problems, pitfalls and risks — and helping you navigate them. If you wonder how college really works, subscribe now. Because it’s a real education.College Uncovered is made possible by Lumina Foundation.

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Episodes 50

Who should hold power over higher education?
24d ago · 27:14
In July, the Trump administration’s sweeping overhaul of federal higher education policy and financing took effect. The changes touch nearly every part of the sector, from who can afford graduate school to who decides which scientific discoveries receive billions of dollars in taxpayer funding. Supporters say Washington is finally holding colleges accountable for their rising costs and pushing ideological agendas. Critics argue the federal government is taking control of decisions that have long been left to students, financial aid institutions, university leaders, and independent scientific e
The colonial campus where it happened? Not exactly.
1mo ago · 24:25
The story of America’s founding comes with a familiar cast and setting: young white men in powdered wigs, animated by Enlightenment ideals, pacing college greens and tavern floors, debating liberty into existence. Colonial colleges emerge as engines of revolution – hotbeds of radical thought that helped give birth to the nation. It’s a compelling story. It’s also incomplete. In this special America 250 edition of College Uncovered, GBH’s Kirk Carapezza pulls back the ivy to reveal how America’s colonial colleges actually worked – and the complicated role they played in the nation’s founding. S
Higher Ed’s Deflate-gate
2mo ago · 30:05
Harvard faculty have approved a controversial plan to overhaul the college’s grading system, including new limits on how many A’s professors can award. The goal: make an A mean something again. But the debate goes beyond transcripts and GPAs. At a moment of deep skepticism toward elite higher education, some supporters say tougher grading could also help restore trust in institutions like Harvard. In this episode of College Uncovered, GBH’s Kirk Carapezza heads to Harvard Yard, where high-achieving students worried about their futures are pushing back. And we hear from professors divided over
Measuring the Underemployed
3mo ago · 28:41
Artificial intelligence is booming in Boston and beyond, and economists warn that it could throw thousands of people out of work. College seniors nearing graduation are often asked what they’ll do next. How will they put their new degree to use? Or will they end up working at their neighborhood coffee shop? Underemployment among recent graduates has been a persistent concern. Many degree holders find themselves in roles that don’t fully tap into their education. But tracking exactly how many graduates are underemployed, well, it’s complicated. Jeff Strohl, who directs Georgetown’s Center on Ed
Toeing the Edge of the Demographic Cliff
5mo ago · 37:47
GBH recently took College Uncovered on the road to the University of Massachusetts Boston, in the city’s Dorchester neighborhood, about eight miles from some of the nation’s well-known Ivy League institutions. We chose UMass Boston not just because it’s in our backyard, but because campuses like it represent where most students in the U.S. actually go to college. Roughly 80 percent of students attend public universities and colleges, and most of them don’t graduate on time. When it comes to navigating shifting demographics, serving students, and meeting workforce demands, UMass Boston Chancell
Reengaging “Stop-Out” Learners
6mo ago · 19:38
Millions of Americans have left college before earning their degrees. Some schools are trying to re-engage those so-called “stop-out” learners to bolster their classes amid growing uncertainty about enrollment. In this episode of College Uncovered, GBH’s Kirk Carapezza explores how local institutions are partnering with national organizations like ReUp Education to reconnect with former students. Advocates are hopeful about these partnerships because most schools don’t have sufficient resources to reconnect with adult learners, who may need dozens of calls and individualized support before re-
Rethinking The Liberal Arts
7mo ago · 20:31
Recent graduates are facing a tough job market. Young people – and even colleges – are asking fundamental, existential questions: What does it mean to be educated? And will an expensive college education help set in motion a future career? As enrollment declines, costs rise, and political pressure intensifies, some colleges and universities are rethinking the liberal arts. They’re restructuring and rebranding programs to emphasize applied humanities, weaving career preparation directly into the curriculum. In this episode of College Uncovered, GBH’s Kirk Carapezza visits Brandeis University an
'The Worst College Football Team In The Country'
7mo ago · 21:36
College football bowl season is underway, with wall-to-wall games on TV, packed stadiums and multi-million-dollar broadcasts dominated by a few dozen powerhouse programs. In Amherst, Massachusetts, it’s quiet. That’s because the University of Massachusetts Amherst Minutemen just finished the 2025 season without a single win, the only team in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision to do so. Over the past 13 seasons, since joining the FBS, UMass has stumbled to a stunning 26-130 record. Their collapse has turned McGuirk Alumni Stadium into a concrete, empty symbol of a bigger problem: public u
OK Computer. OK College?
8mo ago · 21:14
Artificial intelligence is still new on college campuses, but it’s already transforming how professors teach and how students learn. Surveys show most students now rely on generative AI for everything from applying to college to getting through it. Some educators are leaning in, treating AI as a teaching partner. Others are leaning out, doubling down on in-person, discussion-based learning. Either way, one thing is clear: AI isn’t going anywhere. This new technology is also reshaping the job market. Young workers are seeing fewer openings in fields most exposed to automation — software develop
The New College Compact
9mo ago · 17:05
Across the country, public universities are being flooded with requests for syllabi, reading lists, course materials, and data on international students. One company is behind many of those requests - Metric Media. Part of a growing network of conservative-led groups, Metric Media says it’s enforcing civil rights laws and holding taxpayer-funded institutions accountable. But critics see something very different: a coordinated pressure campaign emboldened by the second Trump administration that threatens academic freedom and seeks to intimidate scholars. Now some universities are pushing back.
Science In Reverse
1y ago · 22:01
The government rescinded billions in federal research grants during Trump’s first few months in office — cutting fellowships, scholarships, and postdoc programs that support the next generation of scientists. A federal judge recently ordered the restoration of some National Institutes of Health grants. A battle over National Science Foundation funding is still playing out in court. So what do these cuts actually mean for higher education and scientific discovery? And if the United States gives up its global lead in innovation and research, what does that mean for the rest of us? In this episod
Why Do Colleges Rarely Revoke Tenure?
1y ago · 13:57
Harvard just did something it hasn’t done in decades — it fired a tenured professor. Francesca Gino built her reputation studying honesty. Then she was accused of faking data. In May, Harvard’s top governing board revoked her tenure and ousted her from the Business School. But why is stripping tenure so rare — not just at Harvard, but anywhere? How common is research fraud? And why are colleges so secretive when it happens? College Uncovered’s Kirk Carapezza and reporter Mark Herz unpack the Gino case. Then Kirk sits down with science journalist and attorney Eugenie Reich, author of Plastic Fa
Apprentices of the World, Unite!
1y ago · 23:07
Is the four-year college degree losing its grip on the American Dream? Just as American colleges reach the demographic cliff in 2026, higher education in the U.S. is facing mounting pressure from all sides. President Donald Trump has targeted several highly-selective, wealthy universities, slashing federal research funding and questioning their tax-exempt status – painting them as overpriced and out-of-touch bastions of liberalism. But skepticism about college isn’t just coming from the right. On the campaign trail, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris called out the country’s narrow focus on four
Cyber School
1y ago · 17:42
Here’s a milestone you might not have heard about: It’s projected that this year, for the first time, more college students will take all of their courses online than will take all of their courses in person. Online higher education has come a long way since its predecessor, the correspondence school. The universal shift to remote learning during the pandemic only accelerated that momentum. It has also allowed more comprehensive research into whether online teaching works as well as the in-person kind. But even as more students go online to learn, there are many caveats about this fast-growing
The Old College Try
1y ago · 16:00
The single fastest-growing group of students in college? This may come as a surprise — they’re still in high school. So-called “dual enrollment” — also known as “early college” and “concurrent enrollment” — seems a win-win. Institutions get students, at a time when demographic shifts are making that more difficult; that’s especially true at community colleges, whose enrollment has declined the most. Meanwhile, high school students rack up credits, potentially saving time and money. Some finish their associate degrees at the same time that they get their diplomas. And studies show that they’re
The Student Trade Wars
1y ago · 20:48
U.S. colleges have long relied on international students – and the big tuition checks they bring – to hit enrollment goals and keep the lights on. But now, just as the number of American college-aged students starts to fall – a trend known as the “demographic cliff”– global tensions are making international students think twice about coming to the U.S. for college. In this episode, hosts Kirk Carapezza and Jon Marcus take you inside the world of international admissions. With student visa revocations on the rise – often without explanation – and a growing number of detentions tied to student a
The Revenge of the Humanities
1y ago · 25:25
American higher education is approaching a sharp drop in college-aged students — a trend known as the demographic cliff. At the same time, following decades of declining enrollment, humanities programs are being forced to adapt or risk disappearing altogether. In this episode of College Uncovered, hosts Kirk Carapezza and Jon Marcus explore how some colleges are rebranding liberal arts as “applied humanities” or “leadership studies” to better connect with career paths and market demand. With humanities majors down significantly over the past two decades, schools are searching for new ways to m
The Missing Men
1y ago · 18:27
Something has been happening on college campuses that’s as surprising as it is dramatic: The number of women enrolled has overtaken the number of men. Women now outnumber men by about 60 percent to 40 percent, and that gap keeps getting wider. And men who do enroll are also more likely to drop out. There are a lot of reasons for this. Boys get lower grades than girls, on average, in elementary and middle schools. They’re more likely to be held back or face disciplinary actions. They’re less likely to graduate from high school. And more men than women go into the skilled trades, instead of gett
“Tag, You’re In!” – The Rise of Direct Admissions
1y ago · 20:53
The anxiety-inducing college admissions game is changing – what if colleges started applying to you instead of the other way around? With declining birth rates and growing skepticism about the value of a degree, higher education is facing an enrollment cliff, set to hit hard in 2026. That’s 18 years after the Great Recession when many American families stopped having babies. As competition for students intensifies, more states desperate for workforce talent and schools dependent on tuition dollars are turning to direct admissions – a system where students receive college acceptance offers and
The Demographic Cliff
1y ago · 21:14
Most Americans would probably rather forget the Great Recession that began in 2007. But as long ago as it may seem, it triggered something that is about to become a big problem: Americans started having fewer babies, and the birth rate hasn’t recovered since. That means a looming decline in the number of 18-year-olds. Since those are the traditional customers for universities and colleges, enrollment is projected to fall dramatically and campuses to close. In this episode, we tell you the surprising benefits of this for students and their parents — and the scary prospects for the economy, whic
College Uncovered Season 4 is here!
1y ago · 2:43
College Uncovered Season 4 is here! 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 e
What Comes Next On Campus?
1y ago · 37:12
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 un
Abortion on the ballot … and in the mail
1y ago · 30:04
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
The Politics of the College Presidency
1y ago · 26:16
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 presiden
DEI Backlash
1y ago · 34:57
Colleges that embraced diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives (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.