Scott explains what institutions that are succeeding in this space are doing differently, from removing administrative friction to understanding the unique motivations of adult learners returning to school. He also discusses the role of employers, state governments, and ReUp Education itself in helping students finish what they started.

Luke then dives into two of Niche's most exciting recent innovations: direct admissions and True Cost. He breaks down how direct admissions is shifting the power dynamic in favor of students and families by pairing upfront admission offers with scholarship awards, and shares how the product has grown to over 170 partner colleges. He also discusses True Cost, Niche's new tool designed to give students and families a clear, apples-to-apples comparison of what college will actually cost them long before decision day.

Will and Brian also bust some common college myths, including the misconception that students will pay the full sticker price for college, and encourage students to carefully review their financial aid award letters and advocate for themselves throughout the process. They also touch on the evolving role of AI in scholarship applications, stressing the importance of researching the AI policies of any scholarship you're interested in. They round things out with two key pieces of advice: start exploring scholarship opportunities early and don't overlook hyper-local scholarships as part of your overall strategy.

Dr. Jacobs also dives further into the admissions process at UVM at a holistic level, and explains the sorts of topics and qualities that UVM students exhibit. He wraps up the episode by reminding students that the admissions process is only the start of their higher education journey.

Brian also dives deeper into the culture of Aquinas college, the four pillars of the Catholic Dominican tradition, and how modalities like their block schedules for first year students help facilitate a smooth transition into college life.

Ben continues by diving into the radically simple admissions process at UATX, which only takes into account standardized test scores. He explains that this allows for a simpler process that cuts out the lack of transparency or "black box" of college admissions.

In an age where college admissions is crowded with noise and chaos from outside perspectives, especially with social media, Andrew recommends that students start thinking about what kinds of communities would be a good fit for them and look into colleges during their junior year of high school. This allows students to come into their senior year with more confidence and clarity.

Shawana also recommends that students and families not be discouraged from applying to schools solely because of sticker prices. She gives some examples of different merit scholarships offered at Adelphi, and also reinforces the importance of filling out the FAFSA. Between scholarships and need-based aid, many students don’t actually pay the sticker price for college. 

Dr. Pérez also touches on the affordability of college and how many students end up not paying the full sticker price for tuition. He wraps this episode up with some tips for students on how to navigate the admissions process in the age of AI and the importance of authenticity in applications. 

In this week's episode, Justin Draeger, the Senior Vice President for Affordability at Strada Education Foundation and a longtime former leader in the financial aid community, breaks down some myths surrounding net price and the price students pay. He also describes how student loans can be a useful tool as long as students and families apply guardrails. He says that loans are not a problem themselves, but unmanageable debt is, especially when students don’t complete their program or borrow too much relative to what they can expect to earn with their degree. He recommends using outcomes data such as completion and repayment statistics, to evaluate schools, while remembering those numbers reflect institutional performance, not a student’s worth.

Justin emphasizes looking for “financial fit” by comparing offers side by side, and checking whether grants and scholarships are predictable and renewable year to year. He also explains how to approach financial aid appeals: be clear on whether your request is need-based or merit-based, bring new, specific information to the table, and ask questions early to cut through the complexities of the system.

Mentioned in this episode

• Strada Educational Foundation - Justin's organization, focused on helping clear the path between education and work
• College Scorecard - Federal data set to help evaluate schools by Justin's suggested metrics

In this episode, Dr. Aarti Dhupelia explains that community college is an affordable, local, and career-aligned path that can deliver some of the highest return-on-investment outcomes in higher education. She makes the case that community college should be seen as a bold first choice for many students. They stay closely connected to local employers, offer flexible schedules for working learners, and provide multiple “on-ramps” to success, such as transferring to a four-year university, entering the workforce after an associate degree, or combining work and school along the way.

She also shares what she sees in the community college students she works with: resilience, maturity, and a strong work ethic shaped by balancing jobs, family responsibilities, and classes at the same time. She explains why all these traits make them desirable candidates for the workforce.

She also outlines the biggest barriers community college students face, including basic needs insecurity, navigating complex college systems, and not always getting a fair shot from universities or employers. To help students thrive, she encourages them to seek help early and often. She also stresses the importance of building relationships with advisors, and pursuing work-based learning like internships and apprenticeships. She ends by emphasizing that students don’t have to do it alone, and every credit earned is momentum toward a brighter future.

Mentioned in this episode

• One Million Degrees - Aarti's organization. One Million Degrees accelerates community college students’ progress on career pathways to economic mobility.
• City Colleges of Chicago - Chicago's public community college system, and One Million Degrees' biggest partner.

He also theorizes on the reasons behind rising college costs and gives a great rule of thumb for deciding how much debt your family should be comfortable taking out. He stresses that major, not just college choice, should affect a student's tolerance for loans. The episode closes with some reasons why college continues to be an important investment in today's world.

Mentioned in this episode

• College Aid Pro
• What is the Student Aid Index?
• Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

In this episode, Dana Stephenson, the co-founder and CEO of Riipen, offers a comprehensive framework for how education can shift to set students up for stronger careers. He makes the case that the classroom and on-the-job learning should be united, not separated, and offers several ways to implement this. He describes how part-time or remote work can be incorporated into a student's schedule, and offers a 'scaffolding' model to help scale students up from short-term, low-stakes work projects to longer-term, high-stakes initiatives.

Dana makes the case for a tighter feedback loop between educators and employers. He argues that employers should be letting educators know what prepares students for the workforce, and what doesn't. He also goes into some of the character-building benefits of working a job that students stand to benefit from.

Finally, Dana advises students to pick a major that genuinely motivates them and to prioritize programs with experiential learning. He closes with some thoughts on how AI will change the way startups do business.

Mentioned in the episode

• Riipen - Dana's company. A project-based learning platform for educators, learners, and employers.
• Council of Independent Colleges - A partner of Riipen.
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Employer Provided Innovation Challenges (EPIC) initiative - A project-based learning initiative from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that also partners with Riipen.

On this week's episode, Jeff Mavros, the Director of Admissions at Illinois State University, discusses what parents and students get tripped up on when it comes to college shopping. He suggests reframing affordability as managing the cost of college via smart planning, budgeting, and understanding how much each family can feel comfortable paying and borrowing.

He also explains the importance of filling out the FAFSA early, and how state grants like Illinois' MAP Grant can make college affordable for low-income families. He dives into some hidden costs of college, such as transportation, textbooks, and housing, and gives strategies to be a frugal college student, such as student discounts.

Jeff also describes different paths to a degree, such as two-year, four-year, and transfer pathways. He encourages students to consider long and short-term outcomes when deciding on a college, rather than only looking at the up-front price.

He also discusses the “enrollment cliff” and how it could shift college recruitment, financial aid leverage, and transfer pathways, especially from community colleges and returning adult learners. He ends the episode with some practical next steps for students and families.

Wendy also discusses how artificial intelligence is changing the college admissions and financial aid experience in ways that directly benefit students and families. She explains how AI tools can help answer questions 24/7, support families in multiple languages, and guide students through complex processes like the FAFSA. She gives some insider insights on how AI is reshaping admissions essays, and what readers look for in an essay in the AI era. She makes the case that AI can help level the playing field, especially for first-generation and underrepresented students.

Yates also discusses transfer students, adult learners, and equity in college access. He explains how transfer articulation agreements work to minimize lost credits and why earning an associate degree before transferring can provide both financial and academic benefits.  The discussion closes with practical advice for seniors and families: focus on what you can control, finish applications early, visit campuses, and prioritize finding the right academic, financial, and community fit.

Stokes shares practical advice for evaluating the long-term stability of a college such as the early financial warning signs that a school's future may be uncertain. He also touches on emerging pathways such as dual enrollment and accelerated degrees, and how colleges are adapting to meet the needs of a changing workforce.

She kicks off the episode by explaining why families shouldn’t rule out colleges based on sticker price alone and highlights data points like loan default rates that provide a clearer picture of real outcomes.

She also discusses how the rise of direct admissions might change higher ed, highlighting the fact that they can give students earlier insight into scholarships and financial aid. She also discusses shifts in applicant behavior, including applying to more schools and using AI in the research process. Turcio offers guidance on using AI responsibly, especially for essays, and stresses the continued importance of campus culture, human connection, and personal reflection when choosing a school.

Finally, she discusses how rapid changes in the job market make it essential for colleges to prepare students for flexible, future-oriented careers. Despite the stress of the process, Turcio encourages families to approach it with curiosity and enjoy the meaningful moments along the way.

They also dive into the sweeping changes coming to federal loan programs, from new Parent PLUS caps to dramatic limits on graduate school borrowing, and what those shifts mean for future students. Rob offers some grounding advice on choosing affordable pathways, building experience before pursuing grad school, and thinking realistically about return on investment.

The conversation highlights practical strategies like dual enrollment, community college transfers, and employer-funded degrees. If you’re planning for college or guiding someone who is, this episode is for you.

Whitney discusses how students can stand out by simply being themselves and shows why part-time jobs can be just as impressive to admissions officers as prestigious academic programs. She also gives pointers for students, parents, and counselors to reduce pressure along the way. She also offers a nuanced guide to determine whether to submit your test scores to test-optional schools, and debunks the idea of a 'perfect fit' school.

In this episode, Mark Salisbury explains why college costs have become so opaque and how TuitionFit can help families reclaim clarity and confidence in the process. He breaks down the rise of the high-price/high-discount model, the myths that discourage students as early as middle school, and why understanding true net price is essential for making empowered decisions.

He also touches on shifting attitudes towards standardized tests and how preparation for these tests can help students out with other life skills. Finally, he encourages families to have financial conversations early, and to do so openly, to find success in the college application process.

He also breaks down how recent legislation has expanded the possible uses of 529 plans, from private K–12 education to alternative credentials and apprenticeships. He describes how employer contributions can play a role in saving, and how to easily invite friends and family to contribute.

Sabih explains how Stellic began as a personal project to help him plan his courses and became a platform now used by over a million students to personalize their academic pathways, improve advising, and boost student success. He and Will explore how technology can empower both students and universities, helping institutions reduce attrition, support transfers, and plan resources more efficiently.

Finally, Sabih offers practical advice for students and families: make a plan (but be ready for it to change), think about outcomes rather than prestige, and embrace college as a space for growth, exploration, and lifelong connections.

Dudley also describes how a liberal arts education provides a lifetime of value,  arguing that while it’s not job training, it’s the best preparation for long-term career success and personal growth. He reflects on how students can assess campus culture when weighing different college options, why smaller colleges often offer richer experiences, and how Washington and Lee continues to evolve—adding programs in areas like data science and entrepreneurship while remaining true to its mission.

Whether you’re a high school senior, a parent, or simply curious about the future of higher education, this conversation offers an inspiring look at how timeless educational values are meeting 21st-century needs.

In this episode, Jeremy breaks down how the CLT works and the values it's formed on. He argues that education should teach students how to think, not just measure their skills. He makes the case that studying philosophy, literature, and "great books" is the best way to prepare for a quickly-shifting world.

In this episode, Jim Bock guides students and their families through the admissions process to give them the tools to predict what kind of financial aid packages they will receive from various institutions. He encourages applicants to consider transfer pathways to selective institutions, and reminds us that merit aid can offset staggering price tags.

He also defines key terms like 'demonstrated need,' 'no-loan school,' and many more. If you have any unanswered questions about the admissions and financial aid process, Jim can help. His practical advice encourages students and families to look beyond the sticker price, understand their options, and make informed educational decisions.

In this episode, Andrew Moe Hoffman gives some pointers to help bridge this gap. He offers some guidelines for how admissions officers should take rural students' background into account, and gives rural students and their families advice on how to craft an effective application, using resources like Matriculate, Khan Academy, Schoolhouse.world, and much more.

Brennan also explores how AI is transforming both admissions offices and student support, from essay review to list building, and discusses the pros and cons of direct admissions. He shares practical advice for seniors and their families about setting boundaries for college conversations, having money talks early, and keeping perspective through the process.

She also gives some pointers to families navigating the admissions process, suggesting that they start conversations early about values, goals, and finances and use tools like the College Scorecard to stay informed. She suggests exploring pathways like community colleges and transferring schools. She closes the episode with some predictions about the future of higher ed.

Rock also discusses how AI is reshaping admissions, from calculating GPAs to directing students to the proper staff to help them. He encourages families to view college as a journey, embrace difference, and see higher education as one of society’s greatest levers for opportunity.

Phil also shares practical advice for building a balanced college list and describes how middle-income students often qualify for significant aid. He also gets into broader trends shaping tuition, merit awards, and college affordability, and encourages families to make decisions based on true costs rather than headlines.