Beth speaks with Ari Rabin-Havt, legislative director and chief policy advisor for

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) about the merits and drawbacks associated with

making college tuition-free, how to create better market incentives in the

higher education space, and what it takes to have a middle-class life and

achieve the American dream in the 21st century.

Beth speaks with Kristin Sharp, CEO of the Education Quality Outcomes Standards Board (EQOS) and Alison Griffin, SVP of Whiteboard Advisors, about the landscape of non-college alternatives, how aspiring students should think locally when it comes to job training, challenging the stigma surrounding vocational programs, and advice for aspiring students on how to find high quality programs.

On May 18, AEI hosted a panel discussion on how to make data-driven decisions about higher education. The University of North Carolina System’s Andrew P. Kelly, The Wall Street Journal’s Josh Mitchell, and Braven’s Vince Marigna discussed Beth Akers’ new book, “Making College Pay: An Economist Explains How to Make a Smart Bet on Higher Education” (Penguin Random House, 2021). The conversation addressed how aspiring students can make strategic rather than romantic decisions about college, how parents can be practical when assisting their children in this process, and how higher education can remain an engine for opportunity, upward mobility, and prosperity.

Beth speaks with Bryan Caplan, Professor of Economics at George Mason University, about his book, “The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money” (Princeton University Press, 2018). They both talk about the signaling model vs the human capital model of higher education, the current “arms-race” surrounding postsecondary degrees, the non-economic benefits of education, misconceptions about the cost of college, and practical advice for aspiring students. 

Beth talks with Wade Eyerly, the founder and CEO of Degree Insurance, about the potential role for insurance in the world of higher education, the risk involved in postsecondary education, and what this emerging industry is doing for students. 

In this episode, Beth speaks with Douglas Webber, a professor of economics at Temple University, about the risks associated with picking and paying for college, which factors (i.e. major, institution, etc) matter most when it comes to your degree paying off, and advice for aspiring students on how to mitigate risk.

Beth talks with Michelle Singletary, a personal finance columnist for The Washington Post, about what parents should consider before enrolling their children into college, the role of student debt in financing a degree, and advice for aspiring students and parents about how they can think critically about paying for college.

In this episode, Beth speaks with Ron Lieber, a personal finance columnist for The New York Times and author of the book, “The Price You Pay for College,” about the ins and outs of the college decision-making process. They talk about what aspiring students and their families most often get wrong about the system, and what they really can’t afford to misunderstand, when it comes to picking and paying for college.