Bootstraps

A bonus installment of our series. We’re stepping back to review the key themes of the first season of the series, and look at what’s changed since we reported some of the controversies we dug into. Plus, we talk with Alissa Quart about why narratives of self-reliance are so hard to shake.

Host: Jeff Young (@jryoung)

A joint production of EdSurge and Open Campus.

The Rhodes Scholarship was designed to forge a network of people who would go on to rule the world. So who gets this opportunity? And how is the world’s oldest and most well-known graduate scholarship dealing with the legacy of its founder, who used ruthless and racist practices to build the diamond empire that funded the effort.

Host: Jeff Young (@jryoung)

A joint production of EdSurge and Open Campus.

The SAT can feel very different to different students. While it can give any college applicant stress, some low-income and minority students see it as evidence that selective colleges don't want them. Can the rise of test-optional policies lead to a new, more equitable era of college admissions?

Reporter: Eric Hoover (@erichoov) of The Chronicle of Higher Education

Host: Jeff Young (@jryoung)

A joint production of EdSurge and Open Campus.

Our current grading system can be a way for kids to prove themselves, win college scholarships, or gain admission to highly selective colleges. It also can turn into a game that encourages comparison to fictional "averages." It's so ingrained it may feel impossible to imagine a world without letter grades or GPAs, but some say, let's give that a try.

Host: Jeff Young (@jryoung)

A joint production of EdSurge and Open Campus.