This year, thousands of students will be accepted to colleges without ever submitting a formal application. That’s because more and more schools are automatically accepting students who meet preset performance thresholds through direct admissions programs. To learn more about this growing trend, Michael and Jeff welcome Luke Skurman who is CEO of Niche.com, one of the nation’s largest direct admissions platforms. They discuss the benefits and risks of this innovation and dig into how it changes the dynamics between schools and students. Michael and Jeff then envision the variety of changes required in the college admissions process. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group, the Gates Foundation, and the American College of Education. Chapters0:00 Intro02:26 - The Backstory on Direct Admissions06:35 - How Niche Direct Admissions Works09:09 - The Benefit to Students and Institutions11:29 - Another Application Count Booster?14:25 - Obstacle or Litmus Test?15:56 - Changing Dynamics19:40 - The Competitive Landscape20:41 - What’s Next?25:38 - The Three Parts of Admissions30:23 - Weighing the Pros and Cons of Direct Admissions36:26 - Reimagining the College Admissions Process Connect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)ThreadsConnect with Jeff Selingo:Sign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedInConnect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedInSubmit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Richard Reeves, author of "Of Boys and Men" and president of the American Institute for Boys and Men, dives into the widening gender gap in higher education. He discusses the alarming decline in male enrollment, examining societal implications and cultural shifts that affect young men's education. Reeves highlights the role of academic preparedness and college recruitment strategies, the impact of the pandemic, and the troubling trend of young males disengaging from education and work. He calls for targeted interventions to address these pressing challenges.

As the new year unfolds, experts predict a transformative phase for higher education by 2025. They highlight significant challenges, from outdated infrastructure to shifting student demands. The urgent need for innovative learning methods and institutional collaboration is emphasized. The tide of competition intensifies, with rival institutions facing enrollment battles. Additionally, many academics are leaving universities for industry roles, reshaping the research landscape. Accelerated programs and financial partnerships are set to redefine traditional educational values.

On this episode, Jeff sits down with one of the authors of Job Moves: 9 Steps To Making Progress in Your Career, Future U.’s very own Michael B. Horn. The two discuss the lessons that the book, which offers research-based guidance to individuals searching for new work, holds for students and the colleges that serve them. They then dive into discussing a topic they each get a lot of questions about: what it’s like to write a book. This episode made with support from The American College of Education, The Gates Foundation, and Ascendium Education Group.Links We MentionJob Moves: 9 Steps for Making Progress in Your CareerCareer and Technical Education for All by Michael B. Horn and Daniel Curtis, Education NextChapters0:00 - Intro02:40 - Job Moves in a Nutshell04:02 - How Job Moves Applies to Colleges07:17 - Balancing Skills Development Against Credentials09:26 - Helping Students Make More Informed Choices16:16 - Next Steps for Higher Ed22:43 - Michael's Process for Writing a Book 26:55 - Making the Time to Write 29:53 - Planner or Plunger?32:36 - Working with a Publisher35:49 - The Hard Part that No One Talks About 38:32 - Where to Find More on Job Moves   Connect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)ThreadsConnect with Jeff Selingo:Sign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedInConnect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedInSubmit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.

More than a decade ago, a wave of research pointing to the inefficacy of remedial education was followed by a massive investment in rethinking how we prepare students who need extra support to access college. So why, after all that, does remedial ed still play such a big role on college campuses today? To help us tackle that question, we’re joined by Anne Kim, FutureEd Senior Fellow and author of a recent report on the remedial education reform movement. She discusses the history of remedial education in America and what it will take to move reform forward. Then, Jeff fields some provocative questions from Michael about who should go to college and how we can align incentives so no one profits off of unprepared students. This episode is made with support from the Gates Foundation.Links We ShareIncomplete: The Unfinished Revolution in College Remedial Education by Anne Kim, FutureEdStudent Success 2.0, Future U. The New Student Ready College, Future UChapters0:00 - Intro02:49 - Remedial Education in Context07:26 - Calls for Change11:29 - A Wave of Reform14:53 - Progress Stalls16:59 - Recommendations for a Reform Rebound19:33 - Responding to Criticisms of Remedial Ed24:58 - A New System with More Options31:00 - Correcting a Broken Business Model Connect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)ThreadsConnect with Jeff Selingo:Sign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedInConnect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedInSubmit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.

The discussion kicks off with the CHIPS and Science Act's impact on education and workforce development. Community colleges are positioned as key players in training for a high-tech workforce, especially in the face of U.S.-China economic tensions. The partnership between a community college and Micron showcases how practical skills in mechatronics are being integrated with traditional education. There’s also a focus on fostering regional innovation, supporting marginalized communities, and forging educational partnerships that enhance job opportunities in the semiconductor sector.

Join Dave Weil, an IT and analytics leader from Ithaca College, and Nicole Parsons Pollard, Provost at Georgia State University, as they dive into the importance of integrating technology into higher education. They explore the disconnect between tech and academic teams and share strategies to harness data analytics for student success. The conversation also highlights the need for collaboration in decision-making, improving perceptions of higher ed, and navigating complex partnerships. It's a vital dialogue on the future of tech in academia!

Join Jonathan Koppell, President of Montclair State University and former dean at Arizona State University, as he shares insights on transforming regional colleges facing enrollment challenges. He discusses successful strategies for attracting underserved students and addresses the alarming trends in male enrollment among minorities. Koppell emphasizes the importance of hands-on learning, accountability in degree completion, and fostering a culture centered around the needs of students to enhance educational outcomes.

While college-going rates have increased over recent decades, completion rates have hardly budged. On this episode, Michael and Jeff sit down with one entrepreneur working to change that. Mike Larsson is the co-founder and CEO of Duet, an organization collaborating with an online university to provide on-the-ground coaching and physical space for students. They discuss the role wraparound supports play in supporting more students towards graduation, the keys to reengaging students who have stopped out, the nationwide spread of hybrid models like Duet’s, and more. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Philanthropy and the Gates Foundation.Links We ShareCollege Reimagined by Jon Gabrieli et al.Chapters0:00 - Intro02:12 - The Founding Story of Duet08:53 - Reaching Students with “Some College No Degree”11:23 - A Personal Trainer for College13:17 - Duet’s Outcomes17:07 - “The Hard Policy Answer”21:00 - The Growth of Hybrid College24:39 - Affordability, Flexibility, and Disruption29:46 - Leveraging Public-Private Partnerships to Better Serve Adult Learners33:26 - Improving the Outcomes of Community Colleges Connect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)ThreadsConnect with Jeff Selingo:Sign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedInConnect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedInSubmit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.

On this episode of the Future U. Campus Tour, Michael and Jeff sit down with leaders from Western Governors University to learn about innovations around the university, with special attention paid to those at WGU’s fast-growing School of Education. They discuss the expansion of work-based learning with President Pulsipher and Provost Hills McBeth, examine the drivers of the Ed. School’s growth with Dean Ludwig Johnson, and hear from a WGU student (and 4th grade teacher), Madelyn Hurst, on how the college’s competency-based approach is shaping her teaching. This episode is made with the support of Western Governors University.Chapters0:00 - Intro03:26 - The History and Students of Western Governors University09:48 - Drivers of WGU’s Growing Programs16:36 - Expanding Apprenticeship-Based Degrees20:52 - The Future of the Degree in Skills-Based World24:10 - How AI Will Change the Work and Learning Landscape29:47 - The Current State of K-12 Education33:07 - How WGU has Evolved to Meet Changing Needs of Schools36:17 - Taking the Long View38:25 - The Downstream Effects of Competency Based Teacher Education42:47 - The Growth of WGU’S School of Education45:05 - How Apprenticeship is Transforming Teacher Education47:35 - Closing Thoughts Connect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)ThreadsConnect with Jeff Selingo:Sign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedInConnect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedInSubmit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.