119. Higher Education Is Broken. Can It Be Fixed?

Economist Michael D. Smith says universities are scrambling to protect a status quo that deserves to die. He tells Steve why the current system is unsustainable, and what’s at stake if nothing changes.

RESOURCES:

The Abundant University: Remaking Higher Education for a Digital World, • by Michael D. Smith (2023). • " Diversifying Society’s Leaders? The Determinants and Causal Effects of Admission to Highly Selective Private Colleges • ," by Raj Chetty, David J. Deming, and John N. Friedman ( NBER Working Paper, • 2023). • " Are Universities Going the Way of CDs and Cable TV? • " by Michael D. Smith ( The Atlantic, • 2020). • " For Sale: SAT-Takers’ Names. Colleges Buy Student Data and Boost Exclusivity • ," by Douglas Belkin ( The Wall Street Journal, • 2019). • " High School GPAs and ACT Scores as Predictors of College Completion: Examining Assumptions About Consistency Across High Schools • ," by Elaine M. Allensworth and Kallie Clark ( Educational Researcher, • 2020). • " Mobility Report Cards: The Role of Colleges in Intergenerational Mobility • ," by Raj Chetty, John N. Friedman, Emmanuel Saez, Nicholas Turner, and Danny Yagan ( NBER Working Paper, • 2017). • " How U.S. News College Rankings Promote Economic Inequality on Campus • ," by Benjamin Wermund ( Politico, • 2017). Streaming, Sharing, Stealing: Big Data and the Future of Entertainment, • by Michael D. Smith (2016). • " Higher Education's Work Preparation Paradox • ," by Brandon Busteed ( Gallup, • 2014). • " Let’s Level the Playing Field for SAT Prep • ," by Sal Khan ( Khan Academy, • 2014). • " Race, Poverty and SAT Scores: Modeling the Influences of Family Income on Black and White High School Students' SAT Performance • ," by Ezekiel J. Dixon-Roman, Howard Everson, and John J Mcardle ( Teachers College Record, • 2013).

EXTRAS:

• " The Professor Who Said 'No' to Tenure • ," by People I (Mostly) Admire • (2022). • " Freakonomics Radio Goes Back to School • ," series by Freakonomics Radio • (2022). • " Is This the Future of High School? • " by People I (Mostly) Admire • (2022). • " America’s Math Curriculum Doesn’t Add Up • ," by People I (Mostly) Admire • (2021). • “ Sal Khan: ‘If It Works for 15 Cousins, It Could Work for a Billion People.’ • ” by People I (Mostly) Admire • (2021).

SOURCES:

Michael D. Smith • , professor of information technology and marketing at Carnegie Mellon University.

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