top of page


After high school: Gen Z feels unprepared -- charter grads earn more
Gen Z charter graduates have more education and earn a lot more than graduates of traditional public schools.

Joanne Jacobs
5 hours ago1 min read


Don't make us reteach middle-school math, say STEM profs at 'test-free' UC
STEM professors are seeing huge readiness gaps since the University of California went "test-free" in admissions.

Joanne Jacobs
2 days ago2 min read


Zombifying the universities
AI will turn college students into zombies and ivied colleges into empty cathedrals of dead faith.

Joanne Jacobs
May 172 min read


NYU students say 'Coddled' author is 'unsettling' graduation speaker
Jon Haidt told NYU graduates to "pay attention" and live in the real world. Some wanted him disinvited, saying his views are "unsettling" and he's not prestigious.

Joanne Jacobs
May 162 min read


How much will I pay for college? Financial aid offers are very confusing
Financial-aid offers make it hard for 18-year-olds and their parents to figure out how much college will cost.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 262 min read


RU Rdy for college?
How low can college-readiness expectations go?

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 242 min read


Speeding to a degree: Does a college credential signify ... anything?
A working mom completed a 4-year online degree in 3 months, a master's in 21/2 months, and got a promotion. Problem or solution?

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 213 min read


Academia looks in the mirror: Who's that timid conformist looking back?
Academic needs to look in the mirror and see why it's losing public trust.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 183 min read


Mind the gap: 86% graduate in DC, 15% meet math standards
More students are completing high school, but fewer are prepared to learn a skilled trade or pass a college math class.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 132 min read


Hooked on AI: What's the point of college?
AI can be a "fantastic" study partner, but most college students use it to work less and learn less.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 112 min read


Dual-credit soars in Chicago -- but college success does not
Will Chicago's dual-credit students be prepared to succeed in college?

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 33 min read


Speedy 3-year degrees attract frugal students
Does it have to take 4+ years and 120 credits to earn a bachelor's degree?

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 153 min read


No need to listen, read, write or think: AI will do college for you
Will students offload all their college work -- classes, reading, writing, discussions, tests -- on AI?

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 262 min read


Texas: College-prep classes set students up for college failure
Dual enrollment helps Texas students do well after graduation, but taking college-prep classes has no benefit, says a new study.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 252 min read


How advanced is AP? Exam scores are inflated, says new competitor
Inflating grades and dumbing-down tests is giving high achievers no way to show their competence.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 242 min read


Thinking with AI
AI -- with the right guardrails -- can help students think through ideas, a professor writes.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 182 min read


Great Books are hard, and that's good
Reading the classics is hard work. It teaches students to focus, think and persevere.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 161 min read


From broke to woke to broken: How the humanities lost their way
Humanities professors embraced activism -- it's where the grant money is -- and lost students' interest.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 163 min read


Harvard profs may OK limit on A's, and students aren't happy
Harvard's faculty is considering putting a 20 percent cap on A grades.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 121 min read


Inflated grades lead to deflated pay
Students who receive good grades for mediocre work tend to learn and earn less in the long run.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 122 min read
bottom of page