If you know or if you are a current college student or a student planning for college, this is a conversation you will not want to miss. And if you are a parent who has helped your teen through the college application process then today’s guest likely needs no introduction. I am beyond thrilled to welcome Jeff Selingo to the podcast. For those who may not know, Jeff is a well-known journalist and respected thought leader in the areas of higher education and the future of work. Through his newsletter, best-selling books, including his recent “Who Gets In and Why”, and his weekly podcast, Jeff continues to share important insights and experiences with his audience. And today that includes my audience, too.
During our conversation, Jeff and I discuss the future of education and work and where change needs to occur. He also shares why skills are so important in addition to a college degree. And be sure to stick around to hear Jeff’s advice for finding career-based active learning opportunities as great alternatives to internships. This interview is chock-full of valuable advice and many actionable tips for current and soon-to-be college students.
About Jeff Selingo
Jeff Selingo has written about higher education for more than two decades and is a New York Times bestselling author of three books. His latest book, Who Gets In & Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, was published in September 2020 and was named among the 100 Notable Books of the year by the New York Times. A regular contributor to The Atlantic, Jeff is a special advisor for innovation and professor of practice at Arizona State University. He also co-hosts the podcast, FutureU. He lives in Washington, DC with his family.
Episode Highlights
- Changes taking place in the world of education and work
- What does post-high school education mean?
- The earnings premium of a Bachelor’s degree
- It’s not just the degree alone
- Skills matter a lot, more than where you go to college or what you major in
- Colleges are beginning to embed badges and micro-credentials in their programs
- Helping students translate the skills that they are learning to what the job market is looking for
- When researching colleges, find out how central the career services office is to everything the university does
- Foundational skills are more broadly applicable, whereas specialized skills are more specific to a certain job
- Employers are looking for broad skills but also specialized skills that are applicable to the job
- Picking a minor that will be complementary to your major but that will provide you with different skills will make you more marketable
- College majors are organized by disciplines and the world doesn’t silo itself like that
- Most jobs are cross-disciplinary and require people, business, and technology skills
- From the college’s point of view, student success is really student retention and graduation
- Students need to take a more active role in finding a job/career while still in college
- The Swiss apprenticeship model – job-based learning in high school and college
- Career-based active learning opportunities are great alternatives to internships
- Embedding skills for students will bring more value to a college degree
- It’s all about differentiation
- Jeff’s book: “Who Gets In and Why” – who are the buyers and sellers
- Students should balance the college fit across three dimensions – academic, social, and financial