College Uncovered

In a world focused on getting in, do you know what you’re getting into? College Uncovered, from GBH News in collaboration with The Hechinger Report, pulls back the ivy on American higher education, exposing the problems, pitfalls and risks — and helping you navigate them. If you wonder how college really works, subscribe now. Because it’s a real education.

College Uncovered is made possible by Lumina Foundation.

Recent Episodes
  • S4 Eps 5 The Student Trade Wars
    May 8, 2025 – 20:48
  • S4 Eps 4 The Revenge of the Humanities
    May 1, 2025 – 25:25
  • S4 Eps 3 The Missing Men
    Apr 24, 2025 – 18:27
  • S4 Eps 2 “Tag, You’re In!” – The Rise of Direct Admissions
    Apr 17, 2025 – 20:53
  • S4 Eps 1 The Demographic Cliff
    Apr 17, 2025 – 21:14
  • Introducing College Uncovered: Season 4 – The Demographic Cliff
    Apr 14, 2025 – 02:43
  • S3 Eps 8 What Comes Next On Campus?
    Nov 25, 2024 – 37:12
  • S3 Ep 7 Abortion on the Ballot … and in the Mail
    Nov 2, 2024 – 30:04
  • S3 Ep 6 - The Politics of the College Presidency
    Oct 17, 2024 – 26:16
  • S3 Ep 5 - DEI Backlash
    Oct 10, 2024 – 34:57
  • S3 Ep 4 - The Rural Higher Education Blues
    Oct 3, 2024 – 23:54
  • S3 Ep 3 - The Borrowers' Lament
    Sep 26, 2024 – 20:33
  • S3 Ep 2 - The Politics of Protest
    Sep 19, 2024 – 28:25
  • S3 Ep 1 - Un-Welcome to College
    Sep 12, 2024 – 19:25
  • S3 Election Year Edition: The Politics of College
    Aug 29, 2024 – 04:30
  • [Bonus]: Dear College - Tayana Antoine
    Jun 20, 2024 – 10:59
  • [Bonus]: Dear College - Jenessa Otabor
    Jun 20, 2024 – 14:35
  • S2 Ep 8 - What Do College Students Learn, Anyway?
    May 30, 2024 – 38:15
  • S2 Ep 7 - Junk Fees
    May 16, 2024 – 23:37
  • S2 Ep 6 - The Other College Debt
    May 16, 2024 – 17:34
  • S2 Ep 5 - The Real Cost of "Free"
    May 2, 2024 – 21:46
  • S2 Ep 4 - Closing Time
    Apr 18, 2024 – 26:02
  • S2 Ep 3 - Loss Leaders
    Apr 18, 2024 – 18:32
  • S2 Ep 2 - Bait and Switch
    Apr 4, 2024 – 16:24
  • S2 Ep 1 - Buyer Beware
    Apr 4, 2024 – 14:56
  • S2 Season 2 is coming!
    Mar 21, 2024 – 02:56
  • S1 Ep 8 - The Enrollment Industrial Complex
    Dec 14, 2023 – 20:44
  • S1 Ep 7 - The “M” Word
    Dec 14, 2023 – 18:34
  • S1 Ep 6 - Graduation Frustration
    Nov 30, 2023 – 15:00
  • S1 Ep 5 - The Transfer Trap
    Nov 30, 2023 – 21:49
  • S1 Ep 4 - The Meritocracy Myth
    Nov 9, 2023 – 21:03
  • S1 Ep 3 - Secret Sophomore Admissions
    Nov 9, 2023 – 20:04
  • S1 Ep 2 - Affirmative Action … for the Rich
    Oct 26, 2023 – 18:00
  • S1 Ep 1 - Misleading U
    Oct 26, 2023 – 20:05
  • S1 - Introducing College Uncovered
    Oct 12, 2023 – 02:25
Recent Reviews
  • Jack M Hoffman
    Nothing new to see here
    NPR engaging in its usual biased far left reporting masquerading as centrist. I especially loved how, in your DEI episode, you mostly interviewed slack jawed yokels in a diner as the primary opponents of DEI, and well spoken scholars as the defenders of DEI. Everyone can see what you’re doing here.
  • GiGiBilingual
    I am shocked!
    As an educator and mother of a HS student, I am shocked with the closure of colleges and the twisted processes to get into them and exiting them successfully. It is a maze our youngsters have to pass trough. Thanks for educating me!
  • HunterRobinson
    Tons of great insights
    As a father, saving for my sons college, this podcast has opened my eyes to a whole different perspective. It is such great journalism all around.
  • Longtime podcaster
    Finally
    A consumer-facing podcast that tells us what colleges don’t want us to know about how they operate. Thank you, GBH. This is real public service journalism amid a lot of noise.
  • allonesun
    Excellent!
    I loved every episode!!! Can’t wait for the next one!!!
  • Thoughtful Reading
    One-sided, dogmatic and strident in tone
    Some truth to the arguments made here, but also a lack of thoughtful analysis. I listened to the episode on the difficulty of transferring credits. There are vast differences in the academic levels of different colleges. Even though the course may have the same name, the level of instruction and expectation is going to be vastly different at U of Chicago compared to a community college. This is because the students come in with different levels of preparation. Do you really think a four year college should accept transfer credits for grades of C and D?
  • Shirazita
    Excellent content
    Really good reporting on the underbelly of college admissions
  • levansart
    Great presentation. Important info for prospective college students and their families!
    This podcast exposes the many ways that American colleges avoid giving clear information to prospective and matriculating students. If you or your children are considering applying to college, you must listen to this! And for anyone involved in higher education, including determining policy for higher educational institutions, it lays out the problems. Understanding the complexities will hopefully point to some solutions.
  • Rob Kimball in Boston
    Great deep dive into a timely topic
    Must-listen for college-bound students (and anyone in their orbits). Unpacks the key questions and concerns around secondary ed in America, complete with a lot of voices from the front lines (including recent and future college students!) A great, eye-opening primer to the topic.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork on this page are property of the podcast owner, and not endorsed by UP.audio.