Beyond Admissions: Making College Count

Higher education is a $700+ billion-a-year industry. But for most families, it’s not an industry — it’s a life-changing, six-figure decision. And yet… how many parents really stop to ask the most important question: Is this degree going to be worth what we’re paying for it? We comparison-shop for cars. We inspect homes before buying. We study interest rates before taking out a mortgage. But when it comes to college — a purchase that can easily rival the cost of a house — many families rely on reputation, rankings, or emotion. In this episode, we step back from the glossy brochures and the campus tours to ask the harder questions: What are you really paying for? What’s driving tuition prices? Which paths deliver a return — and which ones might quietly erode value over time? Before you write that first tuition check, listen in. Because, unlike a car or a house, you can’t resell a degree that doesn’t deliver. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bnp9315.substack.com