In addition to occasionally writing articles for a broad audience, I am frequently quoted by local and national news outlets discussing my own research as well as key state and national higher education issues. Below are recent examples of me in the news.
My Commentary and Analysis
“America’s Best Bang for the Buck Colleges.” Washington Monthly, August 27, 2023.
“Biden Just Forgave Some Student-Loan Debt. Now What?” The Chronicle of Higher Education, August 24, 2022.
“Improving Outcomes Data for Online Programs.” Inside Higher Ed, March 29, 2022.
“Higher Ed’s Uncertain Financial Future.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, February 8, 2022.
“Federal Financial Aid for College Will Be Easier to Apply For–And a Bit More Generous.” The Conversation, January 13, 2021.
“America’s Best Bang for the Buck Colleges 2019.” Washington Monthly, September/October 2019.
“Bernie Sanders’ Student Debt Plan Doesn’t Actually Fix the Problem of Student Debt.” NBC News, June 25, 2019.
“Our Next Secretary of Education Should Be Drafted Out of College, Not High School.” Brown Center Chalkboard (Brookings), May 17, 2019.
About My Research and Teaching
“Generous Student Loan Programs Make School More Expensive.” Megan McArdle, The Washington Post, June 20, 2023.
“How Gainful Employment Changed Higher Ed.” Katherine Knott, Inside Higher Ed, April 14, 2023.
“Performance-Based Funding Linked to Higher SAT Scores in Bottom Quarter.” Laura Spitalniak, Higher Ed Dive, March 8, 2023.
“Does Loan Relief Lead to Increased Tuition? Probably Not, Says the Research.” Jon Edelman, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, February 2, 2023.
“Knoxville College Forms Partnership to Regain Accreditation.” Sara Weissman, Inside Higher Ed, June 24, 2022.
“We Don’t Get Paid Unless You Do.” Paul Fain, Open Campus, September 2, 2021.
“More Out-of-State Students Don’t Bring Colleges Higher Tuition Revenue, Study Finds.” Nell Gluckman, The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 1, 2021.
“Study: Gainful Employment Associated With Closures.” Madeline St. Amour, Inside Higher Ed, November 12, 2019.
“Even at Top Colleges, Graduation Gaps Persist for Poor Students.” Melissa Korn, The Wall Street Journal, February 18, 2019.
“Does More Federal Aid Raise Tuition Costs? Not for Most Students, Research Says.” Clare Lombardo, NPR, December 13, 2018.
Quoted in the Media
“Merge or Die? Some Private Iowa Colleges Face Tough Choices as Enrollment Continues to Tumble.” Tyler Jett, The Des Moines Register, June 25, 2023.
“Why Does College Tuition Have So Many Extra Fees?” Janet Nguyen, Marketplace, June 9, 2023.
“State Support for Higher Ed Continues to Rise. Yet Public Colleges Still Face Headwinds.” Helen Huiskes, The Chronicle of Higher Education, May 25, 2023.
“Families Grapple with Rising College Costs.” Elissa Nadworny, National Public Radio, April 27, 2023.
“How to Sell a University.” Pam Kelley and Melanie Sill, The Assembly, January 5, 2023.
“U-Va. Law School Halts Cooperation with U.S. News Rankings.” Nick Anderson and Susan Svrluga, The Washington Post, December 9, 2022.
“Why We’re Still Fascinated by College Rankings.” Harmeet Kaur, CNN, September 20, 2022.
“Biden’s Debt Relief.” David Leonhardt, The New York Times, August 25, 2022.
“Can Student Loan Borrowers Handle Payments and Inflation, Too?” Anna Helhoski, NerdWallet (nationally syndicated), July 14, 2022.
“Biden Decision on Student-Loan Forgiveness Unlikely Until Later in Summer, Officials Say.” Andrew Restuccia and Gabriel Rubin, The Wall Street Journal, June 6, 2022.
“‘I’d Love to Be Married Now. I Would Love to Be a Dad by Now. I’d Love to Have a Home by Now’: The Winners and Losers in Biden’s Plan to Cancel $10,000 in Student-Loan Debt.” Aarthi Swaminathan, MarketWatch, June 3, 2022.
“Free College or Federal Student Loans? These Alternatives Could Help Solve the Student Debt Crisis.” Chris Quintana, USA Today, May 22, 2022.
“‘We Are Caught in an Inflationary Vise.’ At BU, Tuition Surges Past $61,000 in Largest Hike in 14 Years.” Laura Krantz and Travis Anderson, The Boston Globe, May 9, 2022.
“Beware, New Student Loan Borrowers: Interest Rates are About to Jump.” Cory Turner, National Public Radio, May 6, 2022.
Audio/Video
I talked with WATE-TV in Knoxville in July 2023 to talk about the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision on student loan forgiveness.
I was interviewed by WBZ-TV in Boston in August 2022 to discuss why college is so expensive.
I was on WTAF-TV in Kansas City in December 2021 to discuss another student loan repayment pause.
I was interviewed on CBS Sunday Morning in August 2020 about what higher education will look like in the fall 2020 semester.
I was on NPR’s “Planet Money” podcast in July 2020 to talk about higher education finance and the fall 2020 semester.
I was a guest on Bloomberg Radio in June 2020 to talk about the cost of online versus in-person education.
I joined the Bond Buyer podcast in June 2020 to discuss the financial stability of American higher education.
I joined CRPE’s Research Minutes podcast in June 2019 to discuss my research on how performance-based funding policies in higher education can reduce unintended consequences.
I participated in this Bipartisan Policy Center panel in April 2019 to discuss ways to reform the college closure process.
I was a guest on ACTA’s podcast in February 2019 to discuss higher education accountability.
I was on WAMU/NPR’s “1A” show in November 2018 to talk about education debt held by older adults.
I participated in this Brookings Institution panel in September 2018 on the future of free college policies in the United States.
I joined the Gates Foundation’s “To A Degree” podcast in September 2018 to discuss higher education data and accountability.
I joined Bryan Alexander’s “Future Trends Forum” series in November 2017 to discuss higher education insiders’ views on key policy issues.
I was a panelist on PBS’s “Point Taken” show in April 2016 to discuss whether college is worth the price tag.
I was a panelist on MSNBC’s “All In With Chris Hayes” show in August 2013 to discuss Washington Monthly magazine’s college rankings.
Robert Kelchen 