{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Kitchen Table College Chats","title":"What is a good college decision? on the Kitchen Table College Chat for June 4, 2026","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1314,"description":"This episode of Kitchen Table College Chat focuses on a central question for families: What actually makes a “good” college decision? Gary Stocker and Marc DeBoer challenge the traditional ways families evaluate colleges and argue that most students and parents focus on the wrong factors during the college search process.The episode begins with listener questions about college pricing, admissions yield, and college closures. Gary explains that many private colleges heavily discount tuition — citing a recent report showing an average first-year discount rate of 57% at private colleges — meaning families often pay far less than the published “sticker price.” The hosts encourage parents to understand the difference between list price and actual tuition fees charged.They explain the concept of admissions yield, which measures how many accepted students actually enroll. Gary argues that admissions yield reflects market confidence in a college: schools with stronger reputations and student outcomes tend to attract more students who accept their offers.Another major discussion centers on the risk of college closures. Gary emphasizes that no one can predict with certainty whether a college will close, but families should examine financial data, enrollment trends, endowment strength, and graduation rates to assess institutional stability. He frames this as part of the mission of College Viability — helping families “inspect” colleges the same way consumers inspect homes or cars before making major purchases.The core theme of the episode is redefining what “good” means in a college decision. Marc explains that most families focus on prestige, rankings, acceptance letters, and reputation when choosing a college, but after graduation they judge success very differently — based on debt levels, graduation timelines, happiness, and employment outcomes. He argues that families should reverse their priorities and focus on outcomes first, not marketing or rankings.Gary reinforces...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/jZ2XRYsDFO3U04Wwz1DKIbcOTUoevfb7TelLoMxQJ9U/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9kOGQx/MTVjNDY2M2YwNTAw/MDc4ZGU0MDFhZmUw/NWZlNi5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}