Best Jeff Selingo Podcasts (2025)

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In 'Dream School,' Jeff Selingo wants parents to rethink what makes a ‘good’ college 7:45

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6d ago7:45

7:45

Over the past 20 years, the number of college applications filed to top schools has exploded. And while many American colleges accept most applicants, some parents and students hold tightly to the idea that prestige matters. In his new book Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right For You, journalist and higher education expert Jeff Selingo a…

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What Families Get Wrong About College Admissions with Jeff Selingo 33:49

28d ago33:49

33:49

Families obsess over “dream schools.” Colleges obsess over rankings and yield. Somewhere in between, the real truth about admissions gets lost. In this episode of The VineDown, I sit down (again!) with bestselling author and higher ed strategist Jeff Selingo to cut through the myths and talk candidly about what really drives admissions decisions to…

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From First-Gen Student to Enrollment Leader: Shawana Singletary’s Playbook 46:48

9h ago46:48

46:48

What happens when a first-generation college student grows up to lead enrollment at a major university? In this episode of The VineDown, Emily Smith sits down with Shawana Singletary, Assistant Vice President and Chief Enrollment Officer at Adelphi University. Drawing from her own journey (from working double shifts to pay tuition, to leading admis…

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In her new memoir, Jeannie Vanasco gets 'A Silent Treatment' from her mom 9:38

23h ago9:38

9:38

Jeannie Vanasco’s memoir A Silent Treatment is about the period her mother spent living in the basement apartment of Vanasco’s home. Sometimes, Vanasco’s mother would stop communicating altogether. The silent treatment could last a few days – but once, it lasted six months. In today’s episode, the author speaks with NPR’s Scott Simon about how she …

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How AI Could Reshape Higher Ed 39:43

1d ago39:43

39:43

Parents and prospective students want to know how colleges are responding to the rise of generative AI — and to other recent developments like federal budget cuts to research. On this episode, Jeff and Michael share what they’re both hearing as they visit campuses around the country this fall. And they offer their analysis of what AI could mean for…

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'Pick a Color' is a novel that takes place over a single day at a nail salon 8:50

2d ago8:50

8:50

Ning is the manager of a nail salon where all of the workers wear a nametag with the same name – Susan. Pick A Color takes place over a single day at the salon and it’s the first novel by Souvankham Thammavongsa. In today’s episode, the poet and short story writer speaks with NPR’s Scott Simon about Ning’s background as a prizefighter, what Thammav…

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Introducing: Books We've Loved 2:10

4d ago2:10

2:10

Welcome to Books We've Loved, a new limited series from Book of The Day. Every episode, we will dig into some of our favorite books, to make the case for picking up a book from the past. Hosted by Book of the Day’s Andrew Limbong and Code Switch’s B.A. Parker, they will be your guides through these timeless stories. Bringing on NPR voices and book …

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165. UFlex: Remote Jobs for College Students with Cole Frank 47:03

5d ago47:03

47:03

Send us a text 🎙️ In this episode of College Knowledge, host Joe Kerns sits down with Cole Frank, co-founder of UFlex — a platform helping college students find flexible remote job opportunities that align with their studies and career goals. 🌎💼 Cole shares how his own college journey inspired UFlex, the challenges students face when balancing work…

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These new mystery novels are 'whodunits' that might as well be called 'whydunits' 17:34

5d ago17:34

17:34

Today’s episode features two mystery novels with special twists. First, The Killer Question is a story told via emails, WhatsApp messages and texts. When a new trivia team becomes suspiciously successful, egos are hurt and a body is found in the river. In today’s episode, author Janice Hallett joins NPR’s Scott Simon for a conversation about the my…

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469: On Interviewing Kids 37:33

3h ago37:33

37:33

Kate Rope’s new book, Strong as a Girl is not only well-written and thoroughly researched, it includes the voices of so many girls and young women. In this week’s episode, Jess talks with Kate about how she managed to secure interviews with these girls, get permission to use their voices, and manage the paperwork around all those releases. Find Kat…

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On Interviewing Kids 37:33

5d ago37:33

37:33

Kate Rope’s new book, Strong as a Girl is not only well-written and thoroughly researched, it includes the voices of so many girls and young women. In this week’s episode, Jess talks with Kate about how she managed to secure interviews with these girls, get permission to use their voices, and manage the paperwork around all those releases. Find Kat…

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Raising Twins on Hard Mode | Adam Lieb (Dad of 2, Gamesight) 58:54

6d ago58:54

58:54

In this episode of Startup Dad, I sit down with Adam Lieb, the founder and CEO of Gamesight, a marketing technology company that helps video game studios connect with players and launch their biggest titles. Adam started his first gaming business at just 11 years old and has spent his entire career building in the industry ever since. As a dad of 1…

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Extra Credit: How to Handle the Why College/Why Academic Interest Essay with Lisa Marker-Robbins 30:18

6d ago30:18

30:18

Some of the trickiest essays to pin down on college applications are the Why College/Why Academic Interest essays. This has never been more true than today, so we wanted to bring back our interview with special guest Lisa Marker-Robbins, Founder of Flourish Coaching, who’s helped over 4,000 high school students and young adults gain the insight, ex…

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For her latest novel, Patricia Lockwood says she wanted to write about confusion 8:53

7d ago8:53

8:53

In Patricia Lockwood’s latest novel, the protagonist is an author named Patricia. Will There Ever Be Another You documents a four-year period of disorientation, disassociation and confusion after Patricia becomes severely ill. The story is based on Lockwood’s own experience with brain fog and other symptoms after becoming sick with Covid-19 in Marc…

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Mariana Enriquez’s new book connects her interest in cemeteries with Argentina’s past 8:30

8d ago8:30

8:30

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Why a University Proactively Sought a Merger 44:20

8d ago44:20

44:20

By Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn

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'For the Sun After Long Nights' is a history of Iran’s Woman, Life, Freedom Movement 11:29

9d ago11:29

11:29

Three years ago, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman named Mahsa Jina Amini was fatally beaten by Iran’s morality police. She’d been arrested for not following the Islamic Republic’s dress code. Her death sparked the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement, one of the largest uprisings in Iran in decades. Journalists Fatemeh Jamalpour and Nilo Tabrizy tell this stor…

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164. Enrollment Management and Student Success with Dale Bittinger 30:26

12d ago30:26

30:26

Send us a text 🎓 Dale Bittinger, Assistant Vice Provost at UMBC, shares over 25 years of experience in enrollment management and student success in this episode of College Knowledge. From navigating admissions to supporting students through their college journey, Dale offers insider insights, practical tips, and personal stories to guide families t…

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Two new history books use the past to explain what’s important now 18:57

12d ago18:57

18:57

Two new history books make a strong case for why learning about the past is critical to understanding the world today. First, History Matters is a posthumous collection of writings by American historian David McCullough. In today’s episode, co-editor Dorie McCullough Lawson and historian Jon Meacham tell NPR’s Scott Simon about McCullough’s endless…

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The Scammer's Guide to Writers 30:08

12d ago30:08

30:08

THE SCAMS. They’re getting wilder and wilder, and harder and harder to spot up front or even before you hand over the cash, if the scammer is faking a service you’d have to pay for. We’re all getting these endlessly in non-writing life too, the ticket you didn’t get, the recruiter who isn’t one… I had a friend get a VERY real one that looked like i…

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468: The Scammer's Guide to Writers 30:07

12d ago30:07

30:07

THE SCAMS. They’re getting wilder and wilder, and harder and harder to spot up front or even before you hand over the cash, if the scammer is faking a service you’d have to pay for. We’re all getting these endlessly in non-writing life too, the ticket you didn’t get, the recruiter who isn’t one… I had a friend get a VERY real one that looked like i…

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Why I Tell Colleagues to Have Kids | Rishabh Jain (Dad of 2, Fermàt Commerce) 50:44

13d ago50:44

50:44

In this episode of Startup Dad, Adam Fishman sits down with Rishabh Jain, the CEO of FERMÀT Commerce, a company he launched when his oldest daughter was just a few weeks old. He’s also a husband and father of two kids under the age of four. In this conversation, Rishabh shares why he believes parenthood actually makes entrepreneurship easier, how h…

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'F*** Approval, You Don’t Need It!' makes the case against ‘people pleasers’ 10:27

13d ago10:27

10:27

In her new book, F*** Approval, You Don’t Need It!, therapist Lizzie Moult says people who seek the approval of others are doing a great disservice to themselves — and others too. In a conversation with Here & Now host Peter O’Dowd, Moult explains why being a “people pleaser” can be counterproductive. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and s…

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Angela Flournoy’s 'The Wilderness' focuses on a Black, female ‘chosen family’ 9:05

14d ago9:05

9:05

The group of friends at the center of Angela Flournoy’s new novel, The Wilderness, are figuring out how to navigate life as they enter middle age. NPR’s Juana Summers spoke with the author about the evolving journey of her characters and what their ups and downs say about the dynamics of long-term friendships. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-f…

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The Truth About Independent Counselors: Yvonne Espinoza on Ethics, Access, and Student Success 45:46

14d ago45:46

45:46

What does it really mean to put students first in the college admissions process? In this episode of The VineDown, Emily Smith sits down with Yvonne Espinoza, CEP, nationally recognized counselor, City of Austin Women’s Hall of Fame inductee, and founder of YESpi College Counseling. After 19 years serving Title I and alternative schools in Austin, …

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Former senator Joe Manchin makes the case for the middle in the memoir 'Dead Center' 7:47

15d ago7:47

7:47

Former West Virginia senator Joseph Manchin III was a gadfly in the ear of his own Democratic party for many years, and a sometime Republican ally. Manchin’s new memoir, Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense, is packed with stories about his relationships with the likes of President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden. In this interview w…

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Ian McEwan’s latest novel ‘What We Can Know’ is science fiction without the science 9:56

16d ago9:56

9:56

At 77, the Booker Prize-winning British novelist Ian McEwan shows no signs of slowing down. His new novel, What We Can Know, is set in Great Britain in the 22nd century – a country now partly underwater as a result of global warming. In today’s episode, McEwan speaks with NPR’s Scott Simon about the book’s plot – it tells of a search for a lost poe…

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163. Financial Aid, Enrollment & FAFSA with Dr. Taylor Odle 50:59

19d ago50:59

50:59

Send us a text 🎓 In this episode of the College Knowledge Podcast, host Dave Kozak interviews Dr. Taylor Odle, a higher education expert from the University of Pennsylvania with academic roots at Wharton and Vanderbilt. Together, they unpack the realities behind college admissions and financial aid decisions—from how institutions approach enrollmen…

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‘Peacemaker’ and ‘Tomorrow Is Yesterday’ are personal histories of diplomacy 19:43

19d ago19:43

19:43

Two new books dive into the details of diplomacy. First, in the 1960s U Thant became the first non-Western secretary-general of the United Nations. Now his grandson, historian Thant Myint-U, has written Peacemaker, a new biography of the diplomat. In today’s episode, Thant speaks with NPR’s Michele Keleman about his grandfather’s journey. Then, Hus…

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When You’ve Written the Right Scene in the Wrong Place 21:57

19d ago21:57

21:57

Here’s this week’s episode, which we accidentally tucked behind the paywall in the first send. Friday #AmWriting is always free—but if you’re already a paid sub, thanks! And if not… maybe now’s the time? Every draft gets messy. Characters show up too early, reveals happen too late, and suddenly nothing’s where it “should” be. In this episode, Jenni…

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467: When You’ve Written the Right Scene in the Wrong Place 21:57

19d ago21:57

21:57

Every draft gets messy. Characters show up too early, reveals happen too late, and suddenly nothing’s where it “should” be. In this episode, Jennie and KJ talk how to tackle the chaos and keep your words flowing. Episode is free for all and romping through podplayers everywhere. Transcript is below—for paid subscribers only (because they cost $$ to…

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You Can't Tell Kids How to Feel | Zach Teutsch (Dad of 2, Values Added Financial) 59:45

20d ago59:45

59:45

Zach Teutsch is the founder of Values Added Financial, and a former leader at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He’s also a husband, father of two, and a master of weaving big-picture life principles into day-to-day parenting. In this episode, Zach and I talk about building independence in kids, creating household shortcuts to reduce decisi…

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Ken Jaworowski’s new crime novel ‘What About the Bodies’ has a surprising tender side 7:57

20d ago7:57

7:57

Ken Jaworowski is out with a new crime novel with a surprising tender side. What About the Bodies is set in a fictional town past its glory days with a shuttered steel plant, closed coal mines, and a community that everyone talks about leaving. In today’s episode, the New York Times editor and author speaks with NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe about the three …

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Applying to College without Going Broke with Jeff Levy 53:02

20d ago53:02

53:02

What’s new with financial aid? A lot. In this episode, we welcome back returning guest Jeff Levy, Co-Founder of Big J Educational Consulting, who’s been an educational consultant since 2007. Hear the latest changes impacting financial aid, the key deadlines for the FAFSA application and CSS Profile, how common full ride scholarships actually are, t…

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‘Dark Renaissance’ historian on how Christopher Marlowe paved the way for Shakespeare 8:50

21d ago8:50

8:50

The Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe is known as Shakespeare’s greatest rival. But in his new book Dark Renaissance, historian Stephen Greenblatt makes the case that Marlowe paved the way for Shakespeare. In today’s episode, Greenblatt joins NPR’s Ari Shapiro for a conversation about what made Marlowe a “lost soul,” how the playwright nav…

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‘Beyond Fast’ chronicles one coach’s unlikely revolution in high school cross-country 8:11

22d ago8:11

8:11

When Sean Brosnan started coaching the Newbury Park High School cross-country team, the school hadn't qualified for a state championship in 25 years. But within just three years, they were state champions. Now, the coach has written a memoir with Chris Lear and Andrew Greif called Beyond Fast: How A Renegade Coach And His Unlikely High School Team …

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Reporters Roundtable: How Trump Is Shaking Up Higher Ed 40:28

22d ago40:28

40:28

We’re bringing back a favorite format to go behind the headlines with top beat reporters covering colleges. Our latest roundtable focuses on how the Trump administration’s many executive orders, research grant cancellations, and crackdowns on international students are changing the higher ed landscape in the U.S. and globally. Jeff and Michael are …

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In his new novel ‘The Secret of Secrets,’ Dan Brown takes on human consciousness 6:03

23d ago6:03

6:03

Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, is out with his sixth book starring fictional Harvard professor Robert Langdon. In The Secret of Secrets, Langdon is dragged out of his comfort zone by a noetic scientist and finds reality is much stranger than he once imagined. In today’s episode, Brown joins NPR’s Scott Detrow for a co…

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162. Navigating Standardized Testing: Insights and Strategies with Laura Whitmore 41:37

26d ago41:37

41:37

Send us a text 🎙️ In this episode of College Knowledge, we dive into the shifting landscape of standardized testing in college admissions. From test-optional trends to grade inflation and declining national scores, the education system is evolving—and fast. Joining us is Laura Whitmore, founder of Strategic Test Prep, who shares expert guidance on …

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‘Long Way Down’ and ‘The Hate U Give’ are modern classics about gun violence 15:27

26d ago15:27

15:27

The final episode in our Back to School series focuses on two contemporary books that tell stories about gun violence. First, Jason Reynolds’ 2017 novel in verse Long Way Down centers on a moment of decision that occurs when a teenage boy is on his way to avenge his brother. In today’s episode, Reynolds speaks with NPR’s David Greene about avoiding…

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Publishing Nerd Corner: Your Copyright and the Anthropic Settlement 18:13

26d ago18:13

18:13

Hey ho, welcome to the Publishing Nerd Corner, where we dive into the more technical aspects of authorship. Jess here. I love it when Sarina schools me on all things publishing nerdery, so we decided to make it official and create a whole new series. I have a long list of things I want her to explain for us, so stay tuned for more. In the meantime,…

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466: Publishing Nerd Corner: Your Copyright and the Anthropic Settlement 18:13

26d ago18:13

18:13

Hey ho, welcome to the Publishing Nerd Corner, where we dive into the more technical aspects of authorship. Jess here. I love it when Sarina schools me on all things publishing nerdery, so we decided to make it official and create a whole new series. I have a long list of things I want her to explain for us, so stay tuned for more. In the meantime,…

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Why Standing Up For Your Kids Is Massively Important | Jeremy King (Dad of 2, Ocean Orchestra) 46:54

27d ago46:54

46:54

Jeremy King, co-founder and CEO of Ocean Orchestra and former CEO of Attest, shares his journey as a founder, ocean advocate, and father of two daughters. In this episode, Jeremy opens up about building systems for both his family and his startups, why ocean conservation is personal to him, and how parenting has informed his leadership style. We di…

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What Toni Morrison learned from revisiting five of her most-read novels 9:32

27d ago9:32

9:32

Arguably, no high school reading list is complete without one of Toni Morrison’s books. In today’s episode, we look back at a 2004 conversation between the author and NPR’s Renee Montagne, who visited Morrison to talk about a new paperback re-release of five of her novels. The interview focuses on Morrison’s perspective on hauntings, apparitions an…

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Sandra Cisneros’ ‘The House on Mango Street’ was born from a feeling of displacement 7:40

28d ago7:40

7:40

Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street is a series of vignettes drawn from the experiences of a Mexican-American girl living in Chicago. Since its publication in 1983, it’s become required reading for high school students across the country. In today’s Back to School episode, we revisit a 2009 conversation between the author and NPR’s Renee Mon…

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In her translation of ‘The Odyssey,’ Emily Wilson aimed for ‘a crystalline clarity’ 9:37

29d ago9:37

9:37

In 2017, Emily Wilson became the first woman to translate Homer’s The Odyssey into English – more than three millennia after the epic’s inception. In the second installment of our Back to School series, Wilson talks with NPR’s Lauren Frayer about how she approached aspects of her translation, including social hierarchies and Homeric epithets. To li…