Is College Worth It?

New research and polling show that more and more Americans now doubt a previously unquestioned fact of U.S. life — that going to college is worth it.


Paul Tough, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, explains why so many high-school students and their parents are souring on higher education and what it will mean for the country’s future.


Guest: Paul Tough, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine who has written several books on inequality in education.


Background reading:

 •  Americans are losing faith in the value of college. Whose fault is that? (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/05/ma...)
 •  In December, Colby-Sawyer in New Hampshire reduced its tuition to $17,500 a year, from about $46,000. The cut was a recognition that few pay the list price (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/14/us...) .

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily (http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-t...) . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.