logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2024
41m 41s

188. Why Do Kids Today Get So Many A’s?

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
About this episode
Is grade inflation on the rise? How much does your G.P.A. matter in the long run? And when did M.I.T., of all places, become “the cool university”? 
Up next
Oct 11
96. Why is Chick-fil-A Such a Big Deal?
How did Chick-fil-A become the third-largest restaurant chain in the U.S.? Why does it serve salad? And can Angie’s moral compass override her craving for a chicken sandwich? This episode originally aired on April 24th, 2022. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adsw ... Show More
27m 50s
Oct 4
95. What’s So Bad About Denial?
Can denial be a healthy way of dealing with the death of a loved one? What do the five stages of grief misrepresent about mourning? And why does Angie cover her eyes when she watches the Rocky movies? This episode originally aired on April 17th, 2022. Hosted by Simplecast, an Ads ... Show More
32m 7s
Sep 27
94. What to Do When Everything Looks Like a Catastrophe?
What is the relationship between “catastrophizing” and anxiety? How did Angela react when her mother came close to drowning? And how can you gain perspective when the worst-case scenario is all you can visualize? This episode originally aired on April 10th, 2022. Hosted by Simple ... Show More
31m 43s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2023
119. Higher Education Is Broken. Can It Be Fixed?
tail spinning
47m 10s
Aug 2024
The University of Impossible-to-Get-Into (Update)
tail spinning
1h 11m
Aug 2024
What Exactly Is College For? (Update)
<p>We think of them as intellectual enclaves and the surest route to a better life. But U.S. colleges also operate like firms, trying to differentiate their products to win market share and prestige points. In the first episode of a special series originally published in 2022, we ... Show More
50m 15s
Aug 2024
What Is the Future of College — and Does It Have Room for Men? (Update)
<p>Educators and economists tell us all the reasons college enrollment has been dropping, especially for men, and how to stop the bleeding. (Part 3 of our series from 2022, “<a href="https://freakonomics.com/freakonomics-radio-goes-back-to-school/"><i>Freakonomics Radio </i>Goes ... Show More
49m 17s
Aug 2023
Does grade inflation damage the integrity of the CAO system?
Grade Inflation will have some students smiling this morning but is it damaging the integrity of the CAO system? We speak to TJ Hegarty, the founder of Breakthrough Maths. 
10m 33s
Feb 2023
Is College Worth it?
One reader asks: When is the cost of college worth it, given the high costs of tuition? Katie and Henah reflect on their own journeys, how the costs have ballooned over time, and other higher education options to consider.Welcome back to #RichGirlRoundup, Money with Katie's weekl ... Show More
9m 32s
Mar 2018
What Are Universities For?
Almost half of the UK's school leavers are now going to university. But the university sector is under more scrutiny than ever before. Sonia Sodha argues that it's time to take a profound look at what universities are really for. Should we be spending vast amounts of public money ... Show More
28m 28s
Nov 2019
Making the Grade
From school grades to fitness trackers, we're all being ranked and rated on a daily basis. This is having a huge impact on our happiness and preventing us from living our lives to the fullest. Can giving up on grades radically improve our wellbeing?For an even deeper dive into th ... Show More
33m 25s
Aug 2025
#431 — What Is Happening on College Campuses?
Sam Harris speaks with Michael Roth about the state of higher education in the U.S. They discuss whether concerns about wokeness were overblown, how colleges should handle campus protests, where universities should draw the line on extreme political views, DEI, why Jews should be ... Show More
23m 29s
Apr 2022
501. The University of Impossible-to-Get-Into
tail spinning
59m 6s