This week on In Black America, producer and host John L. Hanson, Jr. speaks with Greg Kaplan, founder of the Kaplan Educational Group and author of The Journey: How to Prepare Kids for a Competitive and Changing World. An internationally recognized college admissions strategist, Kaplan discusses his effort to help students and their parents prepare for the college admissions process.
college admissions
How women’s pro basketball traces its roots to Houston
Tonight, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic challenger Colin Allred face off in their one and only debate. We’ll have a preview of what to expect.
A new tool gives Texas high school students a look at universities that will accept them before they fill out an application.
In the next part of our series on the history of the Texas Farm Workers Union, a look at the group’s 1,600-mile march to Washington, D.C.
How volunteer amateur radio operators have helped during recent hurricanes.
And: Remembering the pioneering professional women’s basketball team the Houston Angels.
Higher Ed: Ethics, Authenticity and Education – Takeaways From The College Admissions Scandal
Allegations of cheating and bribery in connection with college admissions have brought renewed scrutiny to just how that process works. In this episode of the KUT podcast “Higher Ed,” KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talks with Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger to get his response to the story and his take on maintaining integrity in the process.
Ed says the accusations made in connection with alleged cheating at some universities in the United States raise several concerns for him.
“First, there’s just an ethical question,” says Ed, “about boy, what are we teaching young people today about doing the right thing and living good lives?”
Ed says secondly, the situation sends a disturbing message about using shortcuts to get ahead.
“There’s an issue about the value of hard work,” Ed adds, “and setting goals and realizing those goals when that’s possible. And when it’s not possible, to learn from that and realize other goals.”
Ed also has a very visceral response to the allegations from the point of view of an educator.
“My emotional reaction is one of offense,” says Ed. “It’s because, how do these families who are accused of these things, of this behavior – how do they define what formal education means? By their alleged actions, they’re defining formal education as a piece of paper.”
Ed strongly believes what formal education delivers to students does not depend on the “name” of the school.
“Education should be an individualized experience,” Ed says. “Even when you look at some of these generic rankings, they have certain metrics but they’re not measuring for an individual human being. And that’s why there are so many schools out there and that’s why there are so many people at those variety of schools. It’s important to pick the best fit.”
Listen to the full episode for more on how students can discern that best fit. Also, the puzzler is back after an extended Spring Break. Who is our guest puzzle provider for the next few episodes? Listen on to find out!
This episode was recorded on April 2, 2019.
Texas Standard: April 1, 2019
It may be April first, but the President’s team is doubling down: the threat to close the southern border is quite serious. Mexico is Texas’s top trading partner, and concerns are growing over the possibility and the viability of a border shutdown. Also, the border agent who had a secret: he too, was an undocumented immigrant. And Houston, we have liftoff: a race for space-related books on the 50th anniversary of the 1st moon landing. Plus researchers trying to save Texas bats: a danger of doing more harm than good? All that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Dr. Rudy Jackson, pt. 2 (Ep. 45, 2016)
In Black America producer and host John L. Hanson, Jr. concludes a conversation about college preparedness with Dr. Rudy Jackson, Jr., PhD. Dr. Jackson is founder and president of College Prep Professionals, LLC, and Director of Co-Curricular Assessment at Georgia Gwinnett College.
Dr. Rudy Jackson, pt. 1 (Ep. 44, 2016)
In Black America producer and host John L. Hanson, Jr. begins a conversation about college preparedness and admissions with Dr. Rudy Jackson, Jr., PhD. Dr. Jackson is founder and president of College Prep Professionals, LLC, and Director of Co-Curricular Assessment at Georgia Gwinnett College.