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PODCAST

Kitchen Table College Chats

Gary Stocker, Marc Deboer

We all know that choosing a college is one of the biggest investments your family will ever make, but it doesn"t have to be the most stressful. Each and every episode, we pull up a virtual chair to cut through the jargon and tackle the real-world questions about admissions and finances and even the financial health and viability of colleges.

education education for kids

All Episodes

20:57

Most expensive college mistake parents can make on...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/09/27

In this episode of Kitchen Table College Chat, Gary Stocker and Marc DeBoer tackle what they describe as the most expensive college mistake parents can make: falling in love with a college before doing their homework. They discuss how beautiful campuses, impressive facilities, emotional campus visits, prestigious names, and large scholarship offers can influence families before they have examined the underlying numbers. Stocker argues that families should investigate first and fall in love

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48:41

Private College Counselor and School Match 4U founder...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/09/13

In this episode of Kitchen Table College Chat, special guest Mark Stucker, founder of School Match 4 U, joins Marc and me for a wide-ranging conversation about how families can make better-informed college decisions. We discuss whether the admissions process is actually identifying students who will succeed or simply encouraging families to build increasingly polished applications. Mark explains the value of holistic admissions while acknowledging that competitive admissions can become

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21:53

Your child isn't just buying a 4-year degree . . . on...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/09/07

The Kitchen Table College Chat episode explores the idea that families are not simply buying a college degree—they are investing four critical years of a young person’s life. Gary Stocker and Marc DeBoer discuss how the value of college extends beyond academics to include personal growth, relationships, networking, leadership opportunities, and career preparation. But they argue that families need to determine whether those experiences justify the price and potential debt. Graduation rates

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24:28

What if college build the wrong thing? (buildings,...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/09/01

Colleges sometimes create programs and majors that have no substantive student audiences. They can also create buildings and sports teams that are problematic additions. Marc and Gary step listeners through the scenarios.

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22:36

Should parents follow their children to college on...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/09/01

Marc and Gary address the long-running question about parent's involvement in their children's college experience.

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36:00

The Sophomore Slump on Kitchen Table College Chats

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/09/01

Marc and Gary discuss a topic not often addresses. What happens when the novelty of the freshman year wears off?

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19:47

What colleges won't tell you on Kitchen Table College...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/08/11

This episode of Kitchen Table College Chat focuses on the important things colleges often do not tell prospective students and families. Gary Stocker and Marc DeBoer argue that families need to look beyond admissions materials and campus marketing when making one of their largest financial decisions. They discuss several risks that may not be obvious during the college search, including the possibility that a student’s chosen career may not provide the expected job opportunities, that a

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22:06

College Closures Hurt Before They Happen on the...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/08/04

This episode of Kitchen Table College Chat examines how financially struggling colleges can harm students long before they officially close. Gary Stocker and Marc DeBoer argue that college leaders often know about serious financial problems months or even years before families hear about them. During that period, students may experience fewer course sections, reduced upper-level classes, larger class sizes, faculty and staff departures, program cuts, outdated technology, and deteriorating

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18:48

We admit everybody. That's why we have low graduation...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/07/29

This episode of Kitchen Table College Chat tackles one of the most controversial issues in higher education: Should colleges that "admit everyone" be held accountable for low graduation rates? Gary Stocker and Marc DeBoer challenge the common argument that open admissions naturally lead to poor student outcomes, arguing that access to college should not be confused with success in college. They discuss whether colleges have a responsibility to graduate the students they enroll or whether

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22:59

How tuition discounting works and why it is a warning...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/07/17

Marc and Gary talk through what is actually going on when colleges discount tuition. Spoiler alert: It's not actually money the college is using to subsidize a student's tuition.It is simply the same type of discount you get for cars, computers, camera's. It is a similar business model to the Kohl's retail stores. They discount their clothes to generate cash to keep their business running. Colleges can't do that because the revenue from tuition is only sporadic (2-4 times per year)

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20:19

When cheaper colleges are actually a bad choice at...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/07/17

Colleges are almost annually increasing their tuition discounts (they call them 'scholarships')In this week's podcast show, Marc and Gary discuss why those discounts are not necessarily a good thing for the college - and ultimately for the student.For example, if a college doesn't have the financial resources to offer a course section in your student's major, that could delay graduation by a semester or even a year. We also talked about the opportunity cost associated with not graduating

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22:44

Topic: Your major was just cut. at Kitchen Table...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/07/02

It happens weekly and it happens without notice. Marc and Gary talk about the history of program cuts and what you can do to lower the risk or move on if it happens.

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23:23

Tuition Does Not Equal Costs on the Kitchen Table...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/06/22

What does college really cost? In this episode of Kitchen Table College Chat, Gary Stocker and Marc DeBoer challenge one of the biggest misconceptions in higher education: tuition is not the same as cost. They unpack how private colleges routinely discount tuition by more than 50%, why sticker prices often have little connection to what families actually pay, and how fees, room and board, books, and other expenses can dramatically increase the true cost of a college education. The

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25:00

AI for the high school student on the Kitchen Table...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/06/15

In this episode of Kitchen Table College Chat, Gary Stocker and Marc DeBoer take opposing viewpoints on one of the biggest questions facing education today: Should high school students embrace artificial intelligence? Framing the discussion as a debate between an AI skeptic and an AI advocate, they explore whether AI is primarily a learning tool or a shortcut that discourages critical thinking. Gary argues that students need to develop their own reasoning skills before relying on

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21:54

What is a good college decision? on the Kitchen Table...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/06/07

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

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16:16

Who is the responsible for a student's success at The...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/05/29

Marc and Gary go back and forth on how is responsible for a student's success in college.Gary notes that too many colleges don't even graduate 50% of their students in 4 years. Marc shares that too many parents assign responsibility to colleges for their student's success.Share your thoughts to me at gary@collegeviability.com

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22:18

What are the hidden financial indicators of troubled...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/05/21

Marc and Gary discuss some easy-to-find key indicators of financially strong college and financially weak colleges.Available in the new College Viability Inspection Report, these are the top 3 they discussed.1. Enrollment trends2. Endowment value (effectively a college's savings account)3. 4-year graduation ratesHere is the link to the College Viability Inspection Report.Here is an example of what a report looks like. (By the way, the financial report part is FREE.)

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30:46

Will your college student stay or leave? at the...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/04/30

Will a pothole or dingy dorms at your child's college campus be the final straw?This week Marc and Gary look at retention (staying at a college) from perspective not normally shared in the higher education news media.We sit around our virtual table and provide that perspective that students and parents need to make the best possible college decision.Join us as we sit at your kitchen table for our College Chat.

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32:00

Falling in love with a campus - or choosing a future...

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/03/26

In this podcast episode of Kitchen Table College Chats, Marc Deboer and Gary Stocker continue their virtual kitchen table chats for colleges students and their families.Most students fall in love with a college campus. In this episode, we ask parents and students alike to make sure that colleges they love during the tour can deliver the college education needed.From Emotion to EvaluationBefore you fall in love with a college campus, run a simple mental shift:Instead of asking: Do I love

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29:08

Admissions myths that hurt families

Kitchen Table College Chats ·

2026/03/17

If you listen to enough college admissions advice, you might start to believe a few things:That everyone should go to college.Going to college guarantees you a good job. That students must discover their life passion at age 17. Or that the best strategy is simply applying to as many schools as possible and hoping for the best.The problem? A lot of that advice is based more on tradition and urban myth than reality.In this episode, Marc and Gary break down the admissions myths that quietly

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