Changes that took effect on July 1 under the One Big Beautiful Bill have reshaped the federal student loan landscape for both current borrowers and future students. To help explain what these changes mean, co-host Daniel James begins the program with a pre-recorded conversation with nationally recognized student financial aid expert Mark Kantrowitz. Following the break, co-host Peter Smith, a lifelong educator who has led two colleges, joins the discussion.
They, along with host Jim Falk, examine the challenges students and parents face paying for higher education, the reasons many colleges are struggling to remain financially viable, and the growing role of community colleges as an affordable pathway to both employment and a four-year degree. The conversation also explores broader questions about how higher education should be financed, including whether expanding grants directly to colleges rather than student loans could improve college access and reduce the burden of debt.
Host: Jim Falk
Co-hosts: Daniel James & Peter Smith
Guest: Mark Kantrowitz