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Preston Cooper

Preston Cooper is a visiting fellow at the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity.

Articles by Preston Cooper


Why Free Community College Solves The Wrong Problem

Sep 17, 2021 · Preston Cooper · Comments Off on Why Free Community College Solves The Wrong Problem

House Democrats have released their draft plan to make free community college a reality across much of the country, at a price tag of over $100 billion. The obsession with … Continue reading “Why Free Community College Solves The Wrong Problem”


The Scuba Model of Higher Education

May 21, 2021 · Preston Cooper · Comments Off on The Scuba Model of Higher Education

Scuba diving ought to be very dangerous. Recreational diving involves submerging to depths of up to 60 feet. If something goes wrong at that depth, a quick return to the … Continue reading “The Scuba Model of Higher Education”


When Student Debt Is A Good Thing (And When It’s Not)

Sep 14, 2020 · Preston Cooper · Comments Off on When Student Debt Is A Good Thing (And When It’s Not)

Student debt has a bad reputation. It’s under attack from the left, which sees debt as a ball and chain that ruins the lives of young people who had the … Continue reading “When Student Debt Is A Good Thing (And When It’s Not)”


The Majors that Pay and the Degrees that Don’t for Graduates

Nov 25, 2019 · Preston Cooper · Comments Off on The Majors that Pay and the Degrees that Don’t for Graduates

The College Scorecard, a Department of Education initiative that publishes data on student debt and earnings after graduation for thousands of schools, just got a major update. Previously, the Scorecard’s … Continue reading “The Majors that Pay and the Degrees that Don’t for Graduates”


Why South Korea Can’t Quit College

Sep 25, 2019 · Preston Cooper · Comments Off on Why South Korea Can’t Quit College

More advanced societies tend to have more educated citizens, which is one reason why politicians of all stripes call for sending more students to college. One country has taken that … Continue reading “Why South Korea Can’t Quit College”


Forgiving Student Debt Isn’t the Solution to Anything

May 15, 2019 · Preston Cooper · Comments Off on Forgiving Student Debt Isn’t the Solution to Anything

The time-honored American tradition of outlandish political promises continues apace. Now, the spotlight is on student debt. Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren added to the debate recently when she put … Continue reading “Forgiving Student Debt Isn’t the Solution to Anything”


Parents, Student Loans, and Government: An Unhealthy Mix

Jan 9, 2019 · Preston Cooper · Comments Off on Parents, Student Loans, and Government: An Unhealthy Mix

Parent PLUS is not typically the loan program making headlines when student loans are in the news. But over the past several years, it has become a central part of … Continue reading “Parents, Student Loans, and Government: An Unhealthy Mix”


The Innovation Dilemma Facing Betsy DeVos

Sep 14, 2018 · Preston Cooper · Comments Off on The Innovation Dilemma Facing Betsy DeVos

No one can accuse Education Secretary Betsy DeVos of inaction. Just within the past few weeks, her Department of Education announced the overhaul of two major Obama-era regulations. The next … Continue reading “The Innovation Dilemma Facing Betsy DeVos”

More in Academics

  • The Media Take On the UNC Board Mar 20, 2023

    When news broke that UNC-Chapel Hill had plans to create a new School of Civic Life and Leadership, it was inevitable that there would be some confusion. But nearly two … Continue reading “The Media Take On the UNC Board”

  • ROTC and the Ivies Mar 17, 2023

    Ivy League universities have a distinguished history of their students serving the country in the armed forces. Yale can claim Captain Nathan Hale, class of 1773, executed by the British … Continue reading “ROTC and the Ivies”

  • Law-School “Mismatch” Is Worse Than We Thought Mar 15, 2023

    Eighteen years ago, I published an article in the Stanford Law Review which documented for the first time the enormous breadth and scale of race-based admissions preferences in law schools. … Continue reading “Law-School “Mismatch” Is Worse Than We Thought”

More in Governance

  • The Media Take On the UNC Board Mar 20, 2023

    When news broke that UNC-Chapel Hill had plans to create a new School of Civic Life and Leadership, it was inevitable that there would be some confusion. But nearly two … Continue reading “The Media Take On the UNC Board”

  • ROTC and the Ivies Mar 17, 2023

    Ivy League universities have a distinguished history of their students serving the country in the armed forces. Yale can claim Captain Nathan Hale, class of 1773, executed by the British … Continue reading “ROTC and the Ivies”

  • Davidson College Affirms Free Speech Mar 16, 2023

    Last week, faculty at Davidson College affirmed their commitment to free expression on campus by approving their own version of the Chicago Principles. It’s a step that the pro-free-speech organization … Continue reading “Davidson College Affirms Free Speech”

Popular Articles

  • Law-School “Mismatch” Is Worse Than We Thought Mar 15, 2023
    Eighteen years ago, I published an article in the Stanf...
  • The Media Take On the UNC Board Mar 20, 2023
    When news broke that UNC-Chapel Hill had plans to creat...
  • ROTC and the Ivies Mar 17, 2023
    Ivy League universities have a distinguished history of...

Recent Articles

  • The Media Take On the UNC Board Mar 20, 2023

    When news broke that UNC-Chapel Hill had plans to create a new School of Civic Life and Leadership, it was inevitable that there would be some confusion. But nearly two … Continue reading “The Media Take On the UNC Board”

  • ROTC and the Ivies Mar 17, 2023

    Ivy League universities have a distinguished history of their students serving the country in the armed forces. Yale can claim Captain Nathan Hale, class of 1773, executed by the British … Continue reading “ROTC and the Ivies”

  • Davidson College Affirms Free Speech Mar 16, 2023

    Last week, faculty at Davidson College affirmed their commitment to free expression on campus by approving their own version of the Chicago Principles. It’s a step that the pro-free-speech organization … Continue reading “Davidson College Affirms Free Speech”

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