Jason Burt’s Post

An important read highlighting the growing inequities in college admissions. At BRiDDG, we’re committed to changing this narrative—creating tools and opportunities that empower students to showcase their true potential, regardless of financial background. It’s time to prioritize fairness and authenticity over privilege.

The Wall Street Journal recently published an eye-opening article, "The Guru Who Says He Can Get Your 11-Year-Old Into Harvard," highlighting the rise of high-cost educational consulting services that promise to give affluent families an edge in the college admissions process. While these services can craft the “perfect” application, they underscore a troubling truth: access to these opportunities is determined by wealth, not potential. The college admissions system has increasingly become a reflection of privilege rather than a fair evaluation of a student’s talent, hard work, and character. But here’s the deeper issue—getting into a prestigious school doesn’t guarantee success. True achievement depends on resilience, adaptability, and intrinsic motivation, qualities that can’t be bought or polished by consultants. This is why we need to rethink how we evaluate and support students in this process. BRiDDG’s mission is to level the playing field, offering every student a platform to authentically share their story and demonstrate their potential. College admissions shouldn’t be about who can afford the best guidance—it should be about creating opportunities for all. #EducationalEquity #CollegeAdmissions #StudentStories #BRiDDGtheGap #BRiDDG https://lnkd.in/g2frE5r4

Would you pay $200,000 to get your child into an Ivy League College? Crimson Education, led by co-founder Jamie Beaton, charges between $30,000 and $200,000 for a four to six-year program, claiming to help students secure admission into Ivy League schools. I'm conflicted about this. While I understand the value of attending an Ivy League school, I'm not sure the unit economics make sense to me. Is the investment truly worth it when we consider not only the financial cost but also the pressure it places on students and families? At what point does the pursuit of prestige overshadow the importance of a well-rounded, fulfilling education? There are so many alternative pathways to success today. Skills-based learning, entrepreneurial ventures, and even non-traditional career trajectories are gaining credibility. Should we continue to push the narrative that the Ivy League is the ultimate key to success, or is it time to reframe what educational success truly means in a rapidly evolving world? I'd love to hear your thoughts—does the Ivy League still hold the same value it once did, and is this level of financial commitment justified in today’s landscape?

Three observations from this article: 1) It’s a glimpse of the way higher education is changing. Big unis getting bigger and spreading across the country, offering more job-oriented degrees. 2) Those degrees presumably offer better ROI than traditional liberal arts degrees. And they evidently pay better than seminary degrees. 3) The cover photo has nice Adirondack chairs on the new Vandy campus. They’re almost as nice as the ones I build. I might start designing some folding Adirondack chairs, just for fun. Also worth noting: two years ago we sent as many student innovators to the Clinton Global Initiative University as Vanderbilt did. We also matched Cornell and a few other major unis. No one surpassed us. We are much smaller than Vanderbilt and Cornell, and we charge less than half of what they charge. Hmm.

#ArtsEducationMonth is here! Learn how LEAs can put Prop 28 funds into practice from a recent California Department of Education webinar:

Today's reading Interesting read for lots of reasons: - The initiative was never about scale, there was never a way to scale. - they gave no numbers on what - the framing of the article is weird casting blame and responsibility in odd/interesting places . . but WSJ so... Tidbits: - Thiel hasn’t attempted to build a better education system, which program officials acknowledge has made it harder to develop talent in the program.  - Thiel fellows say they don’t receive much more than funding from the program and have limited contact with Thiel, - “Meeting some of the other members inspires you to think bigger,” says Boyan Slat, a 2016 Thiel fellow {as if this doesn't happen in college} and the kicker: About a quarter of the Thiel fellows eventually returned to college to finish their degrees, suggesting that even the dropouts see enduring value in higher education. https://lnkd.in/eyGSaYgZ

I'm very pleased to share my opinion piece, "If We Want Free Speech, We Need to Teach It," which appears in today's issue of Inside Higher Ed. https://lnkd.in/eVU2zp9K You can read more about my recent book, "Thinking Critically in College: The Essential Handbook for Student Success" and learn more about presentations and workshops I give here: www.thinkingcritically.us

Thoughts for today: Let me start off by saying, I love my country however I’m disgusted with my government and disappointed in many of my countrymen. Our government violates our rights every day and many willingly approve and/or just ‘go along with it’. Our government’s job is national security and to protect the God given rights of the citizens. Our constitution was written to limit the government not the people. Please people, please, read the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Federalist papers. Read and learn. Disclaimer: This content is in part for educational purposes. I unequivocally denounce any form of violence, hate, harassment, or bullying. This page does not endorse or promote dangerous acts, organizations, or any forms of violence. In accordance with the 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, this content is made available for "fair use" purposes, including criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research.

As educators, we must continuously adapt. The world we teach in today demands a more digital, dynamic approach. We cannot teach as we did in the world that’s gone, no matter how much I, as a Gen X-er, love the memories of that time. I recall my childhood in the 1980s—discovering life through our five senses and being present in the moment. Those days shaped me, but they also belong to a different era. While I treasure those experiences, I’m realistic about the future. Teaching law today means embracing change, fostering connection in a digital world, and preparing students for challenges that didn’t exist before. It’s not about holding onto the past but learning how to evolve without losing what makes us human. https://lnkd.in/emMp9bpV #life #technology #education #self #students #legaleducation #teaching #learning #digital #digitalage #digitaltransformation #emergingtechnologies #information #artificialintelligence #genX #lawprofessor #future #lawschool #nostalgia #childhood

Interesting idea and while I agree that top universities should no longer be accorded prestige and veneration, higher education in proper form would only enhance entrepreneurial talent in both the short and long term by emphasizing the Why in addition to the What.