Your Expertise Needed: Is College Broken?

Across the next several months I’m conducting 100 one‑hour interviews with leaders who shape how colleges present their value to the world, including school and independent counselors.

The study explores a question at the heart of our work:

Has the business model of American higher education eroded audience trust, and, if so, what messaging or structural shifts can restore confidence?

Your expertise working with students is essential. Conversations center on three prompts, framed for a marketing lens:

• In your view, is higher ed’s underlying business model “broken” from a marketplace standpoint?
• If so, which stakeholder decisions (pricing, positioning, rankings, discounting, etc.) have most damaged brand trust, and why?
• If not, which elements are resonating with prospective students and families, and how might we scale or re‑frame those successes?

Confidentiality

Interviews are recorded solely for my reference. Neither you nor your organization will ever be quoted, cited, or identified without your written consent.

Next steps

If you’d be willing to contribute, please choose any available slot here.

For additional background, a short project brief is available: Is College Broken?

Thank you for considering this request. Your insight will help map actionable paths to rebuild public confidence in higher education.

Looking forward,



Teege Mettille

Author & Researcher