At College Viability, we provide college financial transparency to the higher education search process. We equip students, families, faculty, and campus leaders with tools to assess college financial health and its viability along with comparings and student success outcomes.
If you want more guidance on whether your college is financially strong, we will post this podcast every Wednesday and Friday.
Send your questions about college financial health and outcomes to gary@collegeviability.com
The $40,000 Scholarship That Still Leaves a $38,000 Bill on Beyond the College Brochure
Imagine opening your mailbox one afternoon.
Inside is an envelope from a well-known private university in your area.
You open it. And there it is. An invitation to attend college.
No traditional application process required.
And better yet? A scholarship. Not for five thousand dollars. Not for ten thousand dollars.
But forty thousand dollars. Every year. For four years.
That's potentially one hundred and sixty thousand dollars in scholarships.
Now, if you're a parent trying to figure out how to pay for college, that sounds like pretty good news.
Maybe even extraordinary news.
But before you start celebrating, there's something you need to know.
13 Oct 2026
What Happens When Only Five Students Graduate in Your Major ? on Beyond the College Brochure
In this episode of Beyond the College Brochure, I explore a question most students and parents never think to ask: What happens when only five students graduate from your intended major?
Small academic programs can offer personal attention and outstanding educational experiences, but they can also create financial challenges for colleges. When the number of graduates in a major continues to decline, colleges facing financial pressure may reduce faculty, limit course offerings, consolidate departments, or eliminate the program altogether. And while colleges generally provide opportunities for enrolled students to finish their degrees, the educational experience may look very different from what families originally expected.
I explain why families should investigate the number of students completing their intended major over the past five or more years, rather than relying on college marketing materials and promises.
A small graduating class isn't automatically a warning sign, but a consistent decline in completions, particularly at a financially struggling college, deserves serious attention.
At College Viability, we encourage families to examine academic program completions alongside institutional financial health and enrollment trends. The bottom line: Before investing four years and potentially $100,000 or more, make sure the academic program you're choosing today is likely to be there tomorrow.
19 Aug 2026
For Once, the College Has to Pass the Test on 'Beyond the College Brochure
There was a time in America when a college degree didn't need much explaining.
You earned one. You framed it. You hung it on the wall.
And everybody understood what it meant.
Or at least…........ We thought we did.
A college degree meant opportunity. A better job. A better income. A better life.
And for decades, the federal government operated on pretty much the same assumption.
If an accredited college said its program was legitimate…
Washington helped students borrow the money to attend.
The college had the accreditation.
The student had the FAFSA.
The government had the checkbook.
And everybody went on their way.
But something has changed..............................................
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