Bootstraps

May 05 2022 7 ep. 35 mins 20
Bootstraps Podcast artwork

A limited series from EdSurge and Open Campus about merit, myths, and how "pulling ourselves up" shapes education.

  Education  Society & Culture  News
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Episode 7: The Power of the 'Grit' Narrative

May 05 2022 43 mins  
A bonus installment of our series. We’re stepping back to review the key themes of the first season of the series, and look at what’s changed since we reported some of the controversies we dug into. Plus, we talk with Alissa Quart about why narratives of self-reliance are so hard to shake. Host: Jeff Young (@jryoung)A joint production of EdSurge and Open Cam

Episode 6: Rethinking the Rhodes

Mar 01 2022 43 mins  
The Rhodes Scholarship was designed to forge a network of people who would go on to rule the world. So who gets this opportunity? And how is the world’s oldest and most well-known graduate scholarship dealing with the legacy of its founder, who used ruthless and racist practices to build the diamond empire that funded the effort.Host: Jeff Young (@jryoung)A joint production of Ed

Episode 5: Breaking Up With the SAT

Dec 07 2021 35 mins  
The SAT can feel very different to different students. While it can give any college applicant stress, some low-income and minority students see it as evidence that selective colleges don't want them. Can the rise of test-optional policies lead to a new, more equitable era of college admissions?Reporter: Eric Hoover (@erichoov) of The Chronicle of Higher EducationHost: Jeff Young (

Episode 4: Playing the Grade Game

Oct 12 2021 39 mins  
Our current grading system can be a way for kids to prove themselves, win college scholarships, or gain admission to highly selective colleges. It also can turn into a game that encourages comparison to fictional "averages." It's so ingrained it may feel impossible to imagine a world without letter grades or GPAs, but some say, let's give that a try.Host: Jeff Young (@jryoung)A joi

Episode 3: Searching for Genius

Aug 03 2021 41 mins  
Sometime early in elementary school, kids are put on one of two paths: regular or gifted. Where did this idea come from? The answer goes back more than a 100 years, to a once-famous scholar named Lewis Terman. And it turns out his legacy, and the future of gifted programs, are still very much under debate.

Episode 2: Fighting for TJ

May 25 2021 33 mins  
What a debate about the admissions process at one of the best public high schools in the country says about who should get what in education.

Episode 1: "Pull Yourself Up"

Apr 12 2021 14 mins  
Ever wonder where the phrase "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" came from? In the first episode of our series about merit and myths in education, we explore the phrase's origins and how it went from ludicrous joke to national aspiration.