APB Speakers

Speaking to the World

Jeffrey Selingo

Washington Post Columnist & Author

Add to List Availability & Fees

Biography

Jeff Selingo is the author of two New York Times bestsellers, College (Un)Bound and There Is Life After College. For more than twenty years, he has provided insight and practical advice to students, parents, educators, and academic leaders about the inner workings of colleges and universities and what’s next for higher education. Read More >

Jeff’s third book, Who Gets In & Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, will be published by Simon & Schuster in September 2020. It takes readers on a journey from the inside of admissions offices, revealing what really matters in the selection process and how ultimately decisions are based a college’s agenda and its priorities rather than the quality of applicants.

As both an observer of higher education and an insider with academic appointments at two universities, Jeff occupies a unique position to explain higher education’s critical and influential role in the world economy. He writes regularly for The Atlantic, the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Chronicle of Higher Education and is co-host of the podcast, FUTURE U. In addition to college admissions, his reporting and research focuses on the future of work and its impact on lifelong learning, paying for college, the financial sustainability of traditional higher education, and what employers and the public increasingly want in a college degree.

Jeff is a special advisor for innovation to the president at Arizona State University, where he founded and directs the Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership. He is a visiting scholar at Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities. Jeff also works with universities and corporations on their innovation strategy and storytelling.

Before his first book in 2013, Jeff was the top editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education, where he was responsible for operations and strategy for the largest division of the company and managed a newsroom of more than 60 reporters and editors and a dozen foreign correspondents. His work has been honored with awards from the Education Writers Association, Society of Professional Journalists, and the Associated Press. He sits on the Board of Trustees at Ithaca College in New York.

Jeff received a bachelor’s degree from Ithaca and a master’s degree from The Johns Hopkins University. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Washington, D.C. Read Less ^

Speaker Videos

The Value of a College Degree

Life After College

College (Un)Bound

The Learning House

The Future of Higher Education

See Fewer Videos

Speech Topics

There Is Life After College: Making the Most of the Undergraduate Years for Success in Life

It’s not good enough anymore to simply gain admission to college and then roll into the job market a few years later. How students go to college—the undergraduate experiences they take advantage of on campuses—matters to how they launch into the job market. Based on research from his New York Times bestselling book and a national survey of twentysomethings, the audience will learn the three primary ways today’s graduates launch from college and how their experiences come to shape the beginning of their careers. This talk is aimed at college leaders, school counselors, employers as well as students and their parents. Among other things, the audience will: Read More >

Read Less ^

Gain insight into how young adults can better navigate the route from high school through college and into the economy where the world of work and jobs are changing.
Discover the fundamental experiences in and out of school that shape success in the job market today.
Learn the skills that prove most helpful, and why some students prosper, while others fail.
Hear a hopeful, inspiring blueprint to help alleviate anxiety about preparing for life after college.

2027: The Decade Ahead for Higher Education

What changes are in store for higher education over the next decade? It’s a question being asked by college leaders, faculty members, policy makers, and of course, students and parents. Higher education is on the cusp of far-reaching changes over the next decade where technology is playing a larger role and students, parents, and educators alike are asking what colleges should teach and how learning should be measured in an era of shifting needs in the economy. Drawing on research from his bestselling book, College (Un)Bound, and a follow-up report he authored for The Chronicle of Higher Education in 2016, the audience for this talk includes college leaders, faculty members, policymakers, and high-school administrators. Among their key takeaways: Read More >

Read Less ^

Discover the attributes of a new era of higher education, how it differs from the past, and what it means for the future of colleges and universities.
Learn about the students of the next decade, and hear about the demographic changes coming to campuses.
Hear about the numerous learning pathways that students might follow ten years from now and the credentials they’ll receive from that learning.
Understand the role technology will play and the value of the physical campus.

Testimonials

"Jeff was a 10 out of 10. He brought clarity (and facts) to admissions, a topic so riddled with misinformation."

- MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series

"It was a perfect day. Jeff was flexible and easy to work with. He led a wonderful dinner conversation, his book talk was thoughtful and well received, and most of all, he spent time talking with our students and providing advice."

- University of Wyoming

“On behalf of all of us at NJCU, Jeff’s visit to NJCU was outstanding!! We were very, very pleased with his presentation at Convocation, and enjoyed his being on campus immensely. I can’t thank you and Jeff enough for his appearance here and words of encouragement to our students and faculty!!”

- New Jersey City University

"Jeff was beyond knowledgeable and really provided a thoughtful leadership point of view for us and our attendees. We had folks tweeting out messages that Jeff had discussed. We also appreciated his panel moderation to which he lent expert opinion backed by fact that really increased a perception of credibility."

- Director of Corporate Communications, LiveText, Inc.

"Thank you to you and to all of your team members for helping to make Jeff Selingo’s participation at Campus Technology 2017 possible. We were delighted that he was able to join us in Chicago to share his perspective on “2027: The Decade Ahead for Higher Education” with our conference audience. Attendees were very engaged with his ideas and Jeff did a very effective job answering questions. He also stayed to chat with a few attendees after the talk, even though he had a very short time to spare until his travel to O’Hare for his return flight."

- Campus Technology Conference

"Jeff was fantastic! While the content is sobering, Jeff's delivery and knowledge make it easy to comprehend. Now it's up to us to make sure we innovate to meet the demands of a rapidly changing market. Thanks for your help in making Jeff's presentation so thought-provoking and inspiring."

- Vice President for Development & Alumni Affairs, Quinnipiac University

"It was great! He was so flexible and wonderful to work with. We had a wonderful dinner with amazing conversation. The book discussion was very thoughtful and well received, and the final session was solid as well. Thank you so much for all of your help making this happen. I think we will continue this campus conversation for a long time!"

- University of Wyoming

"It was a great keynote! He was an excellent addition to our conference. We heard great feedback from the audience—attendees felt like he understood issues that they were dealing with on a daily basis. The room was packed!"

- Association of College & University Housing Officers – International

"First of all I would like to thank you for your assistance. It was pleasure to working with you! Jeffrey’s session went very well and we were very pleased to have him on board. I have spoken to the Chair and few others who gave me positive feedback. Thank you very much again."

- Producer, Association & Communications Events

"Jeff did a fantastic job for us last week! He was completely in his element, relaxed and got on famously with the audience. He hit a home and, as always, was a delight to work with."

- Jenzabar

"Jeff was engaging and well-prepared, and provided the board some new things to consider. Thank you again for securing him for us!"

- Colorado State University-Global Campus

"Everything went very well - Jeff was perfect to kick off our retreat and did a great job of interacting with the presidents. Logistics were flawless."

- Ontario College Association

“It is good every now and then for those of us who work in higher education – both faculty and staff – to hear from someone who sees the role of colleges in universities through a different prism. Jeff Selingo did not disappoint. He delivered great information and keen observations based on solid research.”

- Edinboro University

"Jeff did a great job out our conference. Both our clients and our team really liked his presentation and the data he shared."

- AcademicWorks