Youtube Exercise » English Grammar Homework

America is running out of teenagers. Universities are worried | BBC Global

BBC Global

419K views 2 months ago

Warm-up Questions

What problems might universities face if there are fewer teenagers in the US?
How do you think fewer young people could affect jobs and the economy in the future?
Do you think college is “worth it” today? Why or why not?

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America is running out of teenagers. Universities are worried | BBC Global

A coming demographic drop and why it matters (00:00 – 01:15)

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1. What event is linked to Americans starting to have fewer kids?

The COVID-19 pandemic
The 2008 financial crisis
The 2001 dot-com crash
The 2016 election

2. What does the speaker say about the trend in teen numbers?

It will only affect certain states, not the whole country
It will fluctuate unpredictably year to year
It is a one-time dip and will quickly recover
It will continue year after year for the foreseeable future

3. Besides college enrolments, what later impact is mentioned?

Taxes will immediately increase for everyone
Housing prices will instantly collapse
Fewer young people will enter the job market later
More people will move abroad for work

America is running out of teenagers. Universities are worried | BBC Global

How universities might respond: strategy, competition, and costs (01:15 – 06:09)

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1. What does the speaker criticize as a non-strategic approach to the decline?

Creating new majors and programs quickly
Focusing on mission and identity
Improving retention and student support
Belt-tightening budgets by cutting programs and laying people off each year

2. Why isn’t 'recruit harder' enough as the only response?

Because students prefer online learning only
Because high school graduation rates are falling to zero
Because universities are not allowed to recruit students
Because the numbers of births have declined too much for recruitment alone to offset

3. What risk is mentioned when tuition is discounted more aggressively?

Parents will stop comparing financial aid offers
Students will be forced to change their majors
Elite universities will immediately shut down
Campuses may have fewer resources to support a high quality education

America is running out of teenagers. Universities are worried | BBC Global

Program changes, technology, and advice: focus on mission (06:09 – 10:24)

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1. According to the speaker, what is one factor that can improve retention?

Eliminating liberal arts classes completely
Accepting fewer students at the front door
Reducing all courses to two weeks each
Students seeing a connection between classes and the life they want after college

2. How does the speaker describe the current period in education and society?

More stable than when they started their career
Mostly predictable and easy to manage
More turbulent, with constant change
Less influenced by technology than before

3. What is the speaker’s 'bottom line' advice to institutions?

Invest only in marketing and recruitment
Close as many universities as possible
Focus on your mission and have great clarity about it
Lower the sticker price no matter what

America is running out of teenagers. Universities are worried | BBC Global

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1. What is the main cause of universities’ concern in this video?

A long-term decline in the number of teenagers
A sudden ban on student loans
A major increase in the number of universities
A new law that ends traditional degrees

2. Which response is presented as especially promising?

Raising tuition to maintain revenue
Relying only on recruiting harder
Limiting admissions at all schools
Focusing on student success and retention

3. What broader effect is mentioned beyond education?

An end to private universities
A guaranteed increase in wages for everyone
Fewer young people available in the job market in later years
Immediate disappearance of most jobs

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

America is running out of teenagers. Universities are worried | BBC Global

Should universities change their programs mainly to match employer needs, or should they protect traditional subjects? Why?
If there are fewer college-age students, what changes would you expect in tuition prices and financial aid?
How might fewer young people affect society outside of education (for example, healthcare, retirement, or productivity)?
The speaker suggests choosing to “get stronger under stress.” What could that look like for an educational institution in practice?