624 | The Rules of College Have Changed | Brian Eufinger

About this episode

The college your teenager attends today could be the difference between an eight-figure net worth by age 30 and six figures of crushing debt. One student turned down MIT for a full ride at Georgia Tech, used the savings to buy rental properties, and achieved financial independence before most people finish paying off their loans. That's the stakes—and the rules just changed. Key Topics Discussed 00:00:00 Introduction and Landscape ChangesBrad Barrett introduces Brian Eufinger from Edison Prep to discuss sweeping changes in college admissions, financial aid, and why assumptions from even five years ago are now dangerously outdated. 00:03:45 The Test Optional ReversalThe pendulum has swung back hard. Seventy-five of the top 100 colleges now require or strongly prefer SAT/ACT scores, reversing the COVID-era test-optional trend. At Duke, 93% of admitted students submitted scores. For merit aid especially, testing matters more than ever. 00:06:30 Grade Inflation and Course RigorGrade inflation has reached absurd levels. The bottom 25% of UCLA admits held a 3.95 unweighted GPA. The average University of Georgia applicant now completes nine AP courses by graduation—up from 4-7 being excep