Freakonomics Radio

Snapshot · Freakonomics Radio

679. Why Does Vanderbilt Keep Winning?

Explore episode Jun 26, 2026

Where this was said

The Purpose and Problems of American Universities

At 6:39 · chapter starts 5:50

Diermeier begins with origin story: Vanderbilt was founded 153 years ago by Cornelius Vanderbilt explicitly to unite a divided post-Civil War country, and spent decades as a great regional university before turning national about 25 years ago. He says they're now having what may be the best year in their history across student demand, fundraising, research, and talent attraction. When Dubner presses on what's wrong with American higher education, Diermeier offers a sharply tripartite answer: affordability and career preparation are bipartisan concerns; questions of inequality come from the left; and ideological drift, intellectual monoculture, and lack of viewpoint diversity are the right's persistent complaint. He is clear that the last concern is real and needs addressing — not just political noise.

Similar snapshots