Getting into college is harder than it has ever been. Every Ivy League school now posts an acceptance rate below 9%, a threshold that would have been unimaginable a decade ago. And if you do get in? The sticker price for a prestigious university now runs nearly $65,000 a year in tuition and fees alone. Meanwhile, nearly 8 million Americans have already defaulted on $181 billion in student loans, and AI is eliminating the entry-level jobs that a degree was supposed to unlock.

The gates are narrower. The price is higher. The outcome is less certain. So what exactly are families buying?

That is the question Eric Gertler is positioned to answer better than almost anyone alive. As Executive Chairman and CEO of U.S. News & World Report, he oversees the rankings that have shaped how generations of students, employers, and governments evaluate higher education. His recent op-ed signaled he is ready to say out loud what many in academia have only whispered. In this on-the-record Q&A, he will go further.

The questions pressing on this conversation reach every sector, every boardroom, and every kitchen table. Does the American diploma survive the decade? What fills the void if it doesn't? And as other nations rebuild their talent pipelines from scratch, what does the answer mean for U.S. competitiveness in an AI-driven world?

This is a live Q&A, and the floor is open. Sign up early to submit your question to increase the odds you'll be selected to ask it live.