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Eric Hoover

Eric Hoover

Senior Writer

What I Cover

I write about college access, admissions, and inequality in higher education, often bringing students’ experiences to life via in-depth features. I’m drawn to stories about the impact of laws and policies on low-income and first-generation students. I also report on the professional challenges of admissions and enrollment officials. My stories about college access and student success have included a narrative profile of a refugee student, an examination of why a six-time college dropout finally succeeded, and an on-the-ground report on a day in the life of a student emergency-aid program.

My Background

I joined The Chronicle in 2001 after working at two local magazines, in Charlottesville, Va., and Washington, D.C. My reporting on education has also appeared in The New York Times, Washington Monthly, and Nautilus. I am a two-time winner of the Edwin Gould Foundation’s Eddie Prize, which honors journalism illuminating the challenges low-income students face on the path to college. My work has been recognized several times by the Education Writers Association. I frequently speak at education conferences and in the press about admissions, college access, and financial-aid issues.

I earned a bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Virginia, where I got my start in journalism at The Cavalier Daily. I live in Washington, D.C.

Connect

I welcome reader feedback and story ideas at eric.hoover@chronicle.com.

You can also find me on Bluesky, X, and LinkedIn.

Highlights

A Circle of Support
By Eric Hoover March 9, 2022

Recent Stories

Q&A
By Eric Hoover March 25, 2025
The Chronicle had a candid chat with Melanie Storey, a former FSA director and the new NASFAA president, on a “destabilizing” time for the profession amid upheaval in Washington.
Law & Policy
By Eric Hoover February 16, 2025
The letter’s expansive interpretation of the court’s 2023 admissions decision warns colleges that race-related policies and programs could trigger a federal investigation and put funding in jeopardy.
Admissions & Enrollment
By Eric Hoover January 13, 2025
The National Student Clearinghouse said that a “methodological error” skewed its previous projections.
A Downward Slope
By Eric Hoover December 11, 2024
The number of students who graduate will peak in 2025 and then decline steadily for many years, updated projections show.
Enrollment
By Eric Hoover December 2, 2024
Colleges welcomed 5 percent fewer students from a key subgroup this fall, a new analysis shows.
A Federal-Aid Concern
By Eric Hoover November 26, 2024
A prominent association warns that mixed-status families could be “targeted for punitive action.”
Revamped & Ready
By Eric Hoover November 21, 2024
The federal-aid form is running smoothly, the Education Department said. But some challenges remain.
Admissions and Enrollment
By Eric Hoover November 18, 2024
New research reveals that socioeconomic diversity has long been stagnant at prominent colleges — and that the SAT hasn’t been an equalizer.
Q&A
By Eric Hoover November 12, 2024
Ken Anselment on professional challenges, lessons in leadership, and why enrollment officials should pick up their megaphones.
Student Aid
By Eric Hoover November 8, 2024
A new survey sheds more light on the impact of the federal-aid crisis.