Alan Blinder

I am a national correspondent for The New York Times, writing about education in America.

What I Cover

Most of my work focuses on higher education. I’m particularly interested in public colleges and universities, as well as the multibillion-dollar business of education in America. I relish the range of stories on my beat and have written about everything from free-speech debates to the marketing power of college rankings.

I’m always on the lookout for stories that hold people accountable, that make a complex policy a little more comprehensible, or that bring readers into boardrooms to see how and why big decisions are made.

Many of the best story ideas come from readers.

My Background

I have worked for The Times since 2013. Before I started writing about education in 2023, I covered the American South, golf and college sports.

During my first stint on the National desk, I mixed a lot of breaking news coverage — natural disasters, mass shootings, civil unrest, major trials and the like — with stories that looked at the culture of the South, where I’ve spent most of my life.

When I was a Times sports reporter, I explored the shifting landscape of college athletics and Saudi Arabia’s swelling influence in global sports. But I also got to write about spectacular competitions (including an Olympic Games, a World Series and a run of Masters Tournaments) and brilliant champions.

I believe in the power of face-to-face interviews — after all, it is a privilege to get to talk with someone about their experiences and expertise — and the importance of seeing the places I’m writing about. So even though I live in the Atlanta area, I’ve reported from 40 states and counting, as well as Asia, Europe and South America.

Journalistic Ethics

All Times journalists are committed to upholding the standards of integrity outlined in our Ethical Journalism Handbook. For example, I do not donate to education advocacy groups or to political candidates.

Surprisingly enough, some of the best, if unintended, journalism advice I ever got was from my high school chemistry teacher, who beseeched a bunch of sophomores “to be accurate and precise” and to remember that those were not necessarily one and the same. I think about that a lot, and so I strive to understand all sides of a story, and then to write with fairness, nuance and context.

I’d like to hear from you: tips, ideas, suggestions, critiques, even restaurant recommendations for whenever I come to report from your area.

• Email: [email protected]

• Anonymous tips: nytimes.com/tips