College students juggling classes, part-time jobs, and social lives often find it difficult to keep up with the news, a gap that Matt Yan, a 25-year-old reporter at The New York Times, aims to fill with his newsletter Extra Credit. Over the past year, Yan has curated a blend of news summaries, campus trends, sports highlights, and cultural stories tailored specifically for college readers.
The newsletter, initially launched in late 2024 under the name In Short, was developed by Arran Bardige, then the Times’s executive director for audience. Bardige recognized that while college students are curious about the world, their busy schedules leave little time to follow traditional news outlets. The concept aimed to create an informative digest that could be read in just a few minutes, even while walking between classes.
Yan, who transitioned from an international affairs major to journalism during his time at Northeastern University, applies his own experiences as a college student to guide the content selection. He noted that staying connected to the social media feeds common among his peers helps him anticipate the interests and concerns of his audience. “My social media feeds are closer to what their feeds may be, and our interests may be similar,” he explained.
The recently revamped Extra Credit newsletter expands beyond quick news digests to include active student engagement. Yan highlighted new sections such as Missed Connections, where students can share personal anecdotes about encounters on campus; Dining Hall, which features student-submitted content on meals and recipes; and Office Hours, a Q&A segment linking students with Times reporters to discuss news topics. This evolution aims to deepen the newsletter’s connection with college life while still providing relevant news briefs.
Yan described the newsletter’s tone as informal and conversational, designed to sound like a chat with friends. This approach is intended to make news consumption more approachable and enjoyable for students who might otherwise feel overwhelmed by the breadth of available information. He shared a personal anecdote illustrating this style: after publishing a story suggesting Generation Z parties less, he recounted losing his credit card during a weekend outing, humorously contradicting the trend.
Among the topics that resonate well with readers, wellness and sex-related coverage have been particularly popular, reflecting student interests. Yan expressed enthusiasm for highlighting unique campus traditions and culture in future editions, including collegiate a cappella groups.
Encouraging direct communication with his audience, Yan invites students to share stories, concerns, and campus life details to enrich the newsletter’s content. As he put it, “The newsletter is really meant to be for college students, and I can only write so much because I’m unfortunately not on campus anymore.”
Through this initiative, The New York Times aims to foster a new generation of informed readers by offering a news format that balances brevity, relevance, and engagement within the context of college life.