Evan Castillo
Expertise
- Scholarly Article Reporting
- Free-Tuition Colleges
- Student Financial Aid
- College Closures
Education
- BA Journalism, BA Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Evan Castillo is a news reporter covering colleges and universities in North Carolina and beyond. He specializes in student-driven stories and speaks with researchers and university admins about studies regarding underserved populations.
Evan regularly updates our lists of colleges offering free tuition, recently closed colleges, and the largest donations to colleges and universities.
Evan joined BestColleges as an associate writer in 2022 after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a BA in Journalism and a BA in Psychology. As a student, he covered university policy and student stories in the student newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel.
While at BestColleges, Evan’s work has been featured in multiple news outlets, such as AOL, the Charlotte Observer, the Washington Post, Forbes, and the Miami Herald, as well as by schools like Purdue University, Ohio State University, and Gonzaga University. Two research journals highlighted his list of colleges requiring the COVID-19 vaccine.
Read Evan Castillo's Latest Articles
Is Community College Free? Yes, in These States
Get an associate degree, certificates, or workforce training tuition-free in 34 states.
July 2, 2025
The Best AI Detection Tools to Catch Cheating and Plagiarism
These AI detection tools can help professors and students determine whether the papers they're writing or reading and photos they're seeing are created by AI or humans.
July 2, 2025
These Are the Largest Donations to U.S. Colleges and Universities
Donations from alums, philanthropists, and billionaires are piling up at institutions across the country. Here's how the colleges and universities are spending the money.
July 2, 2025
Tracking College Closures and Mergers
Close to 80 private nonprofit colleges closed or merged between 2020 and 2024. Find historical data about college closures and a list of closed colleges and mergers.
July 1, 2025
Accelerated Online Doctoral and Ph.D. Programs
You may not find one-year Ph.D. programs online, but there are fast-tracked doctorates. Explore popular accelerated online doctoral degrees.
June 30, 2025
