College enrollment down

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Darn, it looks like you need a subscription for that link. So my student doesn’t want to go to a small school. He feels like it will be too much like HS. I know that’s not true but I can’t change how he feels. Any medium SLAC desperate for average students? He was looking at U Denver but wholly cow it’s expensive and according to the calculator wasn’t offering enough merit. I told him not too apply to “miracle” tuition schools that are outside of budget. I don’t know if this is the right strategy but I figured calculator is pretty accurate.

Many agree with your student.

While many hundreds of colleges and universities offer the opportunity to earn an excellent education, recruiting/job placement is far superior at the elite schools.

If one is determined to attend grad school immediately after college, then an applicant does not need to focus solely on the top 100 schools.

[Anonymous]

My kid worked a first summer job as a grocery store cashier. Now the store begging him to be a supervisor and skip college next year. It’s a good offer for him, but he will go back to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enrollment isn't down in the selective colleges, say T100-150.

However, there are hundreds of local and regional schools that are hemmoraging students. It will be a serious issue as these things ebb and flow, and having an educated populace is critical for an operational democracy.

This is what the GOP wants. Uneducated, dumb populace that lacks critical thinking skills. Not how some of the most repugnant politicans went to Ivy League schools. This is all a game to them.

No. I think people are realizing what a scam it can be in some situations. I think we have allowed higher ed to sell something people don't need in every situation. You don't need college to be a administrative assistant. Just look at how expensive it is to hire truly qualified trades people to work on your house. They have an advantage because so few people go into the trade

We need more vocational schools.

Yet I would not hire an administrative assitant without a 4 year college degree. Needed for the job at a law firm. Maybe not at a paper supply company but probably needed there too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I don't know. We visited a lot of northeast SLACs and even though some are lovely and are called Williams and Swarthmore, it just didn't feel like I'd want to spend $77K a year for that. The acceptance rate is supposedly 9% for those. Really? Merit aid isn't a given, and we're just out of financial aid territory.

BTW, all the 8 SLACs we visited in the region were nearly all $77K. Sounds like scammy price-fixing to me. It just left a bad taste in my mouth.

You are nuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don't know. We visited a lot of northeast SLACs and even though some are lovely and are called Williams and Swarthmore, it just didn't feel like I'd want to spend $77K a year for that. The acceptance rate is supposedly 9% for those. Really? Merit aid isn't a given, and we're just out of financial aid territory.

BTW, all the 8 SLACs we visited in the region were nearly all $77K. Sounds like scammy price-fixing to me. It just left a bad taste in my mouth.

I agree! This is how U Denver is. Looks beautiful but at ~$65K+ and offering little merit and we don’t qualify for aid then this is just ridiculous. Who are they getting to apply! I’m not going to feel sorry for these SLAC’s that go under because they can’t adjust their business model.

You ar enuttier than PP/ Williamsd will not go under. Who goes tehre? Elite rich kids. It has always been this and always will be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enrollment isn't down in the selective colleges, say T100-150.

However, there are hundreds of local and regional schools that are hemmoraging students. It will be a serious issue as these things ebb and flow, and having an educated populace is critical for an operational democracy.

This is what the GOP wants. Uneducated, dumb populace that lacks critical thinking skills. Not how some of the most repugnant politicans went to Ivy League schools. This is all a game to them.

No. I think people are realizing what a scam it can be in some situations. I think we have allowed higher ed to sell something people don't need in every situation. You don't need college to be a administrative assistant. Just look at how expensive it is to hire truly qualified trades people to work on your house. They have an advantage because so few people go into the trade

We need more vocational schools.

Yet I would not hire an administrative assitant without a 4 year college degree. Needed for the job at a law firm. Maybe not at a paper supply company but probably needed there too.

Why is this “needed”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enrollment isn't down in the selective colleges, say T100-150.

However, there are hundreds of local and regional schools that are hemmoraging students. It will be a serious issue as these things ebb and flow, and having an educated populace is critical for an operational democracy.

This is what the GOP wants. Uneducated, dumb populace that lacks critical thinking skills. Not how some of the most repugnant politicans went to Ivy League schools. This is all a game to them.

No. I think people are realizing what a scam it can be in some situations. I think we have allowed higher ed to sell something people don't need in every situation. You don't need college to be a administrative assistant. Just look at how expensive it is to hire truly qualified trades people to work on your house. They have an advantage because so few people go into the trade

We need more vocational schools.

Yet I would not hire an administrative assitant without a 4 year college degree. Needed for the job at a law firm. Maybe not at a paper supply company but probably needed there too.

Why is this “needed”?

It's not needed but it's the only way to filter for a basic level of conscientiousness and literacy so it is what it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:College prof here. College enrollments are set to drop off a cliff, but the elite schools will be just as hard to get in as ever. It's already a great time to get deals on lower-profile colleges, though. Your kid can get a fantastic and cheap(er) education at a smaller SLAC, and you can bargain for tuition breaks, too. Just apply to several and then pit them against each other. They are so desperate right now because they are tuition-dependent. Ask me how I know...

https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-shrinking-of-higher-ed

This is behind the paywall so I can't read it. But those "smaller SLACs with a tuition break" - what type of college are we talking about? I presume this is not the Amherst / Williams / Pomona highly selective college but is it a place you'd actually want your kid to attend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I don't know. We visited a lot of northeast SLACs and even though some are lovely and are called Williams and Swarthmore, it just didn't feel like I'd want to spend $77K a year for that. The acceptance rate is supposedly 9% for those. Really? Merit aid isn't a given, and we're just out of financial aid territory.

BTW, all the 8 SLACs we visited in the region were nearly all $77K. Sounds like scammy price-fixing to me. It just left a bad taste in my mouth.

I felt the same way about the price fixing, except I noticed a lot of schools that were 50k. I mean, why not $47 or $62? As I created a spreadsheet, I started to notice this trend and it felt scammy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Darn, it looks like you need a subscription for that link. So my student doesn’t want to go to a small school. He feels like it will be too much like HS. I know that’s not true but I can’t change how he feels. Any medium SLAC desperate for average students? He was looking at U Denver but wholly cow it’s expensive and according to the calculator wasn’t offering enough merit. I told him not too apply to “miracle” tuition schools that are outside of budget. I don’t know if this is the right strategy but I figured calculator is pretty accurate.

Many agree with your student.

While many hundreds of colleges and universities offer the opportunity to earn an excellent education, recruiting/job placement is far superior at the elite schools.

If one is determined to attend grad school immediately after college, then an applicant does not need to focus solely on the top 100 schools.

I do think that is the line they use to try and sell elite schools...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College prof here. College enrollments are set to drop off a cliff, but the elite schools will be just as hard to get in as ever. It's already a great time to get deals on lower-profile colleges, though. Your kid can get a fantastic and cheap(er) education at a smaller SLAC, and you can bargain for tuition breaks, too. Just apply to several and then pit them against each other. They are so desperate right now because they are tuition-dependent. Ask me how I know...

https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-shrinking-of-higher-ed

This is behind the paywall so I can't read it. But those "smaller SLACs with a tuition break" - what type of college are we talking about? I presume this is not the Amherst / Williams / Pomona highly selective college but is it a place you'd actually want your kid to attend?

Seriously? Folks roll their eyes when they hear of the "no name" SLAC I attended then occasionally say "I've never heard of that." From that college, which offered merit for this working class kid, I attended an Ivy for grad. No one there seemed super focused on where anyone went to undergrad.

Frankly, it is a little sad when someone cleaves onto their UG Ivy or Little Ivy degree decades later. You worked, had a family, etc, but you still need to invoke that UG degree for status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Darn, it looks like you need a subscription for that link. So my student doesn’t want to go to a small school. He feels like it will be too much like HS. I know that’s not true but I can’t change how he feels. Any medium SLAC desperate for average students? He was looking at U Denver but wholly cow it’s expensive and according to the calculator wasn’t offering enough merit. I told him not too apply to “miracle” tuition schools that are outside of budget. I don’t know if this is the right strategy but I figured calculator is pretty accurate.

It's hard, but good to be firm about the bandwidth you can afford for tuition. Neither of my kids were interested in medium SLACs so didn't look at any, but perhaps start a thread and see if you can get some suggestions on price conscious ones. GL to your DS!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enrollment isn't down in the selective colleges, say T100-150.

However, there are hundreds of local and regional schools that are hemmoraging students. It will be a serious issue as these things ebb and flow, and having an educated populace is critical for an operational democracy.

This is what the GOP wants. Uneducated, dumb populace that lacks critical thinking skills. Not how some of the most repugnant politicans went to Ivy League schools. This is all a game to them.

No. I think people are realizing what a scam it can be in some situations. I think we have allowed higher ed to sell something people don't need in every situation. You don't need college to be a administrative assistant. Just look at how expensive it is to hire truly qualified trades people to work on your house. They have an advantage because so few people go into the trade

We need more vocational schools.

Yet I would not hire an administrative assitant without a 4 year college degree. Needed for the job at a law firm. Maybe not at a paper supply company but probably needed there too.

What do they need a four year degree? Do they do specialized work? I am curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Enrollment isn't down in the selective colleges, say T100-150.

However, there are hundreds of local and regional schools that are hemmoraging students. It will be a serious issue as these things ebb and flow, and having an educated populace is critical for an operational democracy.

This is what the GOP wants. Uneducated, dumb populace that lacks critical thinking skills. Not how some of the most repugnant politicans went to Ivy League schools. This is all a game to them.

No. People have been scammed into going into massive debt for useless degrees. They are simply voting with their feet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College prof here. College enrollments are set to drop off a cliff, but the elite schools will be just as hard to get in as ever. It's already a great time to get deals on lower-profile colleges, though. Your kid can get a fantastic and cheap(er) education at a smaller SLAC, and you can bargain for tuition breaks, too. Just apply to several and then pit them against each other. They are so desperate right now because they are tuition-dependent. Ask me how I know...

https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-shrinking-of-higher-ed

This is behind the paywall so I can't read it. But those "smaller SLACs with a tuition break" - what type of college are we talking about? I presume this is not the Amherst / Williams / Pomona highly selective college but is it a place you'd actually want your kid to attend?

Seriously? Folks roll their eyes when they hear of the "no name" SLAC I attended then occasionally say "I've never heard of that." From that college, which offered merit for this working class kid, I attended an Ivy for grad. No one there seemed super focused on where anyone went to undergrad.

Frankly, it is a little sad when someone cleaves onto their UG Ivy or Little Ivy degree decades later. You worked, had a family, etc, but you still need to invoke that UG degree for status.

Prestige does matter. It helps you. Probably helps more when you're just starting out, but it still helps. The question is whether that prestige is worth paying for.

But to return to the point, not all "lesser" SLACs are the same. If you had to put them in tiers based on selectivity, what tier of school is "desperate" now as the PP said?