I agree with the point that it’s a younger school still in its infancy compared to more established institutions. I think that impacts endowment. But I will say, from a visit we made this past year, there is a lot of impressive construction happening on campus. And big donations on recent years to support the school’s growth.

https://www.elon.edu/u/news/2024/04/22/tyson-family-makes-3-million-gift-to-elons-new-healtheu-center/

https://www.elon.edu/u/news/2024/10/29/hunts-make-1-million-gift-to-elons-new-healtheu-center/

The recent entering class had a 4.0 GPA average so Elon seems to be attracting solid students and has a good reputation for teaching. This is nothing like HPU!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think anyone was claiming Elon is elite? It’s an average school and fills a niche. I wouldn’t call it High Point, it doesn’t have a controversial reputation.

It was being compared to places like Davidson, which are much more prestigious with greater endowment to student ratios, not peer institutions

Gotcha. Yeah. Wouldn’t expect their endowment to be anywhere near those schools. I still think it’s heading in right direction, it’ll be interesting to see. Not anywhere near those though!

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think anyone was claiming Elon is elite? It’s an average school and fills a niche. I wouldn’t call it High Point, it doesn’t have a controversial reputation.

It was being compared to places like Davidson, which are much more prestigious with greater endowment to student ratios, not peer institutions

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t Elon’s low endowment kind of alarming? Just over $300 million for an undergrad body of more than 6,000. Compare that to Davidson and W&L, with $1.3-1.6 billion for fewer than 2,000 students. Even Sewanee and Rhodes are closer to $500 million, again with less than a third of Elon’s enrollment. Could Elon be a demographic cliff casualty?

Elon isn't an elite school, so no, not that concerning. Most colleges are stretched that thin.

I think for undergrad populations of 5,000-8,000 an endowment of 1.2-1.6 billion is pretty typical. If there's a law school 1.4-1.6 and if there's a medical school 1.5-2.0.

For schools at the level of Elon? No, not really.

I don’t think anyone was claiming Elon is elite? It’s an average school and fills a niche. I wouldn’t call it High Point, it doesn’t have a controversial reputation.

This got me curious about endowment, CC has a good thread explaining roots of school and where endowment is heading, and how it’s actually used or not used. Boiled down it hasn’t been this new version of itself for that long and it hasn’t caught from its more trade like humble beginnings.

I can see it showing up in their lack of robust financial aid, but wouldn’t say they seem low endowment in terms of maintenance, building growth, programming, aspects of campus life that make it appealing to students. Frankly in some ways my senior at an Ivy with an enormous endowment seems a little shabby on the campus maintenance side of things sometimes in comparison, but of course they have incredible financial aid and money to throw at students for research and opportunities.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t Elon’s low endowment kind of alarming? Just over $300 million for an undergrad body of more than 6,000. Compare that to Davidson and W&L, with $1.3-1.6 billion for fewer than 2,000 students. Even Sewanee and Rhodes are closer to $500 million, again with less than a third of Elon’s enrollment. Could Elon be a demographic cliff casualty?

Elon isn't an elite school, so no, not that concerning. Most colleges are stretched that thin.

I think for undergrad populations of 5,000-8,000 an endowment of 1.2-1.6 billion is pretty typical. If there's a law school 1.4-1.6 and if there's a medical school 1.5-2.0.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t Elon’s low endowment kind of alarming? Just over $300 million for an undergrad body of more than 6,000. Compare that to Davidson and W&L, with $1.3-1.6 billion for fewer than 2,000 students. Even Sewanee and Rhodes are closer to $500 million, again with less than a third of Elon’s enrollment. Could Elon be a demographic cliff casualty?

Elon isn't an elite school, so no, not that concerning. Most colleges are stretched that thin.

Also, Elon was more of a regional college up until 2001 when it became a university. I imagine that can impact endowment.