[mdovell]

Of course cost becomes a factor. If a top ranked MBA program was 500k to graduate that dramatically limits who can attend even with loans.

It lists expert opinion at 20% um... Yeah that's also odd.

[JGBigGreen]

Cost is absolutely a factor- but a small one in the calculation of the rankings.


Why is the expert opinion weighting odd? Who is going to know the quality and reputation of various schools better than the top academics in the field?

Originally Posted by mdovell

Of course cost becomes a factor. If a top ranked MBA program was 500k to graduate that dramatically limits who can attend even with loans.

It lists expert opinion at 20% um... Yeah that's also odd.

[mdovell]

Because the top academics in the field are not in the field, they are in academics. I can't tell you how many hard science majors I dealt with that believe that things should be a given way but they never dealt with people. I worked with an engineer that was fired because of this. They gave him an employer vehicle, a phone, office, intern and a high salary without a masters (75K). Apparently that wasn't enough. Rambling on that we MUST put solar on everything. Ok fine draft a proposal. We wanted an engineer not an advocate. Otherwise it's like trusting a culinary school from someone that has never run a restaurant. Just like that harvard grad I said I had fired. She found another job six months later so I don't feel that bad but hey it happened. Again if you can't deal with people then don't be in a job where you have to. Don't treat people like machines.

[JGBigGreen]

They are in the field of higher education. US News is ranking institutions of higher education. That is the field in question.

Originally Posted by mdovell

Because the top academics in the field are not in the field, they are in academics. I can't tell you how many hard science majors I dealt with that believe that things should be a given way but they never dealt with people. I worked with an engineer that was fired because of this. They gave him an employer vehicle, a phone, office, intern and a high salary without a masters (75K). Apparently that wasn't enough. Rambling on that we MUST put solar on everything. Ok fine draft a proposal. We wanted an engineer not an advocate. Otherwise it's like trusting a culinary school from someone that has never run a restaurant. Just like that harvard grad I said I had fired. She found another job six months later so I don't feel that bad but hey it happened. Again if you can't deal with people then don't be in a job where you have to. Don't treat people like machines.

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by mdovell

Because the top academics in the field are not in the field, they are in academics. I can't tell you how many hard science majors I dealt with that believe that things should be a given way but they never dealt with people. I worked with an engineer that was fired because of this. They gave him an employer vehicle, a phone, office, intern and a high salary without a masters (75K). Apparently that wasn't enough. Rambling on that we MUST put solar on everything. Ok fine draft a proposal. We wanted an engineer not an advocate. Otherwise it's like trusting a culinary school from someone that has never run a restaurant. Just like that harvard grad I said I had fired. She found another job six months later so I don't feel that bad but hey it happened. Again if you can't deal with people then don't be in a job where you have to. Don't treat people like machines.

While I agree with your last sentence regarding not treating people like machines, your messages are full of anecdotes about "Engineers" and "Harvard grads" etc. You need recognize a few things: All things equal, an Engineer will do better (career wise, compensation) than say an art history major, same with a Harvard grad than someone from an unrecognizable institution (Harvard's admission screening, network).

So please don't pull the "oh I knew so and so, and they were not good" and extrapolate that to convince us that Engineers, Harvard students are all similarly inept.

[JayCT]

Let’s stop the bickering and return to the topic of the OP which is the economic climate of Connecticut. JayCT, Moderator

[mdovell]

The network changes with time and professors vary. In CT Schiller works for Yale but what if they just went independent? If people in ct's financial cos can leave and start their own what makes academia immune? The economy creates incentives for lowering costs and I'm sure they'd professors that would do that.

[cttransplant85]

Originally Posted by mdovell

The network changes with time and professors vary. In CT Schiller works for Yale but what if they just went independent? If people in ct's financial cos can leave and start their own what makes academia immune? The economy creates incentives for lowering costs and I'm sure they'd professors that would do that.

The CEO of my wife’s company teaches a class at the local public university in front of packed auditoriums for very little money. Plenty of these successful private sector people teaching important and popular classes on the side around the country. Money is not the motive for the best professors.

[JGBigGreen]

What is the incentive for Yale to lower its cost? Do you think their enrollment is going to drop? (It’s shown no sign of that.) Yes some smaller, less prestigious schools are going to have issues but the Ivies are not in any danger in the foreseeable future.

Originally Posted by mdovell

The network changes with time and professors vary. In CT Schiller works for Yale but what if they just went independent? If people in ct's financial cos can leave and start their own what makes academia immune? The economy creates incentives for lowering costs and I'm sure they'd professors that would do that.

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by JGBigGreen

What is the incentive for Yale to lower its cost? Do you think their enrollment is going to drop? (It’s shown no sign of that.) Yes some smaller, less prestigious schools are going to have issues but the Ivies are not in any danger in the foreseeable future.

I don't think you understand. The Ivy's are fine as far as money is concerned. Yale isn't closing. It's the smaller two year schools and private ones that have the most immediate issues.

Having said that the only way for any academic institution to lower costs and increase enrollment is to have more online. Much of what is going in the state is not CT's fault but we cannot lower interest rates or energy costs or currency rates. Between the highest rates in 20 years, strongest dollar in 20 years and pretty high heating prices it all adds up. That is an incentive for any group to try to lower their costs. Eventually you will see full degrees for Ivy schools online. It isn't a matter of if but when. There's only so many people that can be in a classroom per fire codes but you could have hundreds if not thousands taking a class it isn't so much revenue but relevancy. There's many people in other countries that will do anything to get a US brand, it's a status symbol. This is why there are knock offs. Think of all the lockdowns in China due to zero covid. They cannot go to Yale because they aren't allowed outside let alone on a plane. If Yale doesn't have online classes to court them then maybe its Harvard, maybe it's MIT. Who can afford to be the last one? As a business sometimes you have to do things not because you want to but because you have to.

On a grander level 2026 is when there is going to a significant drop in all academic enrollment. Every administrator knows this. So there's really no choice here. UConn already is starting to delay if not cancel construction projects (south campus is delayed a year). There's also fear that the concrete foundation issue will leak into general government buildings and siphon off contractors from academia. So it's harder to find people to maintain buildings (I know people that work at yale as well in the building dept), public funds are shifting to public non educational buildings, it cost much more for international students to attend (assuming they can leave their homes), there's less students domestically etc.

On the general economy some brands are trying to be more out there. Chic fil a comes in a mobile van near me once a month. Why? Because they do that to spread the brand to other areas that do not have it. Businesses have to bring their experiences to customers. That way it gives an incentive to actually show up. It's not so much about money but rather the efficiency.