Dowling College (Buffalo, Westbury, Stony Brook: credit, loan, to buy)

[thatguyulove]

I recently saw this article on Newsday about Dowling:
Dowling College struggles with enrollment, finances

I know a lot of people who either attended school there or worked there. I never knew it was that bad. Someone once told me St. Johns or Stony Brook was going to buy them out and extend an education program. Anyone know of things going on at Dowling?

[LongIslandPerson]

It wouldn't surprise me at all that they're struggling from lower enrollment.The tuition there is waaaaaaaay too much for a school with such little prestige: it doesn't even have a US News Ranking. Long Island is overflowing with ultra-expensive colleges with little to no prestige.

Stony Brook University and Hofstra University are the only reputable colleges in Nassau&Suffolk and even with that being said, Hofstra is still way too overpriced for what it's worth.

[nuts2uiam]

Originally Posted by LongIslandPerson

It wouldn't surprise me at all that they're struggling from lower enrollment.The tuition there is waaaaaaaay too much for a school with such little prestige: it doesn't even have a US News Ranking. Long Island is overflowing with ultra-expensive colleges with little to no prestige.

Stony Brook University and Hofstra University are the only reputable colleges in Nassau&Suffolk and even with that being said, Hofstra is still way too overpriced for what it's worth.

I have no pony in this show ring as I did not attend college on LI, however, I think the Hofstra comment is off, as they have just opened a new Medical school there. If it did not already have enough prestige is certainly will in a few years. As far as SB goes I have heard only good things about them also.

[LongIslandPerson]

Originally Posted by nuts2uiam

I have no pony in this show ring as I did not attend college on LI, however, I think the Hofstra comment is off, as they have just opened a new Medical school there. If it did not already have enough prestige is certainly will in a few years. As far as SB goes I have heard only good things about them also.

Hofstra is a fairly reputable school. I never disputed that and that's why I highlited it.

But my point is that Hofstra is not nearly as reputable enough to deserve to be priced at where they're at right now. Hofstra tuition is 35k a year+potential 15k room and board and it's not worth all that much money for what it is. There are FAR more reputable schools that are only a fraction of the cost of Hofstra.It also has a very low US news ranking and a less selective acceptance rate {Stony Brook is only 6k a year but outperforms Hofstra in most measures.} Yes, Hofstra has a new medical building but countless colleges are expanding and adding many features to their campuses.

I have nothing against Hofstra students or alumni but it is what it is. It's a very beautiful campus though.

[mongoose65]

Originally Posted by LongIslandPerson

Hofstra is a fairly reputable school. I never disputed that and that's why I highlited them.

But my point is that Hofstra is not nearly as reputable enough to deserve to be priced at where they're at right now. Hofstra tuition is 35k a year+potential 15k room and board and it's not worth all that much money for what it is. There are FAR more reputable schools that are only a fraction of the cost of Hofstra.It also has a very low US news ranking and a less selective acceptance rate {Stony Brook is only 6k a year but outperforms Hofstra in most measures.} Yes, Hofstra has a new medical building but countless colleges are expanding and adding many features to their campuses.

I have nothing against Hofstra students or alumni but it is what it is. It's a very beautiful campus too.

I think the point is proven when Hofstra is not even as reputable as SB, a public school at half the price. When a $35k private university is clearly a lesser option than U. Buffalo and Stony Brook, it's clearly a rip off. The medical school, a good thing, losing the football program...dumb.

[nuts2uiam]

In that vein, IMO, there is not a college out there that is worth the amount of money they are charging, excluding the individual state colleges. Before I set off a firestorm of responses that the prestige of a Harvard, for example, opens many doors etc. that is not my point. My point is just like everything else, part of the reason that cost are so high is due to the benefits and pensions that need to be paid for the professors, staff etc.

Not only do we have students that are in college loan debt and unable to get a job. We also have parents in hock for them. It is indeed a sad state of affairs.

[llama8]

I would have to agree that Hofstra is not elite. It is a nice university, but not prestigious. I would say that both Adelphi and Hofstra are reputable along with St. John's, but Stonybrook is in a different league.

[ClarkStreetKid]

Originally Posted by mongoose65

I think the point is proven when Hofstra is not even as reputable as SB, a public school at half the price. When a $35k private university is clearly a lesser option than U. Buffalo and Stony Brook, it's clearly a rip off. The medical school, a good thing, losing the football program...dumb.

It looks like Farmingdale ranks higher. Go Rams!

[LongIslandPerson]

I would say the higher education Hiarchy of Nassau&Suffolk schools looks like this-

Top Schools:
+ [None on Long Island] (ex: Cornell, Yale, Columbia and possibly NYU)

Great Schools:
+ [None on Long Island] (ex: Fordham, Fairfield U, Rutgers-New Brunswick)

Good Schools:
+ Stony Brook University

Decent Schools:
+ Hofstra University
+ Adelphi University

Half-Decent Schools:
+ SUNY Farmingdale
+ Molloy College

And then...
+ St. Joseph's College
+ LIU-CW Post
+ SUNY Old Westbury

Then you have the rest... (Of course the accredited schools are above the unaccredited schools) and of course things somewhat vary on the major the student is taking too

[LI lurker]

Adelphi is not in the same league as Hofstra.