Mass students and suitcase schools

[Boston_Burbs]

Originally Posted by xo_kizzy_xo

Location is a huge factor as to whether or not a school is "suitcase". If there's little to do off campus on the weekends, kids will find a way to get into Boston and stay there until Sunday night. At least that's what a lot of them did back when I was an undergrad.

Back then, too, schools like Merrimack, Endicott, Bradford (RIP), and their kin attracted mostly local commuter students with a sprinkling of residential students. With the baby bust generation coming of college age now, most of those schools have had no choice but to turn things around in order to stay open. Accepting more residential students is one solution, even if it only works in the short term. Other schools have bolstered their curriculum to master's programs, online classes, etc.

Yes, small not very selective colleges will suffer greatly the next few years. Schools like Lasell that used to be finishing schools for girls that jumped on the 4 year college bandwagon.

And you know what? Let them fail! They were the worst offenders in getting 1st generation students into debt. Plus, having toured a few, they actively threw affordable state schools under the bus by offering fluff like "smaller class sizes" and "professors that are accessible" when it really meant, no alumni base or research money coming into the school.

People often point out the high prices of Harvard, BU, etc. But because of need blind admissions, unless you are rich you are not paying full price. At these liberal arts schools you are.

Hopefully we end of with a model of quality large private universities, small selective liberal arts colleges, and various size state schools that all end up around the same costs (sliding) for families making under $150,000 due to the private school financial aid.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by Boston_Burbs

Hopefully we end of with a model of quality large private universities, small selective liberal arts colleges, and various size state schools that all end up around the same costs (sliding) for families making under $150,000 due to the private school financial aid.

If that’s the case, why have state schools at all? Massachusetts spends an enormous amount of money on the state college system.

Your nirvana doesn’t acknowledge that the private universities with the large endowment funds are highly selective. The vast majority of Massachusetts high school students who want to attend college couldn’t possibly get admitted. That’s why there are totally unselective community colleges, only mildly selective regional state schools, and a flagship state university that is fairly selective these days. Sure, the kid from New Bedford High who got into Harvard as valedictorian probably got an enormous scholarship. (This happened last year). Of the other 150+ graduates who want to go on to college, they can’t get admitted to a top Metro Boston university. Most are going to Bristol Community College, UMass-Dartmouth, and Bridgewater.

[Boston_Burbs]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

If that’s the case, why have state schools at all? Massachusetts spends an enormous amount of money on the state college system.

Your nirvana doesn’t acknowledge that the private universities with the large endowment funds are highly selective. The vast majority of Massachusetts high school students who want to attend college couldn’t possibly get admitted. That’s why there are totally unselective community colleges, only mildly selective regional state schools, and a flagship state university that is fairly selective these days. Sure, the kid from New Bedford High who got into Harvard as valedictorian probably got an enormous scholarship. (This happened last year). Of the other 150+ graduates who want to go on to college, they can’t get admitted to a top Metro Boston university. Most are going to Bristol Community College, UMass-Dartmouth, and Bridgewater.

I think we are on the same page here. No issue with the state schools as I mention "various size state schools" i.e. Umass', the former state colleges, and community colleges. It's the small easy to get into full priced private schools that are the issue. Those kids should be saving money and going to state schools, 100% agreed.