Private Colleges are Stealing Students from Public Universities
November 17, 2009 | Todd G.
The Los Angeles Times ran an article about the growing number of students who are turning to private universities instead of their public counterparts. According to the report, the private universities are taking advantage of the rising tuition costs and budget cuts taking place at state schools. These private institutions can actively recruit top students and promise them a stable education with small classes and more personal service. They’re also advertising acceptance of transfer students and reduced costs on low division classes needed to graduate.
Well, that’s the free market at work and I welcome it. The problem with state schools is they’re mostly taxpayer funded and must ride the rollercoaster of political battles and economic upheavals. Perhaps we need to reconsider the way we treat these public institutions; in fact, maybe we need to consider that these institutions should be funded through tuition and fundraising rather than be a part of the state budget. The state could always step in as a provider of grants and financial aid for kids attending college, but bureaucrats wouldn’t have a say in the operation or the budgets of these schools. Make them survive as a private college survives. Compete with them on the same level…Perhaps that will spark some creativity and profitability that will help them avoid these budget snafus.
Totally agree. Many of these state schools were originally private or church-founded and weren’t on the public teat with all the resulting conflicts of interest that comes with being beholden to our government. It’s time to get some sanity back so the degree you earn actually helps you get a job that pays back the investment (or worse, the student loans) and shows a real return on that investment. Instead of borrowing $200K and blowing it on college, maybe you could invest the money (foreign currency, say?) and do the rest of your schooling as a self-study. Abraham Lincoln did night school and it worked out for him… Private universities have always been undercut by the state schools so have had to compete by promising a better quality of education. When they can say they give that better quality at the same price… well I’m checking out of WalMart. Macy’s, I mean USC, here I come.