Katherine Price

Educational Consultant

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Before you lunge at that offer that seems to be good to be true, make sure you check out the Federal Trade Commission’s $cholarship $cams website.

Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant

Sixty of the 87 responding institutions say that they have experienced cuts to their state appropriations for the 2010 fiscal year, ranging from 5 to 20 percent.

How are the universities responding?

Laying off tenured or tenure-track faculty members was one of the least-common cost-cutting measures taken by responding institutions. Other uncommonly used approaches included redirecting restricted donations, eliminating athletics teams, laying off graduate assistants or student workers, and reducing scholarships.

To bolster their revenue, institutions have increased in-state tuition by a median amount of just over 7 percent, the survey found. The median increase for out-of-state students was close to 6 percent.

Institutions have also plugged their budget gaps with some of the nearly $40-billion in federal stimulus money meant to shore up public-school and higher-education appropriations for the current and coming fiscal cycles.

What does this mean for students planning their college futures?  Well, for students looking to institutions in their home states, be prepared for things like larger classes, reduced administrative support (and efficiency), and cuts to some programs.  Athletes should also research whether their sport may be likely to be cut during their four years–if you sign to a school that then eliminates its program, you’re out of luck.

Students who would like to attend a land-grant institution outside their home state may find it easier to get accepted this year, as institutions scramble to increase revenue by finding out-of-state families willing to pay the full price of admission.  (As always, money talks).

For a full listing of the members of the APLU, go here: http://www.aplu.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=249 .The list includes many of the major public universities in the United States:  UCLA, Berkeley, University of Colorado, University of Connecticut, University of Alabama, etc.), but also a few private universities (notably MIT and Cornell)

Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant

Not only are there great resources, but the story is clever. This is a fine community of bloggers who focus on the transition from high school to college. If you haven’t checked this out yet, the time is now!

Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant

PS:  If you have a passion for furniture art, you might want to consider some art chairs.

Katherine Price

Educational Consultant

On its face, this is simply a move to return the campus to the size it was back in the 1980s and 1990s, when 4,500 students roamed the Cambridge campus.  But with a policy change back then that required all freshmen to live in dormitories, the campus enrollment fell to about 4,200.  So the move seems like an attempt to return the campus to its traditional, historic size.

The Dean of Admission, Stewart Schmill, denies that the move to increase the student body has anything to do with revenue targets.  He pointed out that new dormitories will need to be built (which generally pay for themselves quite nicely, as the rents are guaranteed). He also pointed out that the move to expand enrollment may not happen in one fell swoop.  Plus, M.I.T. practices “need blind” admissions, so more financial aid will have to be allocated to the 300 new students.

I’m skeptical, frankly.  The fact is that many universities, especially large, research-oriented universities, have budgets that depend on a healthy revenue stream from undergraduate admissions.  It’s simply a numbers game–a sort of revenue pyramid.  In order to pay for expensive graduate programs, universities need plenty of undergrads to provide the bedrock financial foundation to support them.  Undergrad course sizes can be bigger so that graduate courses can be smaller.

So when a major institution of any type makes a decision to expand–or contract–and swears that the motivation has nothing to do with economics–well, I’m just a teensy bit cynical.

Here’s my logic.  Colleges are businesses.  Businesses make decisions based not on nostalgia, but on the financial interests of the business.  Ergo….

Whatever the truth, we’ll likely never know much more than what Schmill told Steinberg.  A private university like M.I.T. can keep its finances private.  So we’ll just take Schmill at his word.  Nostalgia for those halcyon days of 4,500!  Oh, how we miss those vital 300 students, who made our campus so much more vibrant and fun.  Ah, me….

Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant

Technorati Tags: MIT, M.I.T., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, admission, budget, administration, enrollment, New York Times, Stuart Schmill, Jacques Steinberg, policy, higher education Del.icio.us Tags: MIT, M.I.T., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, admission, budget, administration, enrollment, New York Times, Stuart Schmill, Jacques Steinberg, policy, higher education

The geeky, intellectual campus.

The very conservative campus, both socially and politically

The earthy-crunchy campus where veganism is common

The laid-back, middle-of-the-road, “I-don’t-take-life-too-seriously” sort of place

The quirky campus full of off-beat individuals

Carnegie Mellon University has a reputation for attracting intellectually-intense math and science geeks who are studying computers, engineering, or likely both.  Students have sallow complexions from too many late nights in the lab or the library, and they think a social life is sitting next to someone while in the computer lab working on their problem sets.

Actually, CMU is more diverse than that.  It has a renown drama school and and excellent College of Fine Arts.  So there are plenty  of artsy-fartsy types, too.

Part of my job as a counselor is to visit colleges and investigate for myself the degree to which these stereotypes are true. And sometimes you just have to ask a student (or two or three or four) to get an idea of the sort of student who would be happy on that campus.

So I did.  I talked to a student about the stereotypes, and here is what he had to say.

Mark Montgomery
College Consultant

Technorati Tags: college, campus, Carnegie Mellon, university, social life, stereotype, computer science, engineering, technical, fine arts, drama, theater, tour, personality, educational planner, college counseling Del.icio.us Tags: college, campus, Carnegie Mellon, university, social life, stereotype, computer science, engineering, technical, fine arts, drama, theater, tour, personality, educational planner, college counseling

At four-year colleges, your main choice will be between the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree or the Bachelor of Arts degree.

The BFA is more common at conservatories and dedicated theater schools.  Approximately two-thirds of your coursework will focus on theater, while the remaining third will be distributed among the general education requirements. With the BA, it’s the other way around:  about a third of your courses will be in the drama major, one third will be general education requirements, and another third will be electives (perhaps English?  perhaps music?  perhaps pre-med, as a safety option?).

You  may want to choose a conservatory program, in which all students are involved in theater, or in the performing arts.  Or you may want to choose to attend a more comprehensive university, in which there is a strong BFA or BA program in theater.  Or you may decide that you prefer a liberal arts college that has a strong theater department, but where you can explore other intellectual interests, too.

I spent some time on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I sat down to chat with some first year students who had just been through the process of selecting a theater program and enduring the auditions.  They provide some helpful information about the nuts and bolts, as they reflect on what was important to them as they made their decisions.  Have a look at this short video.

Mark Montgomery
College Consultant

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1. Is it time for a change? Sure you may feel homesick if you decide to go to a school that is far from home, but most students say that homesickness eventually goes away.  Nothing can replace waking up with your cat or dog, a home-cooked meal from mom, or hanging out with all of your high school friends, but being away at school gives you the chance to create new memories and become more independent.  I always tell my students that home is never the same after high school ends.  Your friends may move away and you certainly will not have the same routine.  Being away from home gives you the chance to really learn about yourself, without being influenced by the comforts that have always been around you.  It can be a tough journey, but worth it in the end.  Keep in mind that this decision is not permanent.  You can always go back after graduation!

2. Increasing admissibility? One of the downsides of being a non-resident at a state school is that you will have to pay out-of-state tuition.  Well, in this economy, that makes out-of-state students very desireable.  Boston.com reported that UMass Amerhst plans to “aggressively recruit” out-of-state students.  They also plan on increasing scholarship opportunities and other financial incentives.  Inside Higher Ed also reported that similar ideas are being tossed around at UC Berkeley, UCSD, Rutgers University and University of Colorado.

While this may be a new trend for some state schools, private schools have been seeking students outside of their normal geographic regions for years.  This “geographic diversity” can be a bonus in the admissions process.

3. Is it really more expensive? As I mentioned above, out-of-state tuition at public school can be pricey, but as with anything in the college admission process, it is important to do your homework.  We have previously reported on the importance of comparison shopping when it comes to paying tuition at state schools.  In some instances it can actually be cheaper than paying tuition in your home state!

Also, some private colleges do take into consideration your distance from home when determining financial aid packages.   As a result, financial aid packages can include travel funds.  Travel scholarships may also be available through the admissions office if you are in need of financial assistance in order to visit a school that is far from home.

4. Finding the right fit. Reality is that the schools in your state may not offer what you are looking for.  They may not have the right major or access to career resources you feel that you need.  In these circumstances, an out-of-state school may provide the right fit for the college experience you are envisioning.

5. Experiencing a new part of the country. Fact of the matter is that it is a big world out there.  One of the greatest things about the United States is that there is so much to see and experience.  You have the opportunity to live in a completely different environment and you don’t even have to leave the country!  So jump in with both feet and really begin to think about how going way to college can change your life!

Katherine Price

Educational Consultant

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I had the good fortune to meet with a representative of Hastings College last week.  Hastings is a small liberal arts college that is only about 6 hours from Denver, making it a viable option for students from Colorado who want a more personal educational experience, but who would prefer to be within a day’s driving distance from home.

I met with Jon Mires,  one of the admissions officers based in Colorado, and he explained that Hastings is a warm and welcoming community with good programs in education, music, and nursing.  But perhaps it’s best if we let Jon explain the unique features of Hastings College himself.  Watch the video!

Mark Montgomery
College Planner