Programs For Education

We Saw Them Coming

At a seminar for college admissions advisors I attended in 1995, Don Bishop who was an Enrollment Manager at Cornell University at the time, made some very interesting observations. One of the important tasks of an Enrollment Manager on a college campus is to look at short term and long term trends in population growth.

Mr.  Bishop observed that the year 1999 would be the last year a bright high school graduate could assemble of list of six competitive colleges and be reasonably assured of acceptance somewhere. If not at his first choice, at least at the flagship university in his state of residence.

The rapidly increasing birthrate beginning in 1982 (ubiquitous baby boomers being the culprits, once again) have put increasing pressure on the college admission offices. Since the year 2000 the number of college bound high school seniors has steadily increased each year. In fact, the graduation year 2010 is the largest high school graduating class in American history!

To compound the challenge is the fact the government, particularly the SEC, Congress and the private Federal Reserve has demonstrated a collective lack of oversight and/or fiscal malfeasance. This has further corrupted the fiat credit system that our Nation’s economy is based on. The negative impact on family savings and investments has  forced more students to look at not just their state universities and colleges but their community colleges. But even these lower cost institutions may not accommodate all of the students applying in the coming years.     

The New York Times article points out “Across the country, many community colleges have felt similar pressures. The battered economy drove many workers back to school to retool their skills, while others have eschewed a four-year degree in favor of a more affordable two-year program.”

Therefore, much more deliberate and practical planning will need to be done as a family. Post secondary school planning with us begins with a “get acquainted” FREE consultation. For more information contact us here. 

Two-Year Colleges, Swamped, No Longer Welcome All

By LISA W. FODERARO

Sonja Taylor applied to LaGuardia Community College this summer with every expectation of being admitted. She planned to study business, bringing her closer to her dream of owning a restaurant.

But her application arrived in August, after the college had closed the floodgates because of a surge of interest from prospective students. So Ms. Taylor, 20, became one of thousands of students shut out this fall as most of New York City’s community colleges were forced to abandon their all-are-welcome admissions policies for the first time.

“Enrollment has been growing steadily, but this was a tidal wave for us this fall,” said the college’s president, Gail O. Mellow, pointing out that the student body had risen by almost 50 percent in the past decade. “I’ve never seen anything like this. We used to pretty much be an open door.”

Historically, the city’s six community colleges, which are part of the City University of New York, have taken applications until about a week before the start of classes, allowing time for students to apply for financial aid, get immunized and register for classes.

But this year, all but one of them had to close admissions earlier.

LaGuardia stopped accepting applications on July 30. The Borough of Manhattan Community College stopped in late June, while Bronx, Hostos and Queensborough Community Colleges cut off applications in the first half of August. Kingsborough Community College did not change the application period. (more…)