<p>How many families/students are withdrawing from college because of financial difficulties or inability to pay the tuition bills?</p>
<p>actually more will be applying they will just be taking out more loans because now you cant get work without a college degree.</p>
<p>Good question. It would be pretty unfortunate for a person to withdraw from college due to finances, but I'm sure it's definitely happening.</p>
<p>It does happen. For some, coming back home and attending community college becomes a good alternative. They live at home, work a job, and attend community college. This way, they're not paying a ridiculous tuition for general education class requirements. Some kids eventually save enough money to re-apply as transfers to 4 year colleges. Some realize that they enjoy working more than going to college.</p>
<p>Not sure what the outcome will be but a student I was helping who was set to go to UCSD this fall may have to withdraw, both parents were laid off a few weeks ago.</p>
<p>
[quote]
It would be pretty unfortunate for a person to withdraw from college due to finances, but I'm sure it's definitely happening.
[/quote]
Under "normal" economic times only 56% (4 out of 7) graduate from college within 6 years.</p>
<p>Out of curiosity, what percent graduates in 3?</p>
<p>If someone is canceling plans for college, I imagine that it is pretty painful and some might prefer not to discuss it here. I think that I've seen a few stories of change of plans here. I guess the thing to do is watch for it in the news.</p>
<p>It's unfortunate, but when advising students I have suggested to some that they could be better off delaying the next level of their education until the economy improves or more grants are available. </p>
<p>And in my area of the country institutional projections for attendance for fall 08 are dropping. So it seems in some areas people are already making that difficult decision not to attend. </p>
<p>About the CC's yes they are a refuge of sorts. But we need to keep in mind that the overall population served by the junior colleges is economically quite vulnerable. So in the case of many of that population if they do elect not to go to school because our declining economy...many probably will never be able to do so. </p>
<p>And although the tuitions are less, proportionally for many of that same population it still is close to being on the margins of their economic abilities. Grants are available but these are much less proportionally than these were for past generations. </p>
<p>As far as the inability of getting work without a college degree. Perhaps but we also have to consider the problem of that work paying enough to pay the debt for the college degree. Many trades no longer pay enough to compensate for that economic dichotomy.</p>
<p>For example the NEA is very concerned about what that situation will do to training and recruitment of teachers. And ironically many profs are now adjuncts, and gods know they're not paid enough to balance that equation.</p>
<p>Are these projections publicaly available?</p>
<p>My D is at risk. A good solution is if she transfers to a local in-state school (either as a commuter or renting a room). The obstacle is an overdue bill from her current college that I have to find money for before she can start a new cheaper school. </p>
<p>She was hoping to transfer to a better school because she has great grades. She got accepted everywhere she tried, but my missing some work with surgery and her uncle dying, which meant her aunt on disability moved in, I couldn't even make the EFC. Our options for any extra loans disappeared. </p>
<p>She's trying to transfer local and cheaper, and where it will be easier for her to work a real job, but there may be a heartbreaking gap year. My D's working, sometime 7 days a week, and we're determined. I may also be able to find extra work that won't push my health, but we're running out of summer.</p>
<p>I don't think we're alone, I'm sure there are others out there who are scheming a way to go to school and stay in school but "transfer" to make it appear more acceptable.
[quote]
If someone is canceling plans for college, I imagine that it is pretty painful and some might prefer not to discuss it here. I think that I've seen a few stories of change of plans here.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>
[quote]
we need to keep in mind that the overall population served by the junior colleges is economically quite vulnerable.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Within this year we may need a forum for economy related war-stories, because I don't think it's going to only be junior college students who are hit by the cutbacks and the credit cruch, and it might be good if people are honest about how the shrinking economy is affecting the college process.</p>
<p>BCEagle, </p>
<p>The specific projections I alluded to are institutional and so are not quite public records. Sorry I can't publicly post specifics. </p>
<p>If I can round up a Canadian faculty posting I'll 'borrow' some documents...</p>
<p>However Chronicle has posted some articles which explained that the enrollments at rural schools are already declining. These schools are in the unenviable position of being vulnerable to fuel costs and since they serve less affluent populations are incredibly vulnerable to economic pressures and cutbacks in grant and other non loan aid.</p>
<p>Interesting article from the Times the other week:"High Cost of Driving Ignites Online Classes Boom"</p>
<p>"Gas prices have pushed people over the edge,” said Georglyn Davidson, director of online learning at Bucks County Community College, where Mr. Gibbons studies, and where online enrollments are up 35 percent this summer over last year.</p>
<p>The vast majority of the nation’s 15 million college students — at least 79 percent — live off campus, and with gas prices above $4 a gallon, many are seeking to cut commuting costs by studying online."</p>
<p>I am sure people will improvise and make due with what they can afford as the economic downturn worsens. Little Sue might have to delay attending High End University for a year and take classes at the local CC, but it's not the end of the world.</p>
<p>Not the end of the world, but major disturbances nonetheless. If little Sue might delay her admission to elite U and come to Cc's R Us, it may have some unexpected consequences. </p>
<p>So the CC's may lose a part of their traditional population, and gain some numbers of those who would have normally gone other routes. It could present a problem for the CC's insofar as their logistics are often limited, and they do tend to rely on adjuncts. So in states where the funding is low, absorbing this unexpected populations could be a concern. </p>
<p>And there may be some social tensions. Ever since John Ruskin essentially invented the community college with his working class symposiums, these institutions have been a creature of the common people. And it could take some adjustment from faculty, students and institutions to comprehend the mnemonics of the new populations. And if the newcomers condescend to the CC populations, there will be tensions. </p>
<p>And a concern which arises directly from collegiate politics will cause problems in adjusting to the new influx. In many states the CC's have had much of their courses almost reduced to '3r's" under political pressure from the universities. In part this is because the universities have wanted to keep specialist courses for themselves, these being more profitable and more prestigious. So there will be some tensions between the CC's and the universities when little Sue does show up. Gods know this condition has already caused tensions between CC and university faculty, although both of these groups are essentially the same people in regards to their qualifications. The CC contingent has often been marginalized by collegiate politics favoring the universities. </p>
<p>Another problem will be if the CC's do have to absorb more of the gentry, it means the edudebt companies will increasingly target the CC's. And so many of the sleazy tricks which they have played on the universities will be moved down onto the CC population. That population may be generally more street smart, but they will be very vulnerable to the marketing tricks of the edudebt crew. This would be resultant from such conditions as many of this population are first generation college students, immigrants and etc who don't have parents or a cohort who can warn them of these tricks. And since problems at these schools don't quite make the press story sound as good as a scandal at the state U or elite school its unlikely exposes will be that common. </p>
<p>Online courses, yes these will be an increased presence due to the poor economy. And the colleges will love it, as the costs are lower and in some cases they charge web access fees for these courses. The problem is that in certain fields these courses are less than suitable. And to make the web presence easier, its not uncommon for institutions to use the text companies supporting materials. So there is a tendency to canned curriculum's written down to the lowest denominator. Which could be a problem if little Sue isn't aware of the context.</p>
<p>My D is coming home in large part for financial reasons. She's had some major health problems that made it impossible for her to work in the earlier part of the break to earn her portion of next year's tuition. That got her to thinking about a lot of things, including the impact of debt on a teacher, and she ultimately decided to come home to a CUNY to get back on her feet and to get certified to teach without incurring debt.</p>
<p>"That got her to thinking about a lot of things, including the impact of debt on a teacher, and she ultimately decided to come home to a CUNY to get back on her feet and to get certified to teach without incurring debt." </p>
<p>zoosermom, Wise decision on your daughters part. If she's not already done so, might have her read the NEA's article on the matter.
NEA:</a> My Debt, My Life - Student Loan Debt</p>