Ladders, labs, or laggards? Which public universities contribute most…new study…
I caught Millersville as a “laggard”. Most of the colleges with broader access across incomes come from states with low in-state tuition, New Mexico, Texas, etc.
I downloaded the data and looked further. It’s much, much worse than just Millersville.
Fully 10 of the PASSHE schools are defined as “laggards:” low upward mobility in terms of student outcome, and no research being conducted there. This includes Slippery Rock and West Chester, two of the schools on our list.
Interestingly, ESU and Bloomsburg are listed as “ladders,” meaning they’re good for a boost to lower-income students.
NO OTHER STATE HAS 10 INSTITUTIONS AS LAGGARDS. Not even close.
PSU, Pitt and Temple are listed as “leaders.” Temple has a higher percentage of low-income students than any of the 10 PASSHE schools in the laggard category, which is also sobering. So much for affordability of the PASSHE schools.
How dispiriting all this is.
Oh, Youngstown and Wright State are also categorized as laggards.
Cleveland State is listed as a leader.
Ohio U as a lab.
WVU not listed - a branch is, but not the main campus.
Does this study mention anything about student loan debt? I’m willing to bet that most low income students at Penn State, Pitt, and Temple are taking out full Direct loans plus their parents are taking out Parent Plus or cosigning private loans. My daughter, with an EFC of $0, was offered absolutely no institutional aid at either Temple or West Chester. It is possible that Temple and/or Pitt have special programs for and provide more aid for URM Philadelphia/Pittsburgh residents, and probably most of these students commute by public transportation, saving the cost of room and board.
@Portercat I have to disagree. I live in the Poconos and Bloomsburg is far enough to say it is not the Poconos. Most of the kids that commute around here end up going to ESU.
Yes @sparkleybarkley one is in the Poconos, one isn’t, but to me doesn’t answer my original question.
Is enrollment starting to grow at Pennsylvania universities?..
http://triblive.com/news/education/12677596-74/cal-u-clarion-enjoy-bump-in-enrollment
@bester1 thanks for the link, as it was nice to see that CALU will be posting merit awards on their website! Since they also have education, and I thought the campus looked nice, from brochure, it might just get added to “our” list.
@Gatormama, I couldn’t access that study, as I was also interested in seeing the PA results. Of course, PSU, Pitt, and Temple would be in the ladders. With engineering alone, they have the kinds of majors that lead to that upward mobility. Engineering is going to be my son’s ladder. Without knowing all the majors offered at the other 14 state schools, I just don’t think they offer those high income majors, or at least not enough of them. If DD becomes a teacher, she will have a craft, but in many areas it is rather low pay.
@Portercat maybe one of the reasons ESU may get a bad rap is due to it being a commuter school for the local area? Probably has the same appeal our local PSU branch has for our graduating seniors, ugh! I believe Gatormama’s daughter said if she had to go to ESU to just “shoot me now” ?
The best clear grid for merit that I have seen so far has been from York College. Nice to see that Cal U will be doing the same. I think simple things like that make a school more attractive. Be transparent and you might be surprised by how well you do.
2017-2018 College Salary Report…
http://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report
For PA Colleges…
http://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/best-schools-by-state/bachelors/pennsylvania
Interesting Read…
The Real Campus Scourge…
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/02/opinion/sunday/college-freshman-mental-health.htm
‘We must be willing to change’: Q&A with retiring Pa. state system chancellor…
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/09/qa_with_retiring_chancellor_of.html#incart_river_home
Cal U enrollment increases for first time in six years…
http://www.heraldstandard.com/new_today/cal-u-enrollment-increases-for-first-time-in-six-years/article_6c92f44c-d53c-5a7e-9202-ec2cf5479f54.html
‘We didn’t know it was this bad’: New ACT scores show huge achievement gaps…
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/we-didnt-know-it-was-this-bad-new-act-scores-show-huge-achievement-gaps/2017/09/06/c6397f36-9279-11e7-aace-04b862b2b3f3_story.html?utm_term=.c6a7e351897c
Edinboro University president outlines ‘Path Forward’ to stability…
http://www.goerie.com/news/20170908/edinboro-university-president-outlines-path-forward-to-stability
So I threw out my college search parameters, because my list is getting ridiculous, and on College Board, just put as “must-haves” lax, enviro studies, 4-year and PA. Shippensburg is the only result among the PASSHE schools.
Ironically, the only way to search for schools with environmental studies is to go in through an inquiry about college majors, not the actual college search tool, and then click on “see which schools offer this major.” Environmental studies is not one of the pulldown menu options in the college search tool. Env. sci. is, but I don’t think she’s headed that way. At least not this week.
So…I searched the thread for Ship insight and there isn’t much. Anyone have any updated thoughts?
@Gatormama Is ‘Environmental Studies’ (not Env. Sci) offered at many schools? Maybe big flagships, but it doesn’t sound that common. Environmental Science seems like a more common major.
Once again Cal U ranks very well in online schools (No.1 on this list). Other PASSHE schools also have good online programs
@Gatormama Check the PASSHE website for a more accurate listing of environmental studies programs. According to this website, Environmental Studies majors are available at California, Cheney, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Lock Haven, and Mansfield (no mention of Shippensburg).
You’re right – Ship has something called Environmental Geostudies, which I guess is why CB returned it.
Now I have no idea. I need her to get some focus, because this search has gotten unwieldy.
@Portercat - 462 colleges are returned with only that search criterion (and 4-year college).
Places we’ve considered include Allegheny, Bowdoin, Bowling Green, Bucknell, Colby, Cleveland State, Cornell College, Dickinson, Drew, Juniata, blah blah…
In other words, TONS of the colleges on my list … except any of the PASSHE schools we’ve considered, apparently.
Not to hijack the current discussion on Environmental Studies…but I thought you could all use a chuckle at my expense. My kid is now enrolled at Cleveland State(really enjoying the experience thus far). One of the reasons she was interested was the close relationship they have with the Cleveland Clinic and the experience opportunities. Well…last night she told me she thinks she might want to be a teacher…say what?? lol…where did that come from? Anyway…at age 18 she is still trying to figure it out and they are all so prone to change their minds. They have almost 200 fields of study so she is likely to change her mind a few more times along the way!!!