Economy and the Year to Come

<p>I was reading and posting on a thread in the parents' forum in which parents are speculating about how the state or the economy will effect this year's class -- not only in terms of their parents' available funds, but schools ability to make financial/merit offers. One thing raised was the issue as to whether this means more students will be applying and ending up at their state schools.</p>

<p>I just thought I'd come over here and pose the questions -- are more students seriously considering the SUNY's this year? are the SUNY's likely to get harder to get into as more apply and admissions officers may contemplate the likelihood of yields going up? and how will the economy hit the SUNY's themselves - ie, what effect might budget cuts have?</p>

<p>I have friends whose kids are going thru the process now who are becoming very concerned as to whether their kids will get into the SUNY's that perhaps a year ago they were regarding as their "safeties."</p>

<p>My son is transferring from a private school to a SUNY....while finances are a consideration, we just don't feel the private school is worth it. Maybe if he absolutely loved it we would be thinking differently, but that is not the case. We are happy to be saving the money right now and think the chances are that he will be happier at SUNY. </p>

<p>I don't know the statistics at the other SUNY's, but New Paltz saw an incredible rise in freshman applicants and acceptances last fall. Their incoming freshman class went from in the 900's to 1300+. They were overwhelmed with finding housing for the influx of students. The school was written up in Newsweek as "the hottest small state school" so maybe that had something to do with it, I don't know. It's possible they will take this into consideration this coming fall and accept less students. But I do think you bring up a good point that SUNY's will continue to become more competitive with the economic issues many people are facing. I's a very real concern that the SUNY's will become more competitive and what was once considered a "safety" will no longer be.</p>

<p>(I'm in-state) Right now I don't think I can afford to send my senior to anything but a SUNY...last month I would have considered other options. I know a lot of her friends' families are in the same position. I thought maybe we could afford a private or OOS public with a home equity loan, or selling stock....neither the home equity or the stock exists today!!!!!</p>

<p>I would suspect that the SUNYs will be seeing an all-time record number of applications this year. I also suspect that the community colleges are going to be seeing more applications than ever. In our corner of NYS we began seeing a trend a couple years ago where students who in the past would have applied to 4-year SUNYs are applying to the local CCs to save on room & board and/or to stay close to the family nest. Last year half the kids in the graduating class at my daughter's school took the community college route including several who were accepted at selective private colleges. I hope these short-term decisions based on real or perceived financial pressures don't have long-term adverse impacts on these kids' lives, but that is another issue entirely.</p>

<p>You will also see a rise in last minute decisions to go to CCs if parents lose their jobs. I saw this happen to young lady. Her father lost his job, and the parents already had one child at a private. He asked his senior in hs to attend a CC for at least one year, until he found new employment. Only one out 8 classes transferred to the 4 year instate public she attended the following year. I don't believe this can happen in our state any longer, but the CC was a complete waste of time an money for her! This was in NJ, btw, not NY! All of my BIL's credits from a SUNY CC transferred to a 4 year SUNY (years ago).</p>

<p>Northeastmom -- You bring up a great point about one of the potential pitfalls of going the CC route. While most CC credits do transfer to a 4-year SUNY, they may not be transferrable to private and OOS public schools. A neighbor's daughter who spent 2 years at the local CC transferred to Towson last year. Unfortunately, fewer than half her credits transferred with her.</p>

<p>I read something that applied to NJ schools, but I do not know if it applies other states, but it seemed like some laws were passed so that this would not happen. In NJ, I think that credits from a NJ CC do need to be accepted by NJ 4 year schools, but do not need to be counted towards a major (counted toward satisfying gen eds, and number of credits required to graduate). I would read all fine print beforehand. I don't know how accurate this info is.</p>

<p>I think in NY someone who starts at a CC can plan it so their credits all transfer to a SUNY (the CCs are part of the SUNY system). But yes, might not transfer out of the SUNY system so easily.</p>

<p>My D is only applying to 1 SUNY. I wish it were different, but that's how she wants to play it. I'm torn over the $$$ for sure, but this kid has worked so hard since grade school! She is a student (a B+ not an A, but a hard working kid nonetheless). I think we will beg borrow and steal to send her to her dream school. She's earned it. I just hope we can make it happen for her :-(</p>