Liberty University wants to give my son (who hasn't applied) a $13,500 scholarship

<p>Certainly. But they have already come very far from Liberty Baptist College and a negative balance sheet. The next few years could be telling. Conservative Christian are not “in” words these days.</p>

<p>barrons, </p>

<p>They had a very good run during the GWB administration, some would say far beyond the capabilities of its grads.</p>

<p>Coming far balancing the books, when one is viewed as the ideologically “pure” choice is not such a great accomplishment, I don’t think.</p>

<p>What strikes me a curious is an attempt (so it appears) to upgrade its academic stature by raising average SAT score. This is not a tactic used by many institutions who have focused more on ideology than on academics. So it does raise some interesting questions.</p>

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<p>They are lowering tuition. A “scholarship” like that is just a blue-light special pricing deal.</p>

<p>It’s better than that, though. By offering a “special” merit scholarship, all the parents can brag on their kids being so smart they got “academic” scholarships. All over something that is, at the essence, just like the Red Tag Days at the local Toyota dealership.</p>

<p>Without any facts, it appears the son is more moderate in his politics and more concerned with improving the academics than maintaining a strict conservative outlook. They even allowed a Democrat Club to form on campus.</p>

<p>This is your son who is a current senior, right?</p>

<p>Heck no, I just lived in the area and have followed its growth from an economic point of view. It’s a big driver for the area bringing lots of $$$$ to the area. Also provides some good cheap entertainment. Nice football team this year and it costs $5 to get in and sit on the 30 yard line.</p>

<p>They do give a $10,000 scholarship to all grads of their affiliated private high school–Liberty Christian Academy so they know how to market. It too is a pretty big operation with 1800 students.</p>

<p>[LCA</a> History - Liberty Christian Academy](<a href=“http://www.lcabulldogs.com/index.cfm?PID=15541]LCA”>http://www.lcabulldogs.com/index.cfm?PID=15541)</p>

<p>I made the mistake of going to a Liberty U interest meeting when they came to my high school. They had free pizza and my friends and I were hungry so we went. Now they won’t leave me alone! They send stuff in the mail all the time and send out copious amounts of email. Yikes!</p>

<p>On of my kids good friends went there this year; he had an SAT of something like 2360! Maybe he got that letter too!</p>

<p>Heck, he many have gotten all expenses paid full-ride to boost their stats, if that is what Liberty is trying to do.</p>

<p>I wouldn’t consider it for my kid unless they gave her a full ride plus a $100,000/year stipend.</p>

<p>My son has been hearing from Liberty for three years. Yes, he did tell them, “thanks but no thanks.” Guess they think he will change his mind.</p>

<p>Schools that have good students banging on their doors, wanting to get in, don’t need to market like this.</p>

<p>But every college markets vigorously. </p>

<p>[Online</a> Extra: How Harvard Gets its Best and Brightest](<a href=“http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_34/b3998441.htm]Online”>http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_34/b3998441.htm) </p>

<p>The colleges just don’t all use the same methods. </p>

<p>[Maguire</a> Associates - Services - EMPOWR: Optimizing Student Recruitment](<a href=“http://www.maguireassoc.com/services/empowr.html]Maguire”>http://www.maguireassoc.com/services/empowr.html)</p>

<p>I couldn’t believe the fancy brochure that arrived from Hopkins yesterday.</p>

<p>gadad,</p>

<p>and how many of those are there? a few dozen? </p>

<p>IMHO, there is nothing unusual about their recruiting efforts. Good schools do this all the time, especially in this time of statistics driven rankings.</p>

<p>Wash U built a new image doing the same thing. NYU too.</p>