Small colleges in peril or closing

Parent Cafe
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"Higher education is dealing with its share of issues these days. The recent admissions scandal, coupled with broader outrage against mounting student debt, has forced many of the country’s colleges and universities to question their practices and their futures.

But a more insidious problem is weaving its way through higher education circles too. A number of small colleges, including many in Massachusetts, have been forced to merge with larger institutions or close altogether. What remains unclear is how Massachusetts will be affected by the closures and what state officials and lawmakers will do to protect students and employees. …

… [Horn said] ‘Small private colleges around the country are in peril right now, … We have a demographic cliff coming, but it is hitting much harder in the Northeast and in the Midwest than in any other part of the country. And so from 2026 to 2031 in those particular regions, it’s going to be rough.’

Administrative bloat and changing needs of the workforce are also cited as reasons for how a school’s finances can go from struggling to untenable." …

http://www.lowellsun.com/todaysheadlines/ci_32656631/small-colleges-peril-or-closing

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With the increased number of online programs, the number of small college closings may be understated.

Already occurring with MBA programs in favor of online offerings.

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@Publisher , MBA programs shifting online makes sense because they are generally done by people are well past undergrad and who have already been in the workforce.

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Primary factor regarding MBA programs seems to be total cost of attendance both in terms of tuition, fees, books, room & board as well as opportunity cost of lost income.

As online degrees become more accepted in our society, students will shift from paying high tuition & housing to earning a low cost online option.

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Speaking of MBA programs shifting…Gies (UIUC) doing away with two-year resident MBA program https://www.forbes.com/sites/poetsandquants/2019/05/26/why-business-schools-are-shutting-down-their-mba-programs/#eeb087136855

I was surprised at the number of online MBA students, this disruption is snowballing… https://poetsandquants.com/2019/01/15/25-largest-online-mba-programs-in-the-u-s/?pq-category=online-mba-news&fbclid=IwAR0DPvLB_Ya91bnuQmNb02l4Uqr7GiAwwVR4-q_dQd3bF-YXhCwMrAMAdiI

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CC has a long-running thread on this: http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1962074-rest-in-peace-college-closings.html