<p>@204mom:</p>
<p>“Bless our public universities. My state has some of the best. But when the middle class must look away from private universities, it’s not a good thing.”</p>
<p>Well, paradigm shifts tend to be abrupt. In 20 years, a ton of small privates will close down and education and accreditation may come from MOOCs with most kids attending college while living at home and just visiting local sites/campuses at specified times for the social aspects of college (like a football game, etc.). More state flagships may adopt the PSU system where a lot of kids attend a local satellite campus they can drive to (or just take MOOCs) for the first 2 years before transferring to the main campus for the last 2.</p>
<p>The elite privates will become a luxury good for the rich and the lucky few who get financial aid.</p>
<p>One thing I know for sure is that current trends can not continue.</p>