Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

General Discussion

Showing Original Post only (View all)
 

FarCenter

(19,429 posts)
Mon Jan 28, 2013, 12:41 PM Jan 2013

Colleges Are Going To Start Going Out Of Business [View all]

The question is not whether or not you should go to school, the question for the class of 2014 is what is your college plan and what is the likelihood that your college or university you attend will still be in business by the time you want to graduate.

Still in business? Yep. When I look at the university and college systems around the country I see the newspaper industry.

...


So back to the economics of 4 year schools. Before you go to college, or send your child to a 4 year school you better check their balance sheet. How much debt does the school have ? How many administrators making more than 200k do they have ? How much are they spending on building new buildings. None of which add value to your child’s education, but as enrollments decline will force the school to increase their tuition and nail you with other costs. They just create a debtor university that risks going out of business.

There will be colleges and universities that fail, declare bankruptcy or have to re-capitalize much like the newspaper industry has and long before the class of 2018 graduates.

The smart high school grad no longer just picks a school, borrows money and wings it. Your future depends on your ability to assemble an educational plan that gets you on your path of knowledge and discovery without putting you at risk of attending a school that is doomed to fail , and/or saddling you with a debt heavy balance sheet that prevents you from taking the chances, searching for the opportunities or just being a fuck up for a while. We each take our own path, but nothing shortcuts the dreams of a 22 year old more than owing a shitload of money.

Now is the time to figure it out and avoid the mess schools are creating for themselves and for those who take the old school way to college graduation.


http://www.businessinsider.com/will-your-college-go-out-of-business-before-you-graduate--2013-1

22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
There's some difference between Newspapers and Universities el_bryanto Jan 2013 #1
The parallel was between newspapers and universities as businesses FarCenter Jan 2013 #4
Yes - because people have complete confidence in online universities providing the same degrees el_bryanto Jan 2013 #5
That's not why newspapers went out of business. Fawke Em Jan 2013 #9
You are mininimizing the costs of transitioning from print to digital FarCenter Jan 2013 #18
And avoid for-profit schools like the plague. The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2013 #2
There are non-profit schools in financial trouble FarCenter Jan 2013 #6
That's true. But the for-profit ones are more likely The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2013 #7
Building buildings on college campuses rarely takes away from spending on students. stopbush Jan 2013 #3
Campus buildings are often just ego trips for their wealthy alumni-donors. The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2013 #8
Exactly. And what are the colleges to do when offered these ego trips? Say no? stopbush Jan 2013 #12
The donations don't cover operating and maintenance costs of the buildings. FarCenter Jan 2013 #17
Actually, I've worked on raising funds for such projects, and they ALWAYS include operating costs stopbush Jan 2013 #22
Look at this beautiful building at the University of Oregon: Arugula Latte Jan 2013 #19
University of Oregon students call for opening John Jaqua Academic Center for Student Athletes to al FarCenter Jan 2013 #21
Colleges would most likely not get as far as bankruptcy KamaAina Jan 2013 #10
The Biggest Problem with Academia is That They All Want to be Harvard Yavin4 Jan 2013 #11
Harvard does offer free tuition to students whose family income is under $60k. stopbush Jan 2013 #14
Harvard is a great school. No doubt. It's worth it's tuition. Yavin4 Jan 2013 #16
both of our state universities wanted to use state funds to invest in stocks liberal_at_heart Jan 2013 #13
I wonder if the system's been rigged in a long-game bid to privatize education. n/t Fire Walk With Me Jan 2013 #15
I used to assume my kids would go to four-year universities. Arugula Latte Jan 2013 #20
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Colleges Are Going To Sta...