education

Matthew Lynch published in Featured, Fresh, Higher Education December 27, 2018

Why Are So Many Colleges in Danger of Closing?

According to a study by Vanderbilt University, an average of five non-profit colleges and universities closed every year between 2003 and 2013.

This is a disturbing trend and it is likely to continue and even accelerate over the next few years. But how could so many universities be closing when it’s the students who are drowning in debt?

According to Moody’s, it’s because one-third of all American higher education institutions are on a path of financial instability – and that path is not projected to be sustainable over time.

There’s no one reason that American school’s finances have reached this state. Rather, it’s a whole list of reasons and each impacts individual colleges differently.

Declining Enrolment

College enrolment is declining and this is impacting colleges across the board – both big and small.

Part of this is caused by the fact that high school graduation rates have flat-lined. But the lackluster graduation rate isn’t the only cause of enrolment woes.

Enrolment began declining during and after the 2008 crash, but it also hasn’t recovered in part because tuition and student loan debt have both grown at rates that create for wary prospective students.

Students are looking for a return on such a large investment and many of them aren’t seeing it in the marketplace.

While all colleges are affected by declining enrolment, it’s the smallest colleges that struggle the most with these figures, particularly if they don’t have trusts to rely on and must navigate their financial woes.

Smaller Market Shares

Small private colleges have traditionally held a unique place in the higher education landscape of the United States.

But that landscape is changing dramatically, and those colleges have failed to keep up with what students now want and need from colleges, particularly for the price demanded by these institutions.

New, online institutions and traditional universities deploying online programs are tuning in to what students want, and smaller colleges struggle to gather the finances to compete. Combined with dwindling college enrolment, small private colleges are struggling to maintain a piece of a shrinking market.

Will Small Colleges Go Extinct?

Small colleges may suffer financially over the next few years, but the idea of extinction remains alarmist.

First, the Moody’s report considers closures and mergers of small colleges to be the same thing, but they derive from very different natures. In fact, mergers can be positive for both parties because they drive what is most important – providing students what they want in a small setting.

Indeed, if one considers that small colleges are changing – not closing completely – the landscape looks slightly more positive.

The higher education landscape will continue to be challenged by new trends and just as in any sector, those institutions that fail to adapt risk failure. Learning lessons from the schools failing now will only make them stronger in the future.

Matthew Lynch published in Featured, Fresh, Higher Education December 18, 2018

What it Takes to Get into the Ivy League

Getting accepted at an elite Ivy League school is harder than ever.

Not only have the numbers of candidates for these coveted seats increased, but so have the entrance requirements. Ivy League colleges and universities accept only the best students.

Even if you’ve earned top grades in high school and on your college entrance exams, you still might not be Ivy League material.

Let’s look at what it takes to get into the Ivy League.

Set your sights early

If you’re thinking about going to an Ivy League school, your work begins long before your senior year. You’ll need to take higher level courses such as advanced mathematics in high school, and to make room for these classes, you may find yourself learning algebra in middle school.

You’ll need to make good grades in these subjects, and although you don’t need a perfect SAT/ACT score, you must show outstanding performance on your college entrance exams. Your grades and exam scores are predictors of college success.

Discover everything you can about the university

A commitment to getting a college degree is not something to be taken casually, Ivy League schools are most likely to accept students they think will be a good fit for their program. As a hopeful candidate, you have to do due diligence. Research every school to which you are applying.

Show your passion

For years everyone thought being well-rounded was the way to get into an Ivy League school. That meant getting good grades, lettering in sports, volunteering in the community, holding down a job and saving the world in your spare time. Applicants were well-rounded but stretched thin. They had no focus and less passion.

The best way to get into an Ivy League school today is to show that you are passionate about what you do. You might only do one thing, but these schools want to see your passion for it. They also want to know that you are focused and ethical about your work.

Be yourself

Ivy League schools are looking for students who are authentic. Successful candidates who secure admission to one of these eight elite schools must be comfortable with being themselves.

Honesty goes a long way and so does being yourself. One of the best places to demonstrate both is in your application essay. Keep the tone formal, but write as though you are speaking to the decision-making committee. Avoid writing an exaggerated novel. Instead, approach the composition with honest answers that reveal who you are as a person.

It takes academic strength, knowledge about the school to which you are applying, deep passion, and personal integrity to get into the Ivy League. Your acceptance letter will recognize those characteristics, and your future Ivy League school will help you nurture them during your studies.

Matthew Lynch published in Featured, Fresh, Higher Education December 14, 2018

How Public Universities Are Failing the Public

The path to success has always been a standard progression: Go to school, get good grades. Go to college, get a good career. Get a good career, help your community.

The linchpin in the progression is the college degree.

Your bachelor’s degree verifies your ability to learn a subject deeply. It provides you with a common foundation steeped in history, philosophy, and psychology. Your degree says you can commit to achieving your goals over a several year period, and that you understand the importance of delaying gratification.

College degrees make it possible for graduates to improve their socio-economic status and take better care of themselves, their families and their communities. And yet, public universities are failing their only customer: the public. How is this possible?

Fail #1: Biased benefits

Many students can to attend a university only because of financial aid. When wealthy students have access to the same subsidies, grants and other tuition discounts as poorer students, they gain a competitive edge in several ways.

First, they are able to spend someone else’s money rather than their own. More importantly, these students are taking money from students who need the financial aid far worse than they do.

If a lower-income student does not have access to enough financial aid, he or she will not be able to attend college and earn a degree.

Fail #2: Budget cuts and tuition increases

Public universities are supposed to be public centers of learning. These institutions are usually far more cost effective and affordable than their private counterparts. In short, a public school can put a college degree well within reach of most Americans.

Over the past several years, however, budget cuts have forced universities to turn elsewhere for revenue streams. Some of the schools have looked to creative revenue streams, but most have resorted to tuition hikes to stem the budget hemorrhage.

By increasing tuition, public schools are turning their backs on the public who most need a college degree.

Fail #3: Limited awareness

Low-income students tend to avoid ambitious goals when applying to colleges. They under-match their skills and goals, applying at smaller, less well-known colleges. These students simply don’t realize they are capable of getting into more prestigious universities. Better schools are more likely to help larger percentages of their matriculated students graduate.

Universities should target students with awareness campaigns that show how graduating from a four-year institution of higher learning is the key to lifetime success.

If they do anything less, public universities are perpetuating the cycle of failure among the population needing college degrees the most.

Matthew Lynch published in Featured, Fresh, Higher Education December 10, 2018

These Universities Present a Challenge to Ivy League Schools

The hallowed halls of Ivy League institutions are revered for their academic rigor, exclusivity, and the longevity of their reputations. After all, many Ivies are some of the United States’ oldest universities.

While Ivy League schools maintain stellar reputations and are considered to be the epitome of higher education both in the United States and around the world, they do not stand alone. There are many schools in the United States that have the same reputation but are not considered to Ivy League.

In other words, there is more to life than Harvard, Princeton, and Yale.

Here are a few of the challengers – each with a pristine reputation, exclusive admissions process, and incredible student opportunities:

1. California Institute of Technology

Caltech is quickly becoming the premier destination for STEM subjects in the United States and around the world. The school isn’t Ivy League, but it was the top school in the world for five years from 2012 according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

Caltech is dedicated to teaching pure science (and engineering) in small classes. How small are these classes? The acceptance rate is only 8% and there are only 979 undergraduates studying there.

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT isn’t an Ivy League school, and at this point, it’s unclear why.

If you’re a STEM student, then there’s no better place in the United States or the world (with the exception of Cal Tech) to study. MIT is more than a name; it offers students the opportunity to not only be taught by the world’s best researchers but to participate in researcher programs even at the undergraduate level.

3. University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is known not only for academic rigor in obscure disciplines but also for the general quirkiness that can only be afforded to high-level institutions. From the bizarre admissions questions to the infamous ScavHunt, it’s the place for those who don’t fit the cookie cutter mold of traditional Ivies to thrive.

UChicago is the place to study economics in the United States. It’s home to 5,500 students and has an acceptance of rate of 7.9%, so it’s exclusive as they come. It just hasn’t been awarded the title of Ivy League.

Ivy institutions aren’t the be all and end all of the universities. In fact, they’re not even the top universities in the world and there are many other universities outside of the three listed here that are coming for their top spots.

Are you considering an alternative Ivy? Why or why not? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Matthew Lynch published in Featured, Fresh, Higher Education December 5, 2018

5 Ways Colleges Are Trying to Lower the Cost of Higher Education

The rising cost of college tuition has become a highly controversial topic, even arousing the attention of politicians who debate the best ways of making higher education more affordable for all students.

Given this situation, it’s inevitable that institutions are scrambling to find ways to lower their costs.

Here are some ways in which colleges are working towards lowering costs, some with more success than others.

Measuring productivity and quality. With so few objective measures available, students automatically use price as a gauge of a college’s quality. This is not always an accurate measure, and it presents an obstacle for schools that want to reduce the sticker price of tuition, as they fear potential students may view their institution as having poorer quality. In response, colleges are beginning to take a look at ways they can measure the quality of student learning and the productiveness of college staff.
Making use of technology. Digital textbooks can dramatically reduce student cost, as can open education systems that provide students with opportunities to earn some of their course credit online. With more and better quality education apps appearing on the market every day, educators have many unique opportunities to provide life-changing learning experiences without the life-crippling cost.
Providing more education to students and families about costs and options. Often, students begin their college experience with no real understanding of their indebtedness and how it will impact their futures. They are also kept in the dark about precisely what their tuition pays for. Colleges are beginning to provide better information about spending so students can make more informed decisions.
Slashing the price of tuition, but decreasing discounts. A number of colleges have moved to a low-cost, low-discount model in which tuition is slashed almost in half, but tuition discounts are utilized far less. A potential benefit to this model is that students have a more realistic picture of exactly how much their tuition will cost. But the downside is that enrollment can decrease as potential students perceive the institution as less valuable.
Reducing administrative costs. Perhaps the greatest cost afflicting colleges is in the sheer numbers of staff that they employ. While most agree that reducing the number of instructors negatively impacts the quality of instruction, administrators could be cut from college budgets with very little negative impact on the organizational structure.

There is no one right answer when it comes to reducing costs at our colleges and universities. But with costs rising every year, it is certainly an issue that can no longer be ignored.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education September 6, 2018

How Universities Create White Nationalists

If you’re familiar with the story of Tyler Magill, you know that he was the University of Virginia alum and employee who confronted white nationalist Jason Kessler at the white nationalist riot August 11, 2017. Magill suffered a stroke as a result of the assault.

In a letter to the university president Teresa Sullivan, Magill explains how the University of Virginia enabled the white nationalist rioters.

Similarly, universities around the country are creating white nationalists in three ways. First, schools are terrified of First Amendment free speech rights violations. Colleges are failing to maintain campus safety. Finally, university leadership may be demonstrating a lack of leadership and integrity.

First Amendment free speech rights

A free speech violation is a serious concern for universities.

When the University of Auburn denied white nationalists the opportunity to protest on the campus at a Richard Spencer-sponsored event, the protestors took the school to court and won their lawsuit. Since then, other universities became concerned about the legality of blocking alt-right speakers and events at their schools.

Universities must uphold First Amendment rights, regardless of the message. Organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Poverty Law Center have insisted that free speech be protected.

White nationalists have taken advantage of free speech rights to promote themselves at universities around the country.

Campus safety

The threat of imminent danger requires an immediate response from campus leadership.

No university can allow for pandemonium to break out. The University of Berkeley paid $600,000 for additional security at a speech given by Ben Shapiro. It would have been cheaper to cancel the speech, but the school could not cancel because the event may turn violent.

As a result, campus leadership has been forced into taking one of two positions out of fear for campus safety: either spend large sums of money to provide ample security or ignore the situation in the hopes that nothing violent will happen.

At the University of Virginia, the president took the second position, which caused injury and death. Ignoring a potentially volatile situation can never be a solution.

Leadership and integrity

According to the Association of Governing Boards, university leadership must preserve academic freedom. Doing so will require consistent integrity and leadership.

Leaders in higher education must understand First Amendment rights and implications as they apply to free speech.

School presidents must make decisions that are aligned with the values of the university as well as with constitutional rights to neutralize aggressions from white nationalists. The must be allowed and encouraged to speak out against hate speech. The University of Virginia president failed to do this.

In upholding free speech and maintaining campus safety, universities have been forced to compromise their beliefs and thus white nationalists are created.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education September 5, 2018

Tuition Discounting: Is It Bringing Universities to Ruin?

Over the years, the practice of tuition discounting has become increasingly commonplace.

The concept is simple, but the influences and effects are quite complex. Colleges provide discounted tuition to select students in the form of grant money and scholarships, allowing them to attend at a cheaper rate than the sticker price. In theory, such discounts can increase enrollment, leading to an overall increase in total tuition revenue for the university. In this context, tuition discounting appears to benefit all concerned: deserving, low-income students have access to a pricey college education, while the colleges are able to fill their classes with the kind of students that they desire and need.

But recently, as discounted tuition increasingly becomes the norm at universities, analysts have uncovered some potential problems with this practice in terms of the financial health of the institution.

A Numbers Game

In offering tuition discounts, universities take a gamble that their enrollment will increase. If enrollment decreases or stays the same, tuition discounting can lead to an overall loss of revenue. That’s because tuition discounts decrease the net tuition revenue per student, meaning that colleges must enroll more students to make it worthwhile.

Unfortunately, it often doesn’t work out that way. Over time, institutions lose money by giving steep discounts to students. The more students they enroll under these terms, the greater the loss. These losses can really add up after a while, especially if enrollment doesn’t meet expectations.

Factors Affecting Financial Impact of Tuition Discounting

Of course, not all universities are the same. Each of them is affected differently by the growing phenomenon of tuition discounting, and some can ride out the wave much better than others. Schools that have significant endowments already earmarked for financial aid do not need to employ tuition discounting to the same extent as colleges that aren’t so lucky. They can provide grants to needy and deserving students without as much effect on their bottom line, whereas other schools have no choice but to take the cost of discounted tuition out of the tuition revenue.

Additionally, schools at which a high number of minority and low-income students enroll have more access to Pell grants, making it much easier to invite such students to attend without breaking the bank. Unfortunately, schools with a high sticker price suffer because most of these students are easily scared away by that high sticker price.

Tuition discounting is one of many creative methods in which higher education institutions are trying to combat the rising costs of college tuition. But they may need to find other solutions that are not quite so damaging to their overall financial stability.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education August 22, 2018

Why Universities Are Needed Now More than Ever

Some people argue that colleges have lived past their usefulness, but that’s not true. Universities are needed now more than ever.

Financial stability

A college degree is one of the best ways to assure that you’ll experience financial stability.

College grads make more money than their peers who do not go to college. While money is no guarantee of a happy and successful life, the money a college degree will make for you can help to offset inflation over time.

A university degree makes you more employable. As automation takes over many of the jobs that do not require higher order thinking skills, workers who can compete in today’s job market are more likely to remain employed.

Universities are needed to produce graduates with the critical thinking skills that are in demand.

Universities are the hub of their communities

Colleges provide quality education, training, and certification for the kinds of jobs needed in the community. Some universities are research centers or medical centers for their regions, and they become well-known for the caliber of students they turn out.

Institutes of higher education become the civic glue that holds together the fabric of our lives. Schools are involved in every aspect of our lives, and we need universities more than ever to continue serving as a resource and mentor for those in the community. Higher education has the knowledge and resources that can improve the quality of life for those around them.

The reach of a college often goes far beyond its communities. Universities have a global impact, and we need them for a peaceable, worldwide workforce.

A social voice

High school promotes free speech in only the most desultory fashion, and the workplace often does not permit employees to express themselves freely during work hours.

Universities, however, are champions of free speech, and most social protests take place at college campuses. Described as chaotic places, colleges encourage diversity in thinking. That’s part of the educational process: learning how to analyze and debate perspectives that are different than your own.

Universities serve as the social lab needed to test theories and explore divergent thought.

Global education initiatives

International education is needed more than ever. Already countries trade and work across porous borders of commerce, but they are working against a resurgence of nationalism. Some leaders are concerned that the return to nationalism will create animosity between countries.

An intercultural, global education can mitigate the sense of pitting one nation against another, and many leaders are advocating for an international baccalaureate curriculum. Colleges are in a position to support and continue this initiative, requiring that all graduating students have a foundation in international studies.

Universities are not going away; we need them more than ever.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education August 21, 2018

Have Public Universities Forgotten their Missions?

Public universities were designed to support the needs of their communities.

Some members of the community, however, feel as though many public universities are ignoring their focus.

According to those who have been scrutinizing colleges and universities, today’s public universities and faculty members focus almost exclusively on research. As a result, teaching assistants serve as instructors or grade essays for professors. University leadership spends its time fundraising rather than working with faculty, and students are being left behind.

Some people say that public universities have forgotten their missions by leaning toward privatization, encouraging non-residents to matriculate, and becoming more business-like.

Privatization

Fewer students are enrolling in public universities, and that has given schools cause to consider privatization. Public institutes of higher education have experienced failing levels of taxpayer support, making it harder to generate the revenue necessary for operations.

It’s become a vicious cycle: fewer students enroll in higher education, so universities generate less money. To offset the costs, schools raise tuition, but fewer students enroll because of decreased affordability. The cycle has been perpetuating itself for years, but universities have found a way to offset the tuition conundrum.

By privatizing, public colleges charge more for tuition, but they are also able to offer students more in financial aid. Eager for the assistance, more students matriculate, and enrollment goes up.

Seeking out-of-state students

Public universities also seek out-of-state-students as a way to offset the tuition crisis. Out-of-state students pay more per tuition hour, so schools generate more revenue.

By enticing non-resident students to their campuses, public universities are limiting opportunities for low-income or minorities candidates, the student in the community the school is supposed to serve.

Public universities are ignoring the prospective students who need them the most.

A business-like accountability

Businesses are holding schools accountable for their work, and colleges are responding by becoming more business-like. Public universities are devoting more effort to measure their effectiveness.

With a vast amount of data to sift through, schools can create metrics and analyze their progress toward meeting them. By focusing on metrics that matter, colleges can quickly determine what’s working and what’s not, and they can respond more rapidly than ever before.

In essence, public higher education has become more like the industries holding it accountable.

In summary

It may be that public universities have not forgotten their missions; they have had to adapt their missions to remain relevant in today’s world.

Matthew Lynch published in Modern Parenting, Parental Involvement, Parenting August 17, 2018

10 Steps to Preparing Your Child for Their First Sleepover

Sleepovers are a rite of passage, but they also cause anxiety for parents and their children. When it comes to sending your precious child to stay overnight with someone else, it takes courage. For your child to comfortably sleep at home that is not his or her own, it also takes bravery. But, once your child is prepared, sleepovers can be fun-filled evenings where lifelong memories are made.

When it comes to knowing if your child is ready, there is no set age. The WebMD experts explain, “There are no hard and fast rules about age […]. Although some 5-year-olds might be ready to sleep away from home, some 10-year-olds might not be. So, it’s important for parents to assess each event individually.” To help you prepare your child for the event, follow these ten steps.

Talk about it.

Make sure your child is comfortable with the idea of sleeping over at someone else’s home by talking about it in detail. Do not assume that your child wants to attend a sleepover. If your child has fears about it, allow him/her to ask questions and do your best to answer honestly.

Have a trial run.

Many families have a trial run at a family member’s home before they send their child to someone else’s house. If you have a family member your child trusts, consider allowing your child to sleep over at this family member’s home first.

Host at your home first.

Another way to prepare your child is to play host. If your child sees what a sleepover is like in her own home, she will have a better understanding of what to expect at someone else’s house.

Try a late-night test.

Before your child spends the night with a friend, try a late-night test. For example, allow your child to stay at a friend’s house later in the evening than normal and pick him/her up after the usual bedtime.

Question the host.

The best way to prepare your child and yourself are to ask the host questions. Find out what the plans are for the evening and any other details that will help your child know what to expect.

Prepare the host.

During the conversation with the host, you should also inform the host of any things your child does that may be unexpected such as sleepwalking or bedwetting. This talk will help prevent any embarrassing situations.

Roleplay various situations.

With your child, roleplay various situations that may occur at a sleepover. For example, have your child role play what he will do if he is scared or uncomfortable.

Shop for supplies.

Your child will be more excited to attend a sleepover if she has sleepover supplies. Purchasing a sleeping bag can help your child feel prepared.

Pack everything your child needs.

While sleepovers are a test of independence, you do not want to allow your child to pack his sleepover bag. Instead, you should pack all the essentials, so your child will be sure to have everything she needs.

Keep your phone nearby.

As you send your child off, make sure she knows you have your phone nearby and will answer anytime she calls.

A sleepover is a fun way for children to become more independent, and an excellent way for parents to get a full night’s sleep.