State Schools Get More Popular

The economy is in a bad place (duh) and funding is being cut all over the place. Schools have had to make serious cuts in various departments, businesses are closing, thousands of people have lost their jobs, and the uncertain job market makes the idea of finding a job after graduating college frightening.

Even more frightening, though, is the job market for those without a college education.

That fact, paired with the fact that most Americans have had to cut back on how much money they’re spending, has pushed more and more high school seniors to apply to public schools. Unlike their insanely expensive alternatives (the Privates), public universities and community colleges are extremely affordable and still provide an excellent education.

And now everyone is starting to notice.

There has been a huge increase in applications (SUNY New Paltz has over 15,000 students competing for 1,100 spots!), leaving college admissions offices across the country scratching their heads. The old formulas for acceptance don’t work and the schools are overwhelmed by the sheer number of applicants.

On the one hand, all of this attention is a great thing; not only does it increase the standards of the school (as many higher scorers are applying), but also brings a lot of other positive attention to the less talked about universities. At the same time, many schools, like New Paltz, are torn between letting more students in (and with them a lot more money) and maintaining the quality of student life and student-to-teacher ratio that their small student body allows.

Which would you prefer? More students (and more money) coming into your university, or the same small class sizes but less money for programs and necessary campus updates?