WSJ College enrollement crisis
- Thread starter NYShoreGuy
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Colleges are prime for a disruptor model combined with fewer students trends over the next 15-20 years. They ROI on certain professions and degrees is also being brought into question. AI is a big disruption also. Like any business they need to evolve and academia isn’t really great at doing that.
I think I posted a few months ago that Syracuse was having problems.
I think I posted a few months ago that Syracuse was having problems.
Bad time for many of these colleges to spend $ they don’t have just to stay competitive in athletics.
They need to alter curiculum in a major way to better prepare students for real life. Develop skills and traits that employers actually seek that will have a valuable ROI.
Teach kids about life, personal finance, how to develop credit, how to invest, the time value of money and the magic of compounding.
Colleges should start offering skilled trades. We need electricians, plumbers, builders, etc. We need a ton of nurses and other specialized medical professionals. Push these career paths - look to reduce time for a doctorate.
Stop telling them how broken the world is, how history needs to be canceled and how to protest and shout down anyone who has a different opinion from your's. The World is a beautiful place with great people from all backgrounds, people need to respect others and work with others who disagree.
Teach kids about life, personal finance, how to develop credit, how to invest, the time value of money and the magic of compounding.
Colleges should start offering skilled trades. We need electricians, plumbers, builders, etc. We need a ton of nurses and other specialized medical professionals. Push these career paths - look to reduce time for a doctorate.
Stop telling them how broken the world is, how history needs to be canceled and how to protest and shout down anyone who has a different opinion from your's. The World is a beautiful place with great people from all backgrounds, people need to respect others and work with others who disagree.
There is a hiring freeze at Seton Hall. No school is immune to the backing up of the college population. But Seton Hall is treading carefully in anticipation of national trends. It’s definitely a management issue and some schools haven’t been realistic in their outlook of what’s ahead.
Can we talk about cost? I have 3 kids in high school. Now imagine sending them to college.
Community Colleges are about to see an influx.
Community Colleges are about to see an influx.
No he’s not. College is filled with atleast 60 credits worth of nonsense that does nothing but waste time and especially money. The time is long overdue to actually specialize in something and really learn it. These colleges have nobody to blame but themselves for the lack of enrollment.
I actually think it’s a brilliant idea. There’s no reason a university or college can’t open a separate program for trades at a fraction of the cost of regular college. We already have a separate nursing campus, how’s that different from electrical or pipefitting. Seton Hall Technical school. Get them on campus, get more alumni. And if they’re interested in further education they are already there
Jerry Walker and his Team Walker was ahead of the curve:
https://www.teamwalker.org/programs/walker-development-center
https://www.teamwalker.org/programs/walker-development-center
And trade schools. Already steering two of my boys towards those types of skilled backgrounds/jobs.
I say this from a family of white collar workers who have all been very fortunate.
1. No research shows a void of vocational training and many many high school programs and degree programs have already shifted to a vocational model with small increase in certified workers in those areas
Most people who study find not as many kids want to do these jobs as the public or anecdotally is talked about
#2 almost all high school curriculum in NY NJ and CT have created and run many classes aimed at more “everyday” practices..ie taxes, credit card, personal finances
Actually many of these classes are part of why most people complain public education and graduation requirements are now watered down (damned if you do and damned if you don’t kind of thing)
College enrollment is decreasing because of cost by far, all high schools now openly tell students how college is borderline scam for money and to do cost effective or community college routes with little shame or stigma that used to exist
Also a big problem is many of the degrees that were shoved down peoples throats a decade ago are the ones most under fire with AI
Most notably tech and coding..IBM basically took over education in certain areas 15 years ago to create PTech high school programs promising kids graduating as coding wizards for the future.. those jobs are gone
Most kids now want to be a YouTuber not a welder..so if colleges want more enrollment..cut cost or offer classes in how to to viral
I didn’t mean to come off as hard to your post as yes, there is truth but so many point to those now with no knowledge..I’ve dealt with this for almost 20 years
You’re partially right but these skills need to be emphasized and taught in high school. Maybe they would also better understand the ROI of a career vs the cost to get that degree.
Some schools are doing this but it’s minimal at best. Interesting article projecting high growth jobs over the next decade. Very few non-STEM college path jobs. AI is also killing job growth in obvious careers, legal, finance, marketing, etc.
IMO college presidents spend way too much time or are forced to spend way too much time on social issues, the flavor of the day, and non-productive activities. In my experience they are somewhat insulated from the rapid changes the environment is producing.
Prior to retirement I was part of an organization that included the ten Presidents of local colleges and universities in NE PA. Having experienced their vies/actions during the pandemic, BLM, October 7th, safe spaces, etc., I was not impressed in how they triaged and reacted to these events. (In defense though, some of the pressures they face from parents and the media were insane, but that’s what you’re paid for). All lovely people, but they live in a bit of a bubble and are paying the price now.
https://www.axios.com/2026/08/28/job-growth-aging-health-care
Those are in-demand skills.
Random note, saw Jerry this weekend in Atlantic City at the WuTang show, he's lost a lot of weight.
Hall 85 is on the mark.
The enrollment cliff is real, but colleges have known it was coming for years. NJ faces an added challenge: approximately 37% of its college-bound high school graduates leave the state to attend college.
As the number of high school graduates declines (particularly in the Northeast and mid Atlantic regions) colleges are competing more aggressively through institutional scholarships, or tuition discounting. That may sustain enrollment or soften declines while reducing actual tuition revenue. It also pressures yield: the percentage of admitted students who enroll. Seton Hall’s has been in 8-9% range.
A reported 4% decline in Seton Hall’s incoming class is therefore comparatively manageable and SHU is taking steps to address it (see Setonian article: https://www.thesetonian.com/article...zes-salaries-as-inflation-impacts-2027-budget). Rider, by comparison, reportedly expects only slightly more than 600 new students this fall, versus 1,030 in 2024. (theridernews.com)
This is just the beginning, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Expect more budget contraction, program reductions, tuition discounting, mergers and closures. AI and increased scrutiny of degree ROI will add further pressure, especially at expensive, tuition-dependent colleges without a clearly differentiated value proposition.
A lot of Syracuse alumni on X are blaming the decline of big-time sports as one of the reasons for their troubles. Its an interesting debate. The cost of a playing major conference football is enormous but what is the tipping point for how much it provides the school?
Syracuse lost its identity more than any other Big East school that chased football conference affiliations. BC as well but as a well funded Jesuit institution with high academics, it has foundational pillars in place to thrive despite horrible and now moderately improved football since leaving Big East.
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