The average cost of tuition (not room, board, books, travel, living expenses) for private colleges is about $35K/year. At the more expensive private colleges it's twice that.
Are people really going to pay that much for 15 hours of Zoom lectures a week? I doubt it. The primary reason parents are willing to pay that much is not for the education (with some exceptions) but for the credentials, the networking, and putting their kids into a cohort of successful, like-minded individuals from which they can choose an acceptable mate. And of course to get that 18 year old bundle of hormones and poor judgement out of the house but still in a relatively safe environment.
So a place like Harvard has enough money in the bank to waive fees for everyone for a semester or even a year. There would be PR benefits and it avoids confronting the more fundamental and difficult question of what the the price of education should be. Are any ivies considering this move ?
It depends a lot on the community college. My wife has taught at community colleges and 4 year universities, and she said that the students who transferred from community colleges were frequently very unprepared for a 4 year university. Like, they would struggle to write more than 1 page and have no idea what citations are.
In my opinion it would be crazy to pay $50k of tuition for a few zoom lectures per week, and I think a lot of colleges are aware of this. In response, many of them seem to be doing a "hybrid" approach, where undergrads are allowed to come on campus, but all instruction will be online (Harvard for example). This seems to defeat the purpose of not having in person classes in the first place. I think it shows how much of a pickle they are in.
Since this topic has been a bit click-baitey recently, I was expecting yet another busy page with ads and popups and stock photos of students. It was so refreshing to see just a list of universities with text.
Thanks! I started collecting the announcements as part of discussions we're having in my department about the fall semester, and thought I might as well stick the list up on my blog.
I have a child who is entering his senior high school year. This is very interesting to me in terms of thinking about which schools to apply to. I know this is not for 2021, but I think everyone realizes what happens in Fall of 2020 will have repercussions in Fall 2021. Does that make sense? I can elaborate.
Also, I agree this is not close to comprehensive, but the best I have seen. If someone here can keep a more comprehensive status I promise you many parents would pay something for access to that status.
Universities are hurting for revenue and will be remote for the near future. A benefit to this: right now presents a unique opportunity to get a Masters or a post-bacc.
You can take classes without needing to move/commute to campus. Furthermore, given a work from home environment and a more flexible schedule, many people will be able to make it work without needing to quit their full-time job.
If I ran a struggling university right now I'd lean into this and still be open to applications for the fall semester. This could attract a lot of working professionals like me.
The Claremont McKenna announcement says that they don't think LA County is going to let them hold in-person classes, so they didn't really have a choice. Unless they're misreading hints from officials, seems like Harvey Mudd isn't going to have in-person classes either. Less clear about dorms; those might be allowed to open for students taking online courses (the model Harvard is using).
"All university material" is not just in one place ready to be stolen. In most classes I took, all the material was already available for free online (on public sites created by the staff). There isn't really any "hidden" knowledge that you could gain by hacking them.
Some are, but most aren't. I think the universities that could afford to mostly don't feel they need to (Harvard isn't going to run out of students willing to attend), while the universities that feel more pressure to offer discounts are already cash-strapped from lost dorm/event/etc. revenues, or in the case of public universities, state budget cuts.
The most across-the-board policy I've seen is George Washington University, which is giving a 10% tuition discount: https://coronavirus.gwu.edu/. Some other places are offering case-by-case increases in financial-aid packages.
[+] [-] reddog|5 years ago|reply
Are people really going to pay that much for 15 hours of Zoom lectures a week? I doubt it. The primary reason parents are willing to pay that much is not for the education (with some exceptions) but for the credentials, the networking, and putting their kids into a cohort of successful, like-minded individuals from which they can choose an acceptable mate. And of course to get that 18 year old bundle of hormones and poor judgement out of the house but still in a relatively safe environment.
[+] [-] johnnyo|5 years ago|reply
I don’t think a lot of Harvard kids are going to drop out and head to state school, and Harvard knows it.
[+] [-] ipnon|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] bubblethink|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] megiddo|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dx87|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mjfl|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] creaghpatr|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] lazyjeff|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mjn|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Loughla|5 years ago|reply
a) There is no way this list is even slightly close to comprehensive.
b) What is the purpose of this?
[+] [-] georgeecollins|5 years ago|reply
Also, I agree this is not close to comprehensive, but the best I have seen. If someone here can keep a more comprehensive status I promise you many parents would pay something for access to that status.
[+] [-] gringoDan|5 years ago|reply
You can take classes without needing to move/commute to campus. Furthermore, given a work from home environment and a more flexible schedule, many people will be able to make it work without needing to quit their full-time job.
If I ran a struggling university right now I'd lean into this and still be open to applications for the fall semester. This could attract a lot of working professionals like me.
[+] [-] dhosek|5 years ago|reply
They have 540 out of 812 students planning to live on campus. I somehow don't see this working out.
[+] [-] mjn|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jb775|5 years ago|reply
One of the rare opportunities where hacking could do good for humanity as a whole.
[+] [-] ladberg|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] vkou|5 years ago|reply
Very few people take advantage of it - because the credential is more important than the knowledge.
[+] [-] unknown|5 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] wdb|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Loughla|5 years ago|reply
So. There's that.
[+] [-] yasoob|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] _delirium|5 years ago|reply
The most across-the-board policy I've seen is George Washington University, which is giving a 10% tuition discount: https://coronavirus.gwu.edu/. Some other places are offering case-by-case increases in financial-aid packages.
[+] [-] emptyparadise|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jb775|5 years ago|reply