Sweet Briar closing

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by angels&angles

Going off the "If they build it..." thread, it was announced today that Sweet Briar College in VA is closing due to "financial challenges." It is (was) an all-girls school, so no GLOs.

Washington Post Article

Judging from social media, it looks like this is the first students, parents, and alums (possibly also staff?) have heard of this, which seems a little sketchy. It's pretty late in the year for transfers, although SBC worked out a reciprocal admissions deal with a few other colleges in the area (including two women's colleges) for transfers and accepted students who had made a deposit. But if a student doesn't want to go to those schools... sounds like she may be SOL.

Late pass but I was just looking at some of the FB comments on the college's official announcement.

Examples:

"My daughter turned down near full-ride scholarships from Washington & Lee, Washington University in STL, and MIT to come to Sweet Briar, her first choice. She is now without a school and has student loan debt. I want answers and there had better be some when I arrive."

"I certainly hope you have a plan to refund my daughter's application fee and housing deposit that we recently paid as you will not need it. I'll be in town tomorrow and trust that this issue will be resolved."

YIKES.

I would SO not want to be the person who had to facilitate the conference call, answer the phones, or deal with any of these parents in person re: this issue (although I think most are simply reacting out of concern for their kid's education and the fact that you just heard that her school is closing and you weren't anticipating that.)

[2015ma]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Late pass but I was just looking at some of the FB comments on the college's official announcement.

Examples:

"My daughter turned down near full-ride scholarships from Washington & Lee, Washington University in STL, and MIT to come to Sweet Briar, her first choice. She is now without a school and has student loan debt. I want answers and there had better be some when I arrive."

I am sorry to learn of Sweet Briar's closing, but I cannot imagine a student choosing to attend Sweet Briar instead of going on a near full-ride scholarship to any of the other schools referenced!

Many of the Virginia women's colleges had GLO's in the past. My husband's late grandmother was a Theta at Randolph-Macon.

[33girl]

Just because something is free doesn't mean it is best for you or will make you happy.