Some of state system schools in PA had a merger. Here is an article that explains it better than I can:
https://www.highereddive.com/news/pe...into-2/603330/
The tuition hikes are pricing out the people these institutions were designed to sever, which is kind of underhanded when you think about it. They were created to give people the opportunity to earn a college education and to, hopefully, achieve upward mobility. They have faced funding cuts from the state, which don’t really leave them much of a choice in raising their tuition…but it’s still sad to see such a strong system struggling.
Anecdotal experience, I know, but my nephew was accepted at several state schools and not offered any meaningful scholarship money (despite really stellar grades and accomplishments). He applied (at the suggestion of a certain wise aunt, might I point out) to some private schools with great scholarship programs…and got almost a full ride to a wonderful private university. Kids aren’t being incentivized to go to state schools if the cost of attendance far outweighs private schools if scholarship opportunities are factored in. He also had smaller class sizes and way more opportunities for internships and meaningful college work because he stayed in the city.
At the school I attended, the Greek system is doing well (comparatively, for a school its size in the northeast). They went through a period of downturn maybe 15 years ago, but the system is as strong as it was when I was in school. However, it’s not one of the schools involved in the merger and doesn’t seem to have the same drop in attendance. My personal belief is this school made some strategic decisions to focus on programs that weren’t offered elsewhere, thus still bringing in the numbers despite a generational drop in college enrollment.
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