# What Will Replace Behemoth State University?



## ChristianTrader (Mar 4, 2010)

_New technological developments and pressing national needs suggest that the future of higher education may be one friendlier to the classical tradition of liberal education._

What Will Replace Behemoth State University? 

The current system has a lot of problems but it could eventually turn around.

CT


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## VictorBravo (Mar 5, 2010)

That is interesting. Locally I've seen signs of change too. Community colleges used to be considered also-ran trade schools for those who couldn't get into the big universities. But we have local community colleges that have programs for working people to take sophisticated classes in everything from liberal arts to technology. There is a race among some of them to team up with smaller universities to develop flexible 4 year programs leading to Bachelor's level degrees. 

I know of at least two local programs that will lead to a Bachelor's in Engineering (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical) at a cost of tuition perhaps a quarter to a third of the big schools, and most of the classes are evening classes so people can work and not have to go into great debt to get their degree.

I think the flexible schools are gaining acceptance and credibility. They are good alternatives to those who can apply themselves but don't have resources to go the residential school route.


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## JBaldwin (Mar 6, 2010)

I have no clue what will happen to the oversized universities, but I can see the handwriting on the wall. In addition to what Vic has said about the community colleges, we are seeing more high school students go to college while they are in high school (duel credit) and graduating early. It's a lot less expensive. One local university charges $50-75 for a high school student to take a class which costs $200-250 for the college student for exactly the same class. The high school student gets honors credit for the class and upon graduation from high school gets full college credit.

Students are also going to community college (which is much cheaper) at home and then going on to a university for their remaining two years. The community colleges here have joint programs with the state universities where they can take only classes that transfer. It saves them a lot of money, but it takes away from the funds going into the state university.


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## Semper Fidelis (Mar 6, 2010)

VictorBravo said:


> That is interesting. Locally I've seen signs of change too. Community colleges used to be considered also-ran trade schools for those who couldn't get into the big universities. But we have local community colleges that have programs for working people to take sophisticated classes in everything from liberal arts to technology. There is a race among some of them to team up with smaller universities to develop flexible 4 year programs leading to Bachelor's level degrees.
> 
> I know of at least two local programs that will lead to a Bachelor's in Engineering (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical) at a cost of tuition perhaps a quarter to a third of the big schools, and most of the classes are evening classes so people can work and not have to go into great debt to get their degree.
> 
> I think the flexible schools are gaining acceptance and credibility. They are good alternatives to those who can apply themselves but don't have resources to go the residential school route.


 
As an undergrad in the Nuclear Engineering program at Rensselaer in the late 80's, there was a young woman who transferred into our program as a Junior after 2 years at the local community college. She graduated with the same degree as I did at a fraction of the cost (as a Freshman in 1986, tuition at RPI was $10K a year).

My wife did the community college thing for her first 2 years and then finished her degree at Biola in 2 years.

I'm planning the same for my own kids - 2 years of low tuition at community college, followed by University.


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