The University of Phoenix announced a 42% decline in enrollment with forecasts that next quarter will see another significant dip. The number one reason cited is a change in rules affecting for-profit-schools that restricts paying admission counselors based on how many students they enroll.
This is laughable. Because down the street the behemoth of a public institution called Arizona State University continues to enroll students at an unfathomable pace. Increasing enrollment by nearly 10,000 students between 2004 and 2009. ASU is now hovering at over 68,000 students enrolled. Dr. Crow has long stated his mission is growth. Typical mentality for a Phoenix based institution.
The rub here is that ASU gets paid by the state for every new student enrolled. They are in effect being given an incentive for enrolling new students. If this is so bad that for-profit-schools are restricted on the practice, then shouldn’t our public funded universities have to take a hard look at pushing for more enrollment?
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Some institutions are focused on growth and marketing themselves as one of the top 100 schools in the country. Others are focused on the right student in the right program at the right time. Which mindset will prevail long term?
There should be less focus on enrollment numbers and more on graduation rate and ability (not employment) post-degree. I, for one, am sick of the “go-to-college-so-you-can-get-a-good-job” BS.
Arizona needs less jobs and more careers.
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The real problem here is that private universities have a much higher default rate on student debt than public ones. Also, recruiting tactics like those have caused people to do things like enroll people who weren’t truly qualified to enter school to enroll basically to get their student loan money. While I agree targeting a specific practice is a touch silly — if our goal is get students who have degrees into the workforce with minimal debt, private universities have a worse track record there currently.
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